The London Times just published a list of the 50 best food blogs around the world and while SacFoodies didn’t make the list (maybe next year), one local Sacramento blogger did! Number 21 on the top 50 list belongs to Sacramento’s own Elise Bauer’s Simply Recipes blog. This is a truly spectacular blog with delicious, easy-to-prepare recipes and professional-quality photography that makes the food sing!
As a carrot cake fan, I’m definitely going to try out Elise’s version which features pineapple and coconut that she posted this weekend.
Congratulations to Simply Recipes on this great honor!
Archives for February 2009
Last-Minute Valentine's Weekend Suggestions
If you’re still not sure about Valentine’s Day plans and our suggestions earlier this week didn’t inspire you, here are a few last minute ideas for fun things to do over the weekend:
Catch a glimpse of Lance while watching the Amgen Tour of California at Spataro. The restaurant will be open for lunch and has an outdoor bar with bleacher seating for prime Lance-spotting. They will also have the finish line displayed on a giant LCD screen.
Head to McCormick & Schmick’s for a great deal on Valentine’s Dinner. For $29.95, enjoy a steak & lobster dinner with a choice of soup or salad and a signature chocolate dessert. This special is available now through Sunday.
The L Wine Lounge is taking reservations for dinner on Saturday. The meal will include oysters, Dungeness crab and prosciutto fritters, Tuscan white bean soup and duck confit – paired with a delicious assortment of wines, of course.
Be one of the first to try what is sure to become one of the hottest (literally!) restaurants in town: The Hot Italian will be open this weekend with a short and sweet version of the menu plus in-house DJ’s on Saturday and Sunday night!
If you’re craving something sweet, visit a local Krispy Kreme now through Valentine’s Day and experience love at first bite with delicious heart-shaped doughnuts that are both adorable and affordable.
Whatever your plans turn out to be, Have a Happy Valentine’s Day!
Tightwad Tuesday: Valentine's Day Edition
Still looking for something to do with your sweetheart this weekend, but don’t want to spend a ton of dough? Consider spending just $10 each for you and your honey to taste delicious ports and chocolates from five different wineries.
The Old Sugar Mill in Clarksburg , only about 15 minutes away from downtown Sac, will be hosting a Port & Chocolate Lovers Weekend on February 14 and 15. I am certainly a lover of both port and chocolate, and particularly the combo, so my significant other and I will definitely be there.
Of the five participating wineries, I have only previously tasted port from Carvalho Family Winery, which has both a ruby and tawny variety, and each was equally delicious. I am usually a tawny port girl, but the ruby was so full of intense berry flavors, that I just couldn’t pick a favorite.
I can’t wait to try the port offerings from the other wineries: Heringer Estates, Todd Taylor, Solomon Wine Co. and Revolution Wines – each have a tasting room within the Old Sugar Mill. Revolution is interesting to note – they opened a tasting room in midtown last year and were hailed as Sacramento’s first “urban winery,” but continue to also have a tasting room at the Old Sugar Mill.
If you check it out, let us know what you thought!
Valentine's Day Foodie Happenings
With the big V-Day just around the corner, we thought we’d round up a few ideas to get you in the spirit. If you haven’t made your reservations yet, better get to it – once you read over our list of mouth-watering suggestions you won’t be able to resist!
Ella Dining Room and Bar is offering a very special Valentine’s menu. For $125 per person, your meal will include a bottle of champagne (per couple), a Dungeness crab salad, butter poached Maine lobster with black truffle gnocchi, slow roasted beef tenderloin and a warm molten chocolate cake for dessert! Can you say heaven?
Mikuni and Hoshall’s Salon and Spa have teamed up to bring you a very special Valentine’s Day deal. Purchase a $200 Hoshall’s gift certificate and you’ll receive a complimentary $50 gift card to Mikuni – OR buy a $200 Mikuni gift card and get a $50 Hoshall’s gift certificate free! Sounds like a perfect day to us!
Revolution Wines is offering a Valentine’s Port and Chocolate Tasting between 4pm and 9pm on the 14th. Just $15 for two people, the tasting includes two glasses of a special port and scrumptious chocolate. The perfect stop for before or after dinner!
58 Degrees and Holding Co. will also have a special for diners on the 14th. The four-course menu is $150 per couple and includes ½ bottle of champagne. Menu options range from calamari to petite filet mignon to crab stuffed scallops – delish!
The East Bay Restaurant Supply Culinary Center will hold a “Fondue You” Valentine’s Day cooking instruction and tasting class for $115 per couple – plus a free stainless steel fondue pot to take home! Couples will learn to prepare three fondue recipes including classic with imported cheese, spicy queso fundido and silky chocolate fondue. The class will take place on Saturday the 14th from 12:30pm to 3pm and reservations are required.
The Firehouse Restaurant is offering a menu that will answer a question we’ve had from readers in the past: where to fine vegetarian or vegan fine dining options? In addition to a special 5-course Valentine’s Day menu, the Firehouse is also offering a vegetarian and vegan menu which includes fig and onion bruschetta, risotto croquettes, spaghetti squash pomodoro and forest berry crisp for dessert. Visit the Web site to see all the dining options.
If these ideas don’t suit you, check out the list on Twin Soup. And, if you’re anything like us, you’re probably watching your wallet a little more closely lately. With that in mind, don’t forget to check back next week for our Tightwad Tuesday Valentine’s Day suggestions!
Tower Café : A Landmark Dining Experience
A Sacramento landmark, the Tower Café is one of the most popular dining establishments in the city. Located next to the historic Tower Theatre, the restaurant almost always has a line out the door during weekend brunch hours. Living walking distance from the eatery has allowed me the great pleasure of dining there on numerous occasions – in fact, my first meal after I moved here last summer was at Tower Café. I’ve tried quite a few menu items (including the famous French toast) and have always been happy with the food. My trip for dinner a few weeks ago was no exception – and choosing to go on a Tuesday was no accident either: Tower Café offers $2 draft beers on Tuesday’s.
As anyone who has dined out with me knows, deciding what to order is always a difficult process. However, the decision proved to be pretty easy this time as my dining companion and I decided to split two dishes: The Borracho Burger and the Las Americas Salad with grilled chipotle chicken.
The delicious Borracho Burger was piled high with jack cheese, crispy onions, lettuce, tomato and Firestone Double Barrel Ale BBQ sauce. It came with a side of what I consider some of the best fries in town – thick but still perfectly crispy.
Our slightly healthier choice, the Las Americas Salad, was a crisp mix of greens and vegetables with herb vinaigrette dressing. The salad was piled so high in the bowl we had to ask for another plate – and this was the “small” size!
Needless to say, we had no problem finishing both dishes and our beers, per usual. I know I’ll be back – there are still plenty of menu items I’ve yet to try and I’m looking forward to sitting on the Tower Café’s patio as soon as the sun allows!