Mulvaney’s

March 31, 2012 by Beth Merrill-Belval

Mulvaney’s has been on my “to do” list for some time. After hearing much about it, I knew it was a place I had to get to at some point. Up until recently, the only experience I had had was for a lovely wedding that included some truly delicious food. So I was thrilled when I was surprised with dinner there. Located at 19th and L, the front door is a single door that barely registers there’s a restaurant in the building. But once you walk through, the sounds and smells of a busy restaurant let you know you’ve gotten to the right place! A heavy curtain separates the hostess area from the dining room, keeping the hot air out in the summer, and the cold air at bay during the winter.

I ended up there on St. Patty’s Day. The room was mildly festooned with garlands of green shamrocks. To me, it kind of looked like a half ass way to decorate, but whatever. It’s not like it’s De Vere’s. At any rate, we were immediately seated near the window and next to a table with a very fussy infant. But, because of the ambient noise, I didn’t even notice the poor baby who was crying like there was no tomorrow. She was also ridiculously cute, which never hurts. Nor did her very thoughtful parents and grandparents, who took stabs at calming her down by walking around outside and out of diners’ earshot.

They modified some aspects of their menu to celebrate the holiday. We started with some sparkling wine and the Irish cheese platter. There was Cashel blue, Porter cheddar, Kilbeggan whiskey, and gubbeen. On the side were a tangerine marmalade and roasted nuts. All the cheeses were great, but the stand outs were the Kilbeggan whiskey and the gubbeen.

And there was an amuse bouche. Boiled Yukon gold (I think) potato with Irish cheddar and a bit of corned beef (I think).

As a second course, we got a great pasta: Pappardelle with yellow foot, maitake, and king trumpet mushrooms, made with leeks and asparagus and topped with Fiscalini aged white cheddar. They split it for us and the portion was very hearty. After this, I was no longer hungry for the main course! I definitely enjoyed this, but it doesn’t quite stand up to the pappardelle at Ella.

While I really would have liked to indulge in the special corned beef and cabbage special they had that night, that was, obviously, off the table. So the two fish dishes were it. This is grilled Hawaiian walu with asparagus from the Delta. It included beans from Galt, and made with lemon and tarragon. There was also some kind of mousse, but the menu didn’t say. It tasted like it was probably also asparagus, or possibly even avocado. For me, there was too much of it. The asparagus was perfectly done, and the fish expertly grilled. The beans were an odd addition, in my mind. Although I can see adding it for a textural balance to the crunchy asparagus, the mushiness of beans, which I love, didn’t pair all that well with the fish. From a taste perspective, this dish lacked overall flavor. It definitely needed more seasoning.

The other fish on the table was Canary rock fish on a bed of wild rice from Sutter Rice Co., fennel, sea beans, and saffron, all with a lemon verbena coconut sauce. This was rather bland. The fried plantains, which, like the mouse in the above, weren’t listed on the menu. Luckily there were no aversions to them! Luckily so, because these were delicious and the best part of the dish. The sauce was boring and lacked punch, while the pilaf was meh.

Dessert was at another location, so I can’t speak to that. There was a panna cotta that sounded yummy, but gelato at Devine was on the docket.

Overall, this was a disappointment. The fish dishes lacked flavor, interest, and needed more seasoning. I really hate having to reach for the salt or pepper at any fancier place, but especially a restaurant that calls themselves “culinary specialists.” I expected more, particularly after the great food I had had at the wedding, and the recommendations from friends. Were said expectations too high? Perhaps, but it’s not like this was built up like Episode I of Star Wars, or something. Well, nor was it George Lucas, but that’s an entirely different subject, more fit for my Rants, Raves, and Various Sundries… blog!

It was rather noisy, as mentioned earlier, but it also was somehow not difficult to carry on a conversation. If you’re like me, you also will need to know where the restroom is. You have to walk to the rear of the restaurant and down a hallway to find the single-person ladies’ room. No, not “single person” as in “If you like it, you better put a ring on it.” Haha. And if you’re wearing the wrong shoes, you might end up slipping. The heels I wore slipped on the slick floor and I nearly had an “I’ve fallen and I can’t get up” moment in the middle of the restaurant.

While I wan’t bowled over this time, I would like to give it another try and see what happens.

Overall: 3/5 stars
Food: 2.5/5 stars
Ambience: 4/5 stars
Price: $$$.5/5
Service: 4.5/5 stars The service was excellent.

http://www.culinaryspecialists.com/

Restaurant Thir13en – Brunch

March 10, 2012 by Beth Merrill-Belval

The long and short of it? Go to Thir13en for brunch!

With a ridiculously fresh menu that changes daily, Thir13en isn’t just a great place for dinner… now you can have your brunch and eat it, too! It was a beautiful day and the patio was open for business! Meeting up with a couple of friends, we grabbed some bloody marys, which were a veritable salad onto themselves, and blood orange/prosecco mimosas and enjoyed the gorgeous weather.

While Chef/owner Adam Pechal is still trying out some new things for the menu, he’s got some wonderful dishes like Chicken Little, his take on the classic comfort food of chicken and waffles. But this is no fake syrup with cardboard waffles, nope! His are buttermilk fried young chicken with goat cheese-herb waffles and a bacon-maple syrup. Also are staples like Steak and Eggs, and another twist on a classic dish: Eggs Benedict, Tuscan style (I kind if felt like the narrator on the original Iron Chef there for a second!) Also is the more unusual chilaquiles – tortilla chips with salsa, eggs, grilled chicken, cotija cheese, avocado, and sour cream. Adorning the table today: Tuscan Benedict and Joe Pruner’s Special.

