Oh, the beauty that is an artisan cheese plate. It can be an appetizer, a snack, or even (well, often, in my case) a meal in itself.
Although, the challenge when ordering a cheese plate while dining out is that you can never quite be sure what you’re going to get. A few small nibbles for 20 bucks? Quite possibly. More crostini than cheese? Fairly common.
On a recent visit to Magpie Café, a SacFoodies favorite, I was delighted to encounter the California Farmstead Cheese Plate. For what felt like a steal at $14, this cheese board is loaded with an assortment of locally produced cheeses served alongside crostini, dried dates, fresh figs and sliced pear.
Magpie’s menu is updated daily, and the California Farmstead Cheese Plate is no exception. On my last visit, cheeses included two of my personal favorites: Point Reyes Original Blue and their new Toma, a mild, firmer cheese. When I checked the menu a week later, the cheeses included selections from Bellwether Farms and Vella Cheese.
If you enjoy a good cheese plate as much as I do, this is a must-try.
Magpie Café
1409 R Street, Suite 102
Sacramento
(916) 452-7594
Archives for July 2012
American Idol Live Tour Ticket Giveaway!
We’ve got an exciting giveaway this week – tickets to the American Idol Live tour, which is hitting Sacramento this Saturday, July 21, at Power Balance Pavilion.
Ritz and Chips Ahoy! have teamed up to sponsor the tour and bring you some summer fun. Speaking of summer, check out this quick and easy Chips Ahoy! treat recipe to beat the heat.
In order to win tickets, leave a comment on this post and let us know how you like to enjoy crackers and cookies (As part of snacks? In recipes?), and you will be entered to win! We will select a winner by 12 p.m. on Thursday, July 19 – so hurry and enter!
The winner will receive this awesome gift package courtesy of Ritz and Chips Ahoy!
Thursday Happy Hours at Crocker Café by Supper Club
The new Mel Ramos exhibit at The Crocker is a sight to behold.
But if the pop paintings of nudes alongside larger-than-life sodas, candy and oranges set your tummy rumbling (like they did mine), you’re in luck.
The museum’s newest food offering—located on the ground floor of the sleek, sunlit Friedman Court—is appropriately called the Crocker Café by Supper Club. And it offers a few artful spins on counter staples sure to satiate even the staunchest critics.
I’ve been here before, when it was run by Mulvaney’s B&L. The look and feel is mostly the same, as are the quietly elevated menu items. Think: White truffle asiago or sweet potato fries; a BLT on walnut wheat bread; or a chili lime Caesar salad.
Nothing too ground-breaking, to be sure. But a delightful way to while away an afternoon after soaking in some of the museum’s diverse cultural offerings on the floors above, from ancient Egyptian figurines to stunning 21st Century sculpture.
My advice? Time your visit to coincide with the café’s alluring 4-6 p.m. happy hour on Thursdays. At just five bucks apiece ($7 after 6 p.m.), the surprisingly filling menu items are a great way to cap off a multi-floor cultural walkabout with an array of artful eats.
My museum buddy and I splurged on three of the menu’s four items last week, as outlined below.
¼ lb. Angus cheddar burger with shoestring fries
I don’t mean to over-qualify museum fare. But this burger was surprisingly good! From the toasted bun to the gobs of melted cheddar, it rivals my other favorite happy hour burger special at McCormick & Schmick’s on J Street. And while the photo hardly does it justice, that whopping heap of delicious, slightly crispy shoestring fries was a killer bonus.
Hawaiian-style pulled pork sliders with coconut lime slaw and sweet potato fries
Again: the portions. For $5, this was a solid amount of food! The sweet Hawaiian buns, the juicy pulled pork and the deliciously sweet and tangy slaw offered an array of enticing flavors. The fries were served piping hot with a perfect dusting of sea salt. Yum!
Pizza bread with pepperoni, four cheeses and red sauce
I hate chewy bread. And when we ordered, I was admittedly the least excited about this dish. But any doubts lingering on the canvas of my mind were wiped clean upon first bite. The dough was delightfully light—like biting into a savory cloud, peppered with Parmesan. A great option for cranky kids or famished adults.
The can’t-miss Mel Ramos exhibit runs through October 21, but the Crocker Café’s Thursday Happy Hour is part of the museum’s permanent collection. At least for now.
Drink specials at the full bar offer another enticing reason to get out and soak up some local culture, too.
Crocker Café by Supper Club
Crocker Art Museum
216 O Street
Sacramento, CA 95814
(916) 808-1865
Mo Du Rang Korean Restaurant
2012 is the year of the red pepper paste.
Back in January Baum+Whiteman, a food consultant company, declared that Korean cuisine would be the next hot flavor trend in restaurants. Meanwhile in-the-know foodies predicted kimchi and kalbi as the “new Thai” to sweep American taste buds.
Everyone in favor, raise your spoon and chopsticks.
Thankfully Sacramento is on trend and houses a pocket of outstanding Korean restaurants. If you’re looking for a family-friendly venue with minimal wait times and good food, opt for Mo Du Rang on Folsom Blvd. near Bradshaw.
Dinner at Mo Du Rang started off with a delicious and complimentary scallion pancake. We gobbled it up so quickly I forgot to snap a picture!
For those unfamiliar with Korean dining, an assortment of kimchi (pickled and seasoned vegetables) is central to the meal and serves as a flavor accent for the various dishes. Our small army of kimchi sides arrived promptly, and we happily nibbled as we waited.
Mo Du Rang features a do-it-yourself tabletop BBQ and you really can’t go wrong with bulgogi, a Korean classic featuring thinly sliced beef marinated in soy sauce, sugar, sesame oil and garlic. The sweet meat is delicious, especially when enfolded by fresh lettuce, garlic, jalapeños and a swab of miso-chili sauce.
We came ready to sweat through the spice, and sweat we did with this next dish: tofu soup with seafood!
The grilled mackerel was a great idea but was a tad too salty, yet easily solved with a bite of rice.
One of my favorite Korean dishes is bibimbap, a mound of rice topped with veggies and an egg, all mixed with red pepper paste. This dish satisfied perfectly.
We left stuffed, carrying with us the lingering scent of garlic—proof of a perfect ending! Trend or no trend, Mo Du Rang is worth a visit in 2012.
Mo Du Rang
9545 Folsom Blvd. #2
Sacramento, CA 95827
(916) 363-8505
Catalyst for Change – and a Giveaway!
Sacramento is fortunate to have an abundance of community organizations that work to better the lives of those in our area, and we are even more fortunate to have so many that bring local food and drink together to support their cause.
Alchemist Community Development Corporation is a local organization that works to ensure that lower income communities have access to local and healthy fresh food options. On July 18, they are hosting a fabulous fundraiser bringing together some of the Sacramento region’s most prized local tastes.
At the Courtyard, those in attendance will be able to sample some delicious options, while enjoying the sounds of local jazz musician Steve Homan. Some of the selections will include: Mikuni Sushi, Supper Club, Selland’s Market Café and Bistro Michel. Check out the full list here!
Tickets are $25 in advance and $30 at the door. Tickets can be purchased here or by calling (916) 204-8260. Proceeds support all of the efforts Alchemist implements in our community.
Lucky for our readers, you can win a ticket by telling us which place you look forward to trying most or a memorable moment you’ve had involving one of the restaurants that will be in attendance. Just comment on this post by 2 p.m. on Monday, July 16.
Here are the details!
Catalyst for Change Fundraiser
Wednesday July 18, 2012
6:30 p.m. – 9 p.m.
The Courtyard
1322 O Street
Sacramento, CA