A good friend recently decided to mix up our regular monthly bunco-playing tradition by hosting our group of gals at Silva’s Sheldon Inn for dinner. The Elk Grove eatery, just five miles in from Hwy 99 on Grant Line Road, is dubbed as my friend Pam’s “favorite neighborhood dinner house.”
Her description is a perfect one as Silva’s is housed in a building that is more than 100 years old, and according to the website it was once a general store and busy town center back in the day. Once inside, this large farm house transformed into a cozy, warm environment with white-clothed tables on one side and a large bar area for more casual dining on the other.
Since we had a large party, we ordered in advance from a mouthwatering set of options – among them, petite filet mignon with jumbo prawns, almond crusted chicken breast, Niman Ranch pork chop and butternut squash pasta. I couldn’t resist the chicken breast stuffed with sun-dried apricots and cherries served with port wine cream sauce.It was immediately apparent that each dish was prepared with the freshest of ingredients, which I later learned includes some harvested directly from the Silva’s own garden.
This gem of a place was established in 1988 by Doug and Barbara Silva and features cuisine with French, Italian, Portuguese, Asian and American influence to surprise and delight almost any palate. In fact, the website boasts that it has been voted “Best Restaurant in Elk Grove” by Sacramento Magazine numerous times, and rightfully so.
I have to admit that I don’t get to Elk Grove much, so if you’re like me, you may need some extra nudging in the right direction down 99. I promise this dining experience is certainly worth the trip.
Silva’s Sheldon Inn
9000 Grant Line Rd.
Elk Grove, CA 95624
(916) 686-8330
Open Tuesday-Saturday for dinner
Archives for January 2012
Lunch with Grange Restaurant & Bar's New Executive Chef
It’s not the first time we have been to the Grange – we have been big fans since it opened in 2009. But the invitation to come and dine with the new executive chef – Chef Oliver Ridgeway – got us excited about stopping in and seeing what changes Grange has been up to.
The atmosphere of every restaurant is so influenced by the people in the kitchen, behind the bar and running between the tables. Grange has come into its own with a level of easy comfort and intense dedication to quality that is reflective of the staff in the kitchen but also feels more like this town. It’s so…Sacramento.
Part of the change can certainly be attributed to the humble yet intense personality of the executive chef. As Chef Oliver sat with us, we were struck right away by his quiet charm, intensity for detail, and his extensive experience. His background is a travel/food lover’s dream – Australia, New Orleans and the Caribbean are just a few of the places he has spent time in kitchens, learning the craft. His last gig was as the head chef at the Anasazi Restauran in Santa Fe, New Mexico – a personal favorite of mine.
Despite Chef Oliver’s impressive global background, he remains dedicated to offering cuisine that highlights the sense of place and is definitively “Sacramentan.” The passion, the demand for the freshest and most local ingredients, and the obsession over detail was evident in every dish the kitchen put in front of us.
I loved that the head bartender came up with a seasonal new drink using fresh ingredients, and that because tomatoes were not in season, a roasted tomato compote was used in the burger instead.
Chef Oliver’s approach to regional food is by no means unheard of, but we are excited that Sacramento has another outstanding chef who is passionately dedicated to knowing the growers behind the food, insisting on local and seasonal menus, and is persistent in defining what it means to be Sacramento cuisine. We look forward to seeing what more Grange has in store!
Grange Restaurant & Bar
926 J Street
Sacramento, CA 95814
(916) 492-4450
Midtown Deli
Irony? Midtown Deli isn’t actually located in Midtown—at least not according to this Grid snob.
But that’s OK.
Because while the eatery sits perched caddy-corner to the Sacramento Natural Foods Co-op at the tastefully gentrified intersection of Alhambra Boulevard and S Street, its no-frills, laid-back attitude still embodies some of the essentials of Midtown living. And that’s just how I like it.
Opened in June 2011 by owner Butch Plank, the space sits at the foot of the new Alexan Midtown property. In fact, inspiration to open Midtown Deli struck when Butch—a contractor by day—was installing some finishing touches on the chic, semi-urban apartment complex last year. With new storefront space ready for lease, he jumped at the chance to offer area residents and nine-to-fivers access to quick and easy deli fare with a decidedly local flair.
Inside, you’re met with tall ceilings, grass green and stainless-steel accents, plus a super friendly staff. Sacramentans will surely crack a smile with menu items that pay homage to local landmarks, neighborhoods and happenings.
Case in point: The American River Wrap (turkey, hummus, olives, tomatoes), The Light Rail Sandwich (chicken breast, mozzarella, bacon, ranch) and even The 2nd Saturday Panini (spinach, feta, tomatoes and olives).
But on this chilly, mid-week and mid-winter afternoon, I decided The River Cat is where it’s at. The gist: a wheat panini, featuring chicken breast, gooey pepper Jack cheese, bacon, BBQ sauce, Tabasco and peppers. Truth be told, it was just the kick I needed.
Midtown Deli also offers a generous daily Happy Hour running 4 p.m. till close. Come springtime, I could definitely see myself enjoying the sunny weather on the enclosed patio with a cold pint of Blue Moon, Sierra Nevada or Lagunitas IPA, plus a great view of the comings and goings along the Alhambra Corridor (Al-Co? The AC?).
Free Wi-Fi and a pair of 55-inch flat screens round out the amenities and make this a great spot to catch up on emails or the latest game (go Niners!). Digital denizens would also be well advised to keep up with Midtown Deli’s Facebook, Twitter and Foursquare channels for free sandwiches, soft drinks and T-shirts, too.
All in all, a fun, casual lunch spot bursting with local pride and insouciant charm. Also: Party trays!
Midtown Deli
1899 Alhambra Boulevard
Sacramento, CA 95816
(916) 737-5776
Wordless Wednesday: Decadent Brunch
I recently discovered this recipe for Bacon, Egg, and Toast Cups on Pinterest and couldn’t help but make them for a brunch party. Needless to say, they’re a real crowd-pleaser!
Dine Downtown: deVere’s Irish Pub
by Liz Conant and Cecily Fuller
For our second SacFoodies Dine Downtown Restaurant Week review, we were invited to deVere’s Irish Pub in Midtown to check out its special menu for this week, which is $30 per person for three courses. Little did we know we were dining at the pub on its weekly Trivia Night, and it was packed with serious pub quiz players! After enjoying our first course outside due to the crowds, we managed to snag a table inside to finish the meal and check out the quiz.
The meal began with a light and crisp Endive Salad with bleu cheese, toasted walnuts and Granny Smith apples, and a cup of the chef’s soup of the day, which was a creamy broccoli bisque that was not hard to finish!
Next up were the entrées: a roasted half chicken served with mashed potatoes, broccolini and carrots, and a braised pork shoulder served with brown buttered potatoes. The chicken was juicy, both potato dishes were delicious (we had no trouble eating every bite of the taters!) and the veggies were the perfect healthy complement to the meal.
If we weren’t stuffed enough by this point, dessert came next, and it did not disappoint. Luckily, we didn’t have to choose between the Flourless Chocolate Cake and Crispy Bread Pudding. The chocolate cake was served with candied walnuts and was deliciously rich and decadent, while the bread pudding was Irish to the core, served with vanilla ice cream and Jameson caramel.
Fun Fact about deVere’s: all of the furniture and decorations in the pub came straight from Ireland – how’s that for authentic? They’ve also recently opened a location in Davis.
For a list of all participating restaurants for Dine Downtown, click here.
deVere’s Irish Pub
1521 L Street
Sacramento, CA 95814