The Tuscan Benedict was made with prosciutto, peperonata, and poached eggs atop an English muffin with a meyer lemon hollandaise sauce smothering the entire creation. The prosciutto is more like a ham than the thinly sliced prosciutto you might be accustomed to seeing. Because of this, it’s heartier and stands up well to the peperonata. Speaking of which, the peperonata was fabulous. Its sweet and tangy flavors mixed well with the saltiness of the prosciutto and the sweetness of the hollandaise sauce.

At first glance, the menu does not appear to be veghead friendly. However, Adam is more than happy to accommodate any substitutions to make something vegetarian. In this case, he suggested making the scramble with a multitude of mushrooms in place of the usual beef. This was fabulous. It was 3 scrambled eggs and thrown together with delicious carmelized onions, bloomsdale spinach and just the right amount of white cheddar to hold it all together in cheesy goodness. I think the standout in this dish was the onions. There were just enough to bring out the flavor of the onions, while also bringing out the best in the other ingredients. But my favorite thing? The potatoes! It was a serving of the most perfectly fried potatoes I’d ever had. Cubed and with a sublime crunch, gently seasoned with rosemary from their herb garden, and perfectly salted with large grains of sea salt, I’ve found my perfect potato! A friend of mine put it well: There really is nothing like something simple done right. This is just such an example… few ingredients done absolutely perfectly.

I admit it, I’m a total sucker for biscuits and gravy, and macaroni and cheese. Well, 13 does both… really well. I mean, seriously. It’s a little bit ridiculous. There was some miscommunication about my scramble, so to appease me (because I’m such a raging bitch, or something, haha), Adam brought out some of his heavenly biscuits and gravy. These were cheddar, chive and smothered in Sawmill gravy. (I don’t know what recipe he uses, but whatever it is, it’s delicious.) I couldn’t really eat much of this, since it had large chunks of sausage, but did taste it. Warning: The large is big enough to feed a Mormon family, or my office mate’s 16 year old son! It did reheat well, however, so your mouth can go for a delectable dip in Sawmill gravy for a few days after your visit.

Adam is still tweaking the menu a bit, so don’t be surprised if you see some new, fun stuff! And he’s willing to hear what you’ve got to say… suggestions are most definitely welcome! Adam flits from table to table, doing his chef shmoozing only like he can. During my visit, the co-owner of Tuli was on the patio enjoying brunch, as was server from Tuli. Clearly they believe in these two restaurants as much as anyone, which speaks volumes to me. So, get thee to Restaurant 13’s Sunday brunch with all speed!

1300 H Street
http://thir13en.com/
Reservations available through Open Table or their website.

This says it all!

Inside dining area

Community table and bar

Herb garden out front

He'll bop you on the head with his wing if you're a jerk

The Red Rabbit Kitchen + Bar

March 4, 2012 by Beth Merrill-Belval

In a building with several other restaurants, you really have to distinguish yourself from the other guys. Red Rabbit is the newest kid on the block along J Street between 27th and 28th Streets. A veritable stripmall of restaurants and night life, with spots like Harlow’s, Blue Cue, and Bar West, The Red Rabbit Kitchen + Bar fits right in. Located in the spot vacated by Red Lotus, the new owners haven’t had to make very many changes to update the look or feel of the place. If you didn’t make it to Red Lotus, the main focal point of the entire restaurant is its huge semi-circle bar, where the bartenders of Red Rabbit mix up hand crafted libations to clamoring guests. They’ve also removed the low tables to the right of the bar and replaced them with hi-tops. The space also boasts a fabulous patio out back with a bar to serve folks out there.

On this particular visit, it was a snap decision to go there. We had made plans to attend their grand opening the week before, but that fell through and I was anxious to give it a go.

When we arrived at about 7:45 (this was a Friday night), the wait was only about 20 minutes, which made my grumbling stomach delighted to hear. We decided to grab a drink and sit at the bar. Unfortunately, there wasn’t a whole lot of room there; apparently everyone else had the exact same idea. It took a while to get anyone’s attention, and when we finally did get to order a drink, we were being seated. This, however, was no big deal for me. They were extremely busy and I think the bartenders were still getting used to some of the drink recipes (I saw mine stealing glances to his cheat sheet). They’ve separated the drinks into four categories: Bright and Tart, Juicy, Bitter, and Rich. The two drinks at the table tonight were the Army Navy: gin, lemon, and orgeat. The other was the Chappelle Cocktail: gin, sweet vermouth, falernum, pineapple, and lime. They fit very well into their respective categories of bright and tart, and juicy.

For appetizers, the Portobello Frites and Vegetarian Spring Rolls. The frites weren’t quite what I was expecting. They were crunchy and not too oily, but there was an excess of flour. It almost tasted mealy. I would have preferred a panko crust. I also thought that the portobellos kind of got lost in the dish… like a five year old in her mom’s dress. Maybe shiitakes would be better? But that might also be a little too meaty. What the breading did do was add a really pleasant textural contrast. They were perfectly seasoned and served atop an arugula base, which was really yummy.

The spring rolls were a tad bland on their own, so the ponzu sauce was just what the doctor ordered. It was a little light on the quantity, so I definitely would have liked more of it.

For the main dishes: Beer and Onion Soup Cheese Melt with fries, and The Ramen. The melt is a sandwich, so don’t think it’s some kind of soup and sandwich combo, even though the description on the menu says, “beer braised onion soup.” This is a portable version of onion soup. Carmelized onions and melted gruyere cheese are between two slices of toasted sourdough. Unfortunately, this was a bit of a disappointment. The onions completely overpowered any other flavors that may have been present and there was a deficiency of cheese. The french fries that accompanied the sandwich were only slightly better than In ‘n Out’s in their crispy factor.

