On a Lighter Note: A Rather Unique Menu Item

(Editor’s Note: This taste treat appears to have not yet immigrated to the United States but its only a matter of time. Lest there’s some doubt about the subject, the one English word on the top part of the page is a clue. For the full woof and tweeter, click on Square 4.)    Read more »

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Major Mamey Mamacita

Lalo’s is epic for several reasons. Starting with the karmic:

Xochitl Arellano and I must have loved in another life. It’s too kismet, too comfy, too cool.

Prior to Lalo’s, my knowledge of Xochitl’s life is largely bio greatest hits: former Capitol reporter for Univision, now press secretary for Sen. Gil Cedillo and the Legislature’s 26-member Latino caucus.    Read more »

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Dim Sum Slut Basks in Afterglow

As a dim sum slut, I bask in the warm afterglow. Had I not ditched cigarettes at 11:47 a.m. January 25, 2003, I would smoke after.

This is the post New Canton groove, to date the gold standard for dumplings in Sacramento. I’ve tee’d up Tea Cup on 21st St. Chowed down at the venerable King’s of West Sacramento and spent decades of quality time at Capital Tea Garden on T St.    Read more »

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Samosa Garden — Chaat House

“Once in awhile you get shown the light in the strangest of places if you look at it right” is one of the Grateful Dead’s many open-ended aphorisms.

Light shown at Samosa Garden Taste of India 6608 Florin Road.

California is the first place in civilization where such a diverse population has been brought together as equals.    Read more »

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A Brief Explanation

(Editor’s Note: On Thanksgiving 2008, the chief correspondent of California’s Capitol began reviewing restaurants for the Sacramento News & Review, the respected weekly paper of the City of Trees. As these reviews demonstrate, the apparent criteria for this hiring was an unprecedented lack of restaurant reviewing experience. That abject track record may well be one of the reasons my counterparts at the News & Review suggested the chief correspondent take someone interesting with him.    Read more »

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Confessions of a Dim Sum Slut

Since we’re about to embark on a culinary adventure throughout Alta California, it’s probably prudent to pile a few things on the plate, as it were.

Expect no cowering behind the tattered veneer of objectivity here. I had my fill of that during 19 years covering the state capitol for the San Francisco Chronicle.    Read more »

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Lounge On 20

Accuse Sotiris Kolokotronis of being a gourmand and the response is close to: “Come on, buddy. Who are you kidding?”

This despite a wine collection that would evoke interest from Ted Balestreri, owner of the Sardine Factory on Cannery Row, who has 35,000 bottles stashed under the restaurant in a space designed to look like a Gold Rush mine shaft.    Read more »

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No Mo’ Pho

No mo’ pho.

Shout it out, brethren and sisterns.

No.

Mo’.

Pho.

Why? Because banh cuon is the kind.

Like the aforementioned pho, banh cuon comes from the north of Vietnam. So it’s no surprise the gelatinous crepe-ish dish is kissin’ cousin to the Cantonese dim sum staple, cheung fun.

Bahn means pastry or cake.    Read more »

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Garage Restaurants

Chairman Mao is on the tee box waiting for the foursome ahead to remove themselves from his kill zone.

This would be Wei Mao, head of the Sacramento Chinese Golfers Association, whose flock affectionately – go figure – call him chairman.

The Chairman is chatting with Dave Low, clout-laden lobbyist for the California School Employees Association.    Read more »

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Ju Hachi

There is no restaurant in Taka Watanabe’s Sacramento Sushi Empire that isn’t improved by the presence of the Great Man behind the counter.

This particular day he graces Ju Hachi at 18th and S, formerly Taka’s but the statement is just as true if he were at Kru at 2516 J or Taka’s in Fair Oaks.    Read more »

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