I had the opportunity to hang out with Jason Poole, the executive chef of Dawson’s last week, and learned that his restaurant is anything but an industry cliché. Located at 1209 L Street, Dawson’s is the Hyatt Regency’s in-house steakhouse. But don’t call it a “hotel restaurant.” Dawson’s stands on its own.
“We’re not a hotel restaurant. We’re better than that stigma,” Poole says. “Yes, we have rooms here, but we’re so much more.”
Unlike some hotel chains that implement uniform menus across all locations, Poole has free rein over 99 percent of everything that comes out of his kitchen. That translates into a delicious menu chock full of local items like SunFed Ranch grass fed beef from Sutter County and asparagus and other fresh veggies from the Delta.
With fresh local ingredients, Poole’s Chef de Cuisine Michael Grande has a wide variety of foods to work with, and he does so masterfully. The grass-fed beef bone marrow appetizer we sampled was luscious and buttery. We ordered the SunFed Ranch grass-fed flat iron steak and a California corn-fed flat iron from Brandt Beef for comparison. Both were delicious and cooked just to perfection, with sides of crisp asparagus as well as lobster mac-and-cheese. All these great flavors were delivered with incredible service (arguably the best I’ve had in Sacramento) courtesy of our awesome waiter, Ardy.
Beyond the great wait staff and cuisine, one particular source of pride to Poole is what used to be a cascading hotel fountain that’s now brimming with a variety of edibles like fragrant lemon thyme and ripening tomatoes. This is Poole’s vegetable garden, retrofitted by the hotel just for his use. Poole’s favorite plant is a hardy pepper plant that he likes to call, the “Charlie Brown pepper tree.”
“It’s the lone survivor of the garden’s first iteration,” Poole admits with a smile, touching the leaves of the plant. “It took some tweaks to get it right.”
To get the ingredients needed for Dawson’s beyond what his garden and the Charlie Brown tree provide, Poole says the best local foods are always just a phone call away.
“In Sacramento, it’s so easy, you just have to put in a request for whatever it is you want and it’s here,” Poole says.
Easy sourcing makes it even more fun for Poole to participate in the abundance of Sacramento Farm-to-Fork celebrations he enjoys, like BLT Week in July, Offal Day in August, Farm-to-Fork Festival in September and Baconfest in January. Poole says the events are great opportunities for him to showcase what Dawson’s has to offer Sacramento foodies.
“We’re out in the community,” Poole says. “We’re letting people know we’re way beyond just a hotel restaurant.”
Dawson’s
BAR: 4:00pm – 10:00pm Monday – Friday
5:00pm – 10:00pm Saturday & Sunday
Happy Hour: Monday – Friday, 4:00pm – 6:00pm
DINING ROOM: 5:30pm – 10:00pm Daily
The Cellar in Historic Folsom
There are some restaurants that are just a pleasure, and The Cellar on Sutter Street in Historic Folsom is one such place. I’ve been to The Cellar a number of times, but when I learned of their expanded menu, I couldn’t wait to try it. Executive Chef Joe Cuka has created a little something for everyone with a whole lot of deliciousness going on.
Once we made our wine choices from the extensive wine list, we began sampling a few items from the menu. We started with Ahi Tuna Tartare Tacos and one of their most popular salads, featuring strawberries and spinach, and both were really tasty.
I was unprepared, however, for how Amazing (yes, with a capital “A”) their Three-cheese Mac ‘n Cheese would be. I have no words. It was simply THAT GOOD. And, drumroll please, it was gluten free to boot. Chef Cuka explained how he eliminates the need for a traditional roux base which calls for flour, and instead uses a creamy garlic and onion béchamel as a base for the three-cheese sauce. And I can attest to how flavorful this makes the dish.
For dessert, I sampled (okay, inhaled) the double fudge brownie with caramel, whipped cream and strawberries, which is also amazingly, inexplicably, deliciously gluten free. I freely admit that the chocolate-obsessed me that I keep under wraps was in foodie Nirvana.
The menu features a wide range of items from Bruschetta to Chorizo Grilled Cheese to Pulled-Pork Sliders, from Flatbread Pizzas to the traditional Cheese Platters, and in addition to the decadent Double Fudge Brownie, they also offer a Berry Cobbler.
The menu prices are so reasonable, with most items ranging between $6 – $12. They also expect to receive their full bar license soon and plan to offer craft cocktails.
I encourage you to check out The Cellar. You may see me there enjoying another bowl of Mac ‘N Cheese – but don’t expect me to share!
Tell us about your favorite menu items.
The Cellar Wine Bar
727 Sutter Street #B
Historic Folsom District
Folsom, California 95630
916.293.9332
For more information, visit:
www.TheCellarWineBar.com
The Cellar Wine Bar’s Facebook page
Wordless Wednesday: Farmer’s Market in Embrun, France
Foodie News Bite
As we mentioned in our last Foodie NewsBite, when we’re not cooking or eating we make sure to keep up on foodie news too. A recent article from Food Navigator USA tells us that 14 percent of the U.S. adult population falls into the category of a “foodie” – defined here as “having an avid interest in the latest food fads.” Check out the article below and let us know what you think about the report. Do you consider yourself a foodie? Is eating a hobby for you or a necessity?