The Ramen was very good. With vegan noodles made from Sacramento’s “Pasta” Dave Brochier, they were excellent. He is the main reason I ordered this! The first time I met him, he crafted a fabulous dish just for me and I fell in love with his pasta. The Ramen also included a good amount of shrimp and shiitake mushrooms, green onions, and just the right amount of ginger. The portion size was generous, the broth really tasty and savory, though a teeny bit on the salty side, although I’ve never complained about that in a dish! I definitely liked this the best of the four dishes I’d tried.

Overall, there is room for improvement, but I will definitely be back to see how it progresses. Expect more blog posts about Red Rabbit from me!

The most expensive thing on the menu is $18 and from what I understand, it’s enough to make a couple meals. The idea is to be a comfortable, affordable spot for locals to frequently enjoy without breaking the bank.

https://www.facebook.com/SacRabbit
http://theredrabbit.net/

2718 J Street
916.706.2275
hello@theredrabbit.net

The Press Bistro

February 12, 2012 by Beth Merrill-Belval

Let me just begin by saying I really do like this place. It’s comfortable, casual, and never disappoints. The food is fresh, sustainably sourced, and always delicious.

Located across the street from Paesano’s, with Zocalo for its next door neighbor, The Press is in the space previously occupied by Dragonfly. I’d never been to Dragonfly, but I had heard the spot was a difficult one… I don’t see The Press going anywhere anytime soon. The menu is well designed, the prices aren’t outrageous, the ambience is pleasant, and most importantly, the service and food are superb.

On this night, we had had the challenging task of figuring out a place to eat on a Saturday night, thanks to The Broiler debacle, and arrived around 8:45. The place was definitely packed, with a wait of about 45 minutes for a table. But we weren’t fazed. One of the genius things The Press has is seating at its bar, and the surrounding area. There’s a large community table that seats about 16, plus tables lining the window. A large party had just left the community table, leaving several spots available. This is a great place to sit and enjoy your meal… and who knows, you might end up meeting some new people, which is exactly what happened! After enjoying some time with our dates, and slyly eyeing what the others were ordering, we finally met the fabulous and uniquely named duo of Langston and Hirondina. Langston is named after the poet Langston Hughes, while Hirondina is named after a songbird native to Africa. So don’t be wary of community tables; they can be the source of some unexpected fun!

Not only is the food fabulous, but the mixologists have created some artisan cocktails that you would be hard “pressed” (haha. okay. sorry) to find anywhere else.

The Press menu is crafted so that you can enjoy a selection of tapas or appetizers, which include salads, soups, and items like crispy calamari, and gnocchi. They also serve their pasta in large or small sizes, in addition to full size entrees. This makes it perfect to mix up your meal and try a variety of dishes. Go for some tapas, a small pasta, and an entree. Or maybe two appetizers, and two small pastas… or one tapas and an entree! Mix it up, have some fun, and warn your taste buds they’re in for a treat!

The Press menu

I definitely like their tapas menu which are 1 for $4 or 3 for $10. There are 9-10 things from which to choose… tonight was goat cheese stuffed piquillo peppers, crab and parmesan arancini, and roasted beets with goat cheese. They’re the perfect size to share between two people and serve as a fabulous appetizer. They also have other delectable dainties like bacon and onion crostini, marinated olives, and fried meatballs with a garlic yogurt sauce.

The other thing I like about The Press is their ridiculously affordable house wine. An entire 1 liter carafe of their house white is only $18 and is really quite tasty. I’m not as big of a fan of their red, but I definitely do like the white.

As for our entree, this was a no-brainer… pan seared scallops with mushrooms, sun choke puree, and truffle butter. A limited time dish specifically for Valentine’s Day, I’m definitely hoping this becomes a regular on the menu! The scallops were cooked to perfection, crunchy on the outside, thanks to the searing, and sweet and delicate in the middle. The mushrooms were crimini, shiitakes, and oysters… a trifecta of deliciousness! The meaty texture and flavor of the shiitakes, the medium firmness of the criminis, and the unique flavor and texture of the oyster mushrooms combined to make a perfect, umami-ful complement to the scallops. Pulling it all together was a sun choke puree that I could have eaten on toast! The black truffle butter with a hint of fennel, chives and leeks, brought the entire dish to an inhumane level. Okay, that may be hyperbole, but I thoroughly enjoyed this dish. I judge a restaurant on its scallops and The Press passes with flying colors! The only criticism I have is that I wanted some thick bread, like focaccia, to sop up the sauce!

But we were missing one! So we got a lone scallop delivered to us. In’t it cute?

You can't escape my evil clutches!

The whole family… dish complete!

The complete family of four.

For dessert, meyer lemon pie with whipped cream. This did not disappoint. It was tart, yet sweet. The whipped cream added a nice smoothness and neutrality to cut through any residual tartness you may feel on your tongue. I judge pies and pizzas based on the crust… this was one of the best crusts I’ve had. To drink with this, we had two drinks: a Domaine Fontanel Rivesaltes Ambre and a Ben Rye ’07. The former was all caramel and burnt sugar. The latter, in one word, delicious. It was all apricot and reminded me of a fruit roll up. Made from the Italian varietal called the zibbibo, it is similar to a muscato, so is quite sweet and a wonderful aperitif. I loved this. Obviously.

Langston and Hirondina ordered the other dessert we were eyeing, winter citrus creme brulee, and were kind enough to let us try it. This was really awesome. It had the traditional crunchy top, but the custard had the flavor of a lemon cake, with the smooth texture of pudding, yet was firm enough to stand up to the crunch. There was a dance of burnt orange and sugar flavors. The vanilla custard was taken to a different level with the delightful zing of citrus to make this no ordinary creme brulee! I kind of think that the acidity of the citrus cut through the fat of the creme brulee, kind of like how a sauvignon blanc does that with higher fat dishes.

Bottom line, I love this place. Be sure to sit outside when the weather gets nice. Oh, I should add that once when I was there, Mayor Kevin Johnson and Michelle Rhee were also having dinner! I guess they know the good places, too! The owner/chef wanders the dining room, making sure everyone is enjoying their meals, but he is also in the trenches cooking and delivering food to tables!

They don’t have a happy hour right now, nor are they open for lunch, and are closed Mondays. Reservations aren’t available online, but they generally do take them over the phone.
They also have a special 3-course dinner on Sunday for $25 a person, 5-9. I’m hoping to try this some day soon!

Overall: 4/5
Price: $$/$$$$
Ambience: 4/5 (can be a bit loud)
Food: 4.5/5

http://thepressbistro.com/
1809 Capital Ave

Twitter: http://thepressbistro.com/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/pages/The-Press-Bistro/122363554473910

The Broiler Steakhouse

February 12, 2012 by Beth Merrill-Belval

This will be a relatively short post. Why, you ask? Because I never actually ate here.

Deciding to try a new place without recommendation can be tricky, and hopefully will end well. However, it doesn’t always. This is such a tale. With a restaurants.com voucher in hand, a reservation, and excitement at venturing to a place I hadn’t been, we arrived at The Broiler. Located at 1201 K Street, across the street from Ella, The Broiler is within the doors of the hi-rise at 12th and K and is associated with Gallagher’s Irish Pub. Its location is great… next door neighbors with the IMAX Theater, and super close to the Convention Center and the Community Center Theatre. I’d been wanting to eat here for a while, even though it is a steakhouse; their menu includes one vegetarian option and a few more for the pescetarian. But knowing that it’s an established place in Sacramento, with a history of serving folks since 1962, I was looking forward to the experience.

Upon arrival at a fairly full waiting area, we went up to the hostess station. It was vacant, so we waited for the maitre d’ to appear. This would be the first stop in an evening of waiting. We waited. And waited. The station is right next to the “bar,” a five or six person bar area that looks more like a place holder than a real bar, so there were plenty of people walking past who could have stopped to ask if we had been helped. Indeed, the hostess station is in the main thoroughfare between the kitchen entrance and the dining room. After waiting for almost ten minutes, I was going to give them one more minute before leaving. Someone must have heard my thoughts, because with about 30 seconds to go, the maitre ‘d appeared. I’m not sure if he was also the GM, manager, or otherwise in charge. He told us it would be a little bit before we could be seated. Thirteen minutes later, we finally were shown to our booth. With apologies, he said they were very busy and made awkward small talk, asking if we were celebrating anything. Valentine’s Day, was the reply. With surprise, he said, But it’s not until Tuesday. With my own feeling of shock, I was surprised he thought that it was unusual to take the weekend to observe a holiday that fell in the middle of the week. But whatever. Now that we were seated, menus opened, wine decided on, I was trying to put aside the annoyance I felt at having to wait, then wait some more, followed by the weird conversation. I was excited to try out the scallops, have some oysters and champagne and enjoy the meal with a bottle of voignier. But can you guess what happened next? That’s right, kids, we waited. We waited another fifteen minutes before anyone came by to fill our water glasses. Meanwhile, the table across from ours and the booth adjacent had been cleared, cleaned, new patrons seated, and drink orders placed. Still, no one had so much as stopped by to say a server would be by soon. Checking the time, 7:50, I was willing to give them ten more minutes… 7:56, 7:58, 7:59… 8:00. And we were out of there. We had been in that restaurant for 45 minutes and the best they could do was pour water… once.

Needless to say, I was angry and very disappointed. However, we hustled over to Ella and truly enjoyed a fabulous treat of oysters and champagne before heading over to The Press for dinner.

In fairness, I do plan on trying them out again. Perhaps it was an off night, or they hadn’t planned on it being as busy as it was, though I find that a little hard to believe, given the fact that I saw at least five or six empty tables as we walked out. Plus, any restaurant in that location really should expect to be busy on a Saturday night.

Magpie Cafe

February 6, 2012 by Beth Merrill-Belval

The yellow-billed magpie, native to this part of California, is from a family of birds purported to be one of the most intelligent animals… smart and lovely, what a fabulous combination! Magpie Caterers also combines two wonderful qualities: a casual, comfortable environment, with simply delicious food.

Located in the mixed use building at 15th and R Streets, its cuisine is American, local, seasonal, and fresh. The menu changes daily, but doesn’t deviate so much that you’ll never see your favorites again.

Menu from 2.2.12

If you are there for lunch, the menu is posted on this pillar. All you need to do is belly on up to the case, make your order, and have a seat! They’ll give you a number and bring your meal to you.

The Case

For dinner, take a seat wherever you’d like. One of the servers will present you with menus and take excellent care of you during your stay.

Green salad with winter squash vinaigrette. Greens, fennel, watermelon radish, and toasted pepita. I enjoyed this salad, but there was a bit too much dressing for my taste. I’d rather have too little than too much and ask for more. However, the toasted pepita was a great textural addition, while the fennel and radish added just enough flavor variation to keep it from being a standard issue baby greens salad.