Foodies lead the way in shaping the industry
By Sarah Hills, 17-Dec-2008
A growing group of consumers dubbed foodies are shaping the American palate and offering food manufacturers a willing audience for product launches, a new report suggests.
Foodies are defined as “having an avid interest in the latest food fads”, according to the report from the market research publisher Packaged Facts, called “Foodies in the US: Five Cohorts: Foreign/Spicy, Restaurant, Cooks, Gourmet and Organic/Natural”.
It said that 31m US adults (14 percent of the population) fall into this category and they are shaping the future of many areas of the food industry.
Of the five foodie cohorts mentioned in the report title, foreign/spicy foodies comprise the largest group, representing 10 percent of all US adults, or 22.3m.
And this cohort is helping to introduce the next wave of international cuisine to the US palate.
The research showed that foodies want to be at the forefront of developments in the culinary world and seem to be “rather impulsive shoppers inclined to equate higher prices with quality”.
The report said: “The fact that foodies are open-minded, curious and eager to experiment with the new is a clear signal to marketers that this is a willing audience for product launches.
“On the downside, this trait can also equate to restlessness, such that companies may have a harder time creating enduring brand loyalty among foodies always on the lookout for the next new thing.”
As a group, they stand out in their preference for less mainstream items, often trending toward more intense, ethnic flavors and products with gourmet or specialty flair.
They are also influenced by media attention to health and diet trends and they are well versed in nutrition-related terms such as ‘complex carbohydrate’ and ‘trans fat’.
Ethical concern
As well as enjoying new types of food, foodies are also concerned about preserving the culture surrounding food.
As a group the research showed that foodies are more likely than US adults on average to be aware of the concepts of food miles, organic farming, sustainable seafood and vegetarianism.
It added that those who strongly consider the ethical ramifications of the foods they consume will adjust their packaged food choices accordingly.
Economic prospects
The group is also 16 percent more likely than US adults on average to spend $150 or more per week on groceries.
And as they consider eating more of a hobby than a necessity, Packaged Facts believes that during tough economic times they may place even more of a premium on the foods and culinary experiences.
Packaged Facts used data from Simmons Market Research Bureau to segment the overall foodie demographic into the five foodie cohorts.
Foodie NewsBite
As Sac Foodies, we have a serious passion for food – both professionally and personally. While we love sharing our dining out and home cooking experiences, we also think it’s important to keep a pulse on foodie news. Are you a foodie news addict too? If so, check out the below 2009 predictions from Epicurious.com.
Epicurious Predicts Top 10 Food Trends for 2009
1. “Value” is the new “Sustainable”
These days, the economy dictates our cooking and shopping decisions: Bargains are in, no matter where they come from.
2. The Compost Pile is the new Flower Garden
Growing your own now refers to vegetables, not just herbs, and that will in turn help feed the gardener’s compost pile. Live worm garnishes, however, will not make it to the house salad.
3. Peruvian is the new Thai
You thought Peruvian cuisine was all about seviche, maybe? Guess again: Peru boasts culinary influences from Spanish, Basque, African, Chinese, Japanese, Italian, French, and British immigrants. Pisco Sour, anyone?
4. Noodle Bars are the new Sushi Joints
With some seafood being suspect or overfished and raw fish prices high, noodles make complete sense. If there’s no ramen, udon, or soba shop in your neck of the woods, there will be soon.
5. Ginger is the new Mint
Move over, mojitos. Ginger beers and ginger cocktails (like the Ginger Rogers, Gin Gin Mule, and Ginger Smash) are bubbling up at places like The Violet Hour in Chicago, the Clock Bar in San Francisco, and Matsugen in New York.
6. Smoking is the new Frying
You know how everything tastes better fried? Well, almost everything tastes better smoked, too, and that includes cocktails. Bartenders are smoking their bourbons (Eben Freeman at Tailor, for example), and chefs, recognizing the national craze for BBQ, are smoking more than just salmon and ribs: nuts, salts, even smoked steelhead roe (at Chicago’s Alinea). Who says smoking’s bad for you?
7. Regional Roasters are the new Starbucks
It’s come full circle. What started as a local coffee phenomenon migrated to other cities and turned Americans into java junkies. Then the chain overexpanded and overreached, and the little neighborhood coffee roasters thrive again, like Stumptown (Portland, OR), Bluebottle (San Francisco), and La Colombe (Philly).
8. Portland (Maine) is the new Portland (Oregon)
Abundance of great chefs, restaurants, and local foodies? Check, check, and check. Want examples? Visit Five Fifty-Five, Hugo’s, and Fore Street to start.
9. Rustic Food is the new Molecular Gastronomy
Wacky-weird-science cuisine that requires fancy-schmancy equipment doesn’t necessarily make food taste better, and more often than not it adds needless complexity (there are exceptions). Most importantly, no one really wants to do this at home. Expect to see comfort food stage a comeback. Again.
10. “Top-Rated” is the new “Critic’s Pick”
Power to the people; single critics are a dying breed. Why believe what one person says when you can read and reflect on what hundreds think?
Leave us a comment: What are your predictions for the food world in 2009?