Wild mushroom and runner bean ragout. Hedge hog mushrooms, cannellini beans, tiny potatoes, winter squash, herbs and marsala sauce. I was expecting this to come with bread, rice, or some other kind of accompaniment that would sop up the very delicious sauce. But then I rethought that and figured the added starch might have been just a bit much.

Chicken with Meyer lemon. Crispy pan-seared breast and confit leg with an heirloom bean and meyer lemon sauce. It’s great that they created this dish so diners can try this organic chicken two ways and experience the differences that preparation and flavor can have on a dish. The sweet meyer lemon pulls together the two styles, while the cannellini beans, neutral in flavor, serve as a nice base and textural variation.

These are something that you absolutely must have when you go to Magpie. Carrot cake cookies! They are rather large, so you might want to split this with someone… or not! The cookies are soft, moist, and perfectly carrot-y, while the filling is a delicious glop of cream cheese frosting goodness. I’ll take this over almost any slice of carrot cake from any bakery.

Overall, I have always enjoyed my meals at Magpie. They serve excellent food without being pretentious or snobby. It’s comfortable, cozy, and the perfect place for a weekday meal with friends.

They open at 7:30am Monday through Friday and serve breakfast until it’s gone! They also do happy hour from 3-6 Monday-Friday with discounts on select glasses of wine, beer, and appetizers.

As their name indicates, they are a catering company as well.

When it’s nice outside, enjoy the patio right outside its front doors. With the varied businesses in the building, there is always good people watching!

Bottom line: Another of my Sacramento favorites!

Overall: 4/5
Food: 4/5
Price: $$/5

http://www.magpiecaterers.com/cafe
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/pages/Magpie-Caterers-Market-and-Cafe/144800849518
Twitter: http://twitter.com/magpiecafesacto

1409 R Street
Phone: 916-452-7594

Tuli Bistro – Brunch

February 4, 2012 by Beth Merrill-Belval

Located on the corner of 21^st and S, Tuli Bistro has established itself as a neighborhood “go-to” spot… a place where denizens regularly visit. Many of the employees have been there a while, so you’re almost always guaranteed to see a familiar face. The menu changes daily, and features seasonal, local fare. One of the great things about Tuli is their open kitchen style. Grab a seat at the bar and watch them create your meal from start to finish. This bar seats about a dozen or so, with two other high top tables available for parties of two. The “dining room” is more like a sun room. It remains comfortable year-round though, thanks to the heat lamps that warm it in the winter and ceiling fans for the summer months. Heavy coverings roll open to fully secure the open space between the roof and the railing. It works great to keep out both the rain and hot sun. When the weather is nice, it’s a fabulous place to enjoy a glass of wine and sit outside, without actually sitting outside.

The inside bar

Outside dining room

Tuli is the elder sibling of Restaurant Thir13en, so you’ll see some familiar sounding dishes on the menu if you’ve ever been to 13. They are equally delicious, but very different dining experiences, with Tuli being the more casual place you might regular, and Thir13en being a little fancier and reserved for a special night.

I’ve eaten dinner and brunch several times at Tuli over the years, and it never ceases to impress. The waitstaff is well trained and attentive, presentation is fabulous, and if you ever receive anything that isn’t up to snuff, they will gladly return it from whence it came and make sure you are the happiest you could be with your order.

One of the best things about Tuli’s Sunday brunch? Bottomless mimosas! At $9 a pop with the purchase of an entrée, this is one of the best deals in Sacramento. Before you say, holy cow, how is that a deal? these mimosas aren’t made with Cook’s and Sunny D… Nope! These mimosas consist of Odwalla orange juice and a delicious cava.

Bottomless mimosas FTW!

Brunch menu

I had it on good advice to get the trout benedict. This was amazing. I’m a sucker for a light, lemon-y Hollandaise sauce and this did not disappoint. With thick cut brioche serving as the base, the poached eggs, with a sprinkling of chives and paprika, perched atop a large and long filet of expertly cooked trout. This was all brought together by the aforementioned Hollandaise sauce, of which there was, delightfully, no shortage. Accompanying the benedict was a side of home fries. If you happen to get this, do be cautious of bones. It’s difficult to completely debone a fish like this, so just be on the lookout!

Trout Benedict

The other dish was cheesy grits. Not only were they cheesy, but had a kick like a small mule, so beware, all you non-iron clad stomach sufferers. You might want to have the Prilosec on hand! I also am a sucker for cheesy grits, or grits of just about any hue. These were sticky and thick… just the way I like ‘em! The cheese wasn’t over powering and added just the right amount of savory. Included were two eggs, any style. I went with scrambled. Perhaps next time I’ll get them poached or over medium. Sauteed onions, roasted red peppers, shrimp, tomatoes, and hot links (I got these on the side) completed the dish. This was also extremely filling, but luckily reheats very well, which was good because I ate these grits for a couple of (glorious) days!

Cheesy Grits

Overall, Tuli is an excellent place to go for a great, comfortable meal. They serve lunch and dinner, and brunch on Sundays. It’s pretty affordable, but if it is out of your price range, they do participate in Sacramento Dine Downtown Week if you’d like to take advantage of that.

Adam also does catering for parties of any size, so keep that in mind when you’re looking for someone to feed your group!

Bottom line, Tuli is one of my favorites… a fabulous place to go when I just feel like going out.

Overall: 4.5/5

Price: $$$/5

Ambience: 4.5/5

Note: They do not take reservations. Open seating at the bar. Lunch served Mon-Fri. Sunday brunch only from 9:30-2:00. Dinner 7 days (starts at 5:00 on Sat and Sun).

http://www.tulibistro.com

1031 S Street (on the corner of 21st and S, across from Rite Aid)
916.451.8854

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/pages/Tuli-Bistro/151660940269

The Firehouse Restaurant

January 29, 2012 by Beth Merrill-Belval

I have fond memories of the Firehouse. It was the first really nice place I went to after moving to Sacramento. I’ve enjoyed family dinners, and dinner with some great people (non-relatives, not that my family isn’t great!). It was where a complete stranger bought me a bottle of 1995 Merryvale Profile as a birthday gift. On this occasion, which wasn’t a real occasion, other than to experience some fabulous food, I enjoyed the January Chef’s Tasting Menu with paired wines.

Located on Second Street, between K and L, it’s easy to get to and has valet parking available for a relatively small amount. Otherwise there is metered parking along the street that is monitored until six, I believe.

If you’ve never been to the Firehouse, it has a very unique decor. It is heavy and dark, with super-sized prints decorating the walls. I liken it to the salon of a wealthy Victorian nobleman… but never fear, there are no heads, furs, or shotguns next to these prints. It’s velvet, mahogany, deep red and just the type of place to go for an amazing meal, service, and wine. The booths against the wall are half moon-shaped, and set comfortably apart, so you can easily enjoy your meal without having to worry about your neighbor pulling a Samwise Gamgee and eavesdropping. These are also very cushy, which is good, since you’ll want to settle in and enjoy this dining experience!

Place setting

First came an amuse bouche of warm carrot and coconut soup garnished with parsley. It was sweet and perfect to prepare the mind and stomach!

Amuse bouche

Next up (not on the Tasting Menu) were half dozen oysters and sparkling wine, which was a delicious Brut from Argentina. My complaint with these was that they were a bit too large. In this case, bigger is definitely NOT better.

Oysters and sparkling wine

First course: Parsnip-apple bisque with calvados syrup and prosciutto-apple fritter paired with a 2007 Pio Cesare Moscato d’Asti. If you’ve never had this kind of wine, be sure to at some point. It is refreshing, light, and pairs excellently with intensely rich flavors. Its effervescence and acidity cut through the richness (insert: fat) of this bisque and brought umami to the fore.

Parsnip-Apple Bisque

Second course: Layer “cake” beet salad with roasted beets and chevre-shallot mousseline, candied pecans, watercress and pomegranate molasses vinaigrette. Paired with a 2010 Cleto Chiarli Lambrusco di Sorbara D.O.P. I loved this salad. The flavors and textures melded and mixed together perfectly, with the sweetness of the beets counterpointed by the tart pomegranate, and the crunchy pecans balanced by the creamy chevre. The wine, a tart sparkling red, worked surprisingly well. I’d never had a sparkling red like this, and I’m not sure I’d have it again, but it was excellent here.

"layer cake" beet salad

“Layer,” because…

Next came a palate-cleansing intermission of pomegranate sorbet. The serving size was a bit much and made me feel like I was already at dessert. It also cooled off my mouth a bit too much. But then again, who cares, it was delicious!

Pomegranate sorbet

Third Course: Duck with huckleberries. Pan roasted duck breast with toasted coriander and fennel seed, yam gratinee with tarragon beurre rouge. Paired with a 2009 Bonneau Sangiacomo vineyard Pinot Noir from Carneros. Artfully presented, it was… well… ducky. But not the way I remembered duck. It wasn’t at all gamey, but was rich and fatty. It came complete with skin and fat, from which I completely stayed away, but I tried some of the meat, and the accoutrements were quite nice. This was probably my least favorite of the courses. The paired wine was a lovely deep red ruby, that started out complex, but ended up a wee bland at the end. However, it was one of those American wines that stands up well on its own. I would have liked to enjoy a glass of this by itself.

Duck with huckleberries

Fourth course: Chargrilled filet mignon with wild mushroom demi-glace, bacon leek bread pudding and brussel sprouts. Paired with a 2008 Edge Cabernet sauvignon from Napa Valley.

Filet mignon

My version was made with a gigantic and ridiculously delicious scallop. This was also fabulous. Since I’m such a big fan of mushrooms, I loved the demi-glacé and the brussel sprouts were also an excellent addition, giving it just a bit of crunch with the mushrooms. But what took the proverbial cake was the bacon-leek “bread pudding” that served as the foundation for this building of gastronomic delight. Perfect chunks of bacon (sorry, I just couldn’t help myself!) were suspended in pillowy soft, savory bread. I ended up eating this for lunch the next day… and it was STILL delightful. If you go to the Firehouse and this is on the menu, I highly recommend it. The filet wasn’t quite as good, but the last time I had a bite of filet was at The Kitchen, so this may be a slightly unfair comparison! The paired wine was kind of meh; I think it was too young. Frankly, I was a bit surprised that they’d include a 2008 on this menu. I’d lay down a bottle like this for at least a couple more years.

Scallop with mushroom demi glacé

Final course: Tres leches de chocolate. Chocolate three-milks’ cake with butter pecan crust, port fruit compote and a vanilla anglaise. Paired with a 1927 sherry from Pedro Ximenez Solera from Montilla-Moriles. This was one of the thickest, most flavorful sherries I’d ever tasted. The legs on this were longer than Cindy Crawford’s! It was viscous, and had the color of motor oil (a good thing!) and had an intense, but not unpleasant, black licorice flavor. With the dessert, it was brown sugar on my face. This cake was extremely rich, and for someone who isn’t the biggest chocolate fan, a bit much, even with the anglaise. However, if you are a choco-holic, this is most definitely the dessert for you! I had about half of it and called it a night.

Tres leches de chocolate

To end the meal, as if you can stuff any more into your belly (no images of Mr. Creosote, please!), a pistachio orange blondie cookie. I very much enjoyed this little bit of crunchy neutrality as I cried “Uncle” for the evening.

Sweet ending

The Firehouse is a perfect locale to mark an Anniversary, get engaged, or to celebrate just about anything. They have a lovely courtyard area that also serves as a wedding/reception venue and is a great place for lunch during the warmer months. Mario Ortiz, the wine director/sommelier, who I thought was retiring, but whose name is still on the menu, would be happy to show you the downstairs wine cellar and talk about wine until the cows come home. This is a restaurant with impeccable service, presentation, attention to detail, and a desire to make your meal a memorable one. They also have various events, such as special winemaker dinners and wine tastings. While it is not exactly cheap to eat there, they do participate in Sacramento Dine Downtown Week and they just started a weekly lunch deal that looks pretty killer. If you are on Facebook or Twitter, they communicate specials and events quite frequently.

Overall: 4.5 stars
Price: $$$$.5/5
Ambience: 5/5 (if you like old-world charm)
Food: 4.75/5

http://www.firehouseoldsac.com/
https://www.facebook.com/TheFirehouseRestaurant
https://twitter.com/#!/FirehouseOldSac

Restaurant Thir13en

January 20, 2012 by Beth Merrill-Belval

(In the interest of full disclosure, I should let you know that I am not completely impartial to this restaurant. Chef Adam Pechal is a friend of mine. And I’m sure he thanks his lucky stars every day for it. Now onto my evening.)

Restaurant Thir13en, heretofore to be known as simply 13, occupies the area formerly used by Chanterelle in the Sterling Hotel. Being a fan of Tuli and wishing Adam nothing but success, I was very excited to check out his new venture. Going there on a mild summer evening is, in fact, one of the best ways to spend a few hours with close friends, sipping on a glass of wine or a signature cocktail, and leisurely chewing some cheesy comestibles (random Monty Python reference. If you get it, score 5 for no embarrassment, 3 for slight embarrassment… crap, I keep leading you down the garden path, Mrs. Bueller. Wow. I’ll stop.) So when I noticed that they were participating in Sacramento Dine Downtown Week, I was eager to introduce our friends Jeb and Lea, who are new to Sacramento. If you are unfamiliar with Dine Downtown, it is a week (actually ten days, I think) where participating restaurants offer a prix fixe menu of three courses for $30. Many also do wine pairing for an additional $15.

13 has a very cozy feel, with dark woods, a relatively low ceiling, and soft lighting. It is intimate, comfortable, private, yet not isolated. There is also an upstairs dining room that is a new acquisition for the restaurant. Situated off the main foyer of the hotel, it was a hair salon in its previous life. I’d guess they can probably seat about 40, 50 at the most. In order to reach it, you have to go back out the front door, up the stairs and into the hotel through a side stair way. This dining room is enclosed by glass and accessed by two heavy glass doors. On this night there were no available seats; I’m sure Dine Downtown brought out a lot of patrons. This is where we were seated. Immediately, I noticed the noise level. It was nearly impossible for me to hear the other people at our table and it took time to adjust my ears and brain enough to carry on a conversation. Also, the restroom is back out the glass doors, up the stairs, to the left down the hallway, and on the right. There is only one. However, you can also take the elevator back downstairs to use the restrooms in that dining room.

upstairs dining room

upstairs bar area

If you’ve ever been to Tuli, you know they don’t have the ability to serve oysters. Well, 13 does! So here’s our dozen of yummy kumamoto oysters. Instead of the traditional mignonette sauce, 13 serves their oysters with spicy dijonaise and pear prosecco granita. These were not included on the Dine Downtown menu 🙂

Oysters all around!

The first course: 12 Hour Beeler Ranch pork belly with apple “3” ways, parsnips, and bulls blood. This was paired with a chardonnay. Obviously I didn’t order this, so I can’t speak for its flavor or texture. Needless to say, it was a hit with the person who ordered it.

My first course was a beet salad with pistachio-crusted goat cheese, arugula, blood oranges, fennel, tossed with a golden balsamic vinaigrette and paired with a sauvignon blanc. The goat cheese was fabulous. I loved the crunchy texture of the pistachios as a counterpoint to the smooth goat cheese. Calling this a “beet” salad was a bit of a misnomer, however, as it was mostly arugula. I really enjoyed this. It was perfectly dressed and the crouton was also a great addition to add a little bit more crunch to the overall dish.

The second course was a sous vide and seared Passmore Ranch sturgeon perched atop a Tasso-braised rainbow chard, surrounded by a pillow of buttermilk parsnip puree and sunk in a lake of sauce almondine. If you’re wondering what the heck “sous vide” means, check this out: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sous-vide. It was paired with an Orvieto, which is both a growing region in pretty much the middle of Italy, and what they call the wine from that area. It’s a dryer, less sweet wine, and not as heavy or buttery as a lot of chardonnays these days. I enjoyed this dish, but thought it was a tad heavy on the almonds. The puree was smooth, buttery, and was the “glue” that tied in all the flavors. The sturgeon was perfectly prepared.

The meat dish was a sirloin steak from Lucky Dog Ranch, also sous vide and then skillet seared with Oregon blue cheese, butter, a wild mushroom ragout, and whiskey demi and sous vide potatoes. I did have a small bite of this and was good, although Jeb found it to be a tad on the tough side. The flavors, however, were wonderful and it was cooked to exact specifications. This was paired with a Twisted Rivers syrah.

The full vegetarian of our group was given an orecchiette pasta with various veggies. This was perhaps the funniest order ever. When we asked what the vegetarian option was, the server had no idea, since apparently, they hadn’t had anyone request one. After he had found out for us, we were told it was “pasta with vegetables.” What kind of vegetables? “Whatever you see on the menu will probably be in there.” It turned out to be quite tasty, however, and a very large portion that was good enough for another meal. The reason for the caption? The menu said exactly that.

The vegetarian or vegetarian option

Dessert was a deliciously smooth, creamy, and utterly yummy panna cotta with a wedge of strawberry, orange glaze winter citrus, and almond biscotti, paired with a moscato d’asti that was light and refreshing.

panna cotta ftw

The other dessert was a chocolate bread pudding with whiskey sauce and salty caramel ice cream. It was quite a large serving that managed to not be too heavy. The ice cream was a lovely complement.

Chocolate bread pudding

While this was for the Dine Downtown week, however there are plenty of other delicious things to try if any of these dishes aren’t on the menu. The Mac and Cheese is one of my favorite (and I’ve had a lot of mac and cheese!), the scallops are just the perfect mix of sweet and savory, and the Passmore fish is always a good bet. And someone told me the burger was the best he’d ever had.

On this occasion, the service at first, was incredibly slow and the server a little short and brusque. But I know he was incredibly busy, and it got much better as the evening progressed.

So, to recap, request a downstairs seat when you make your reservation (they are on Open Table), order pretty much ANYTHING, and settle in for a fantastic night of food, cocktails, and friends.

Out of five stars:
4.5 stars overall
3.75 for value
3.75 for service
4.5 for food

The Porch – Brunch

January 7, 2012 by Beth Merrill-Belval

The Porch – Redux

How did I kick off 2012? With a good ol’ southern style brunch from The Porch.

The first day of 2012 wasn’t just the first day of a new year, it was the first day of brunch for The Porch. Ambitious, right?! Going forward, they will be serving brunch on Sundays.

First off, it was an absolutely gorgeous day. While we chose to sit indoors, when we left, the outside patio (porch) was fully occupied.

There’s no better way to start out the day, and a new year, with a wonderfully presented mimosa! It wasn’t bottomless, which was probably a good thing, but refills are just $3.50.

Kila cava with orange juice

Now came the fun part: the agonizing task of trying of decide what to order. There were several items on the menu that looked fabulous. Which to choose? The vegetarian omelet with mushroom, broccoli, cheese and hollandaise sauce? Or the jambalaya omelet….crawfish and Louisiana red rice and blue crab gravy. Or something simple like grits and eggs? As you can see, the menu isn’t designed for vegetarians, aside from the veggie omelet. After all, this is Southern food, so you have to expect bacon, cheese, and eggs in pretty much everything! However, if you’re pescetarian, you will probably be okay with a few dishes. Plus, you can modify, if need be. However, I might be concerned with cross-contamination. Vegans, stay away! This is NOT the place for you!

The Porch brunch menu

Before bringing out the meal, the chef sent an amuse bouche of bacon infused cornbread muffins with honey and a little bit of a kick. I believe this comes from their jalapeno butter!

Super crabby crab cakes with a lemon and mustard hollandaise sauce, applewood smoked bacon, and potatoes that had a delicate vinegar flavor. This was absolutely delicious. The crab cakes were, well, super crabby! No skimping on the meat in these suckers! The hollandaise sauce was very unique, as were the potatoes. They were actually unlike any standard breakfast potato I’d ever had.

Eggs and biscuit, with The Porch gravy, andouille sausage and house potatoes.

I like to do it my own way… Okay, so this is how I’m like a “Sally”: If they don’t have a dish I like, I make my own! Side of cheesy grits, with biscuits and blue crab gravy. The grits were really authentic. I could feel and see the corn kernels. They make them savory, and I don’t know if they have a sweet option. As for the biscuits and gravy? Holy shmoley these were good. Three huge biscuits and a crock of gravy that was so full of bad stuff, it almost turned healthy. I was eating these for three days! The gravy is almost reminiscent of some kind of amazing, ridiculously thick chowder, minus the potatoes. It’s delicately seasoned, so as not to overpower the crab flavor, with an amazing texture that worked awesome with the crunchy exterior of the biscuits.

Because he is such a fan and wanted to share them, the server brought out ramekins of their apple blueberry jam and huckleberry jam for the biscuits. I really liked the huckleberry jam, but I said, screw the fruit, gimme the fat! Both jams are made in house. They try to do pretty much everything on the premises and are very adamant about sourcing their meats and produce from local purveyors. In fact, the server whipped out his cheat sheet to tell me the exact name and location of where they get their pork, chicken, beef, and anything else I might be wondering about.

Some of the items on the brunch menu are also on their lunch/dinner menu, like the Porch Burger, Seafood Cobb Salad, and Shrimp and Grits. Just like with dinner, it’s likely you will get two meals out of this!

If you’re looking for a fun place for brunch, check it out. It’s not someplace I would regularly visit, just because it is a tad pricey and the food is a bit too rich for me (insert: fattening!), but it’s super tasty and fun for special treat.

http://www.theporchsacramento.com/index.html

SacTown Wino & Foodie

Out and about in the Sacramento food and booze scene