A few weeks ago, I was lucky enough to be treated to a very belated birthday dinner at a local restaurant that I’d been dying to try: Mulvaney’s B&L. Having heard that the restaurant has a great patio dining area, we requested an outdoor table when we made our reservation. Since it was also Second Saturday, we were able to enjoy the buzz of people walking by and the smell of Mulvaney’s homemade sausages on the grill out in front of the restaurant. Right away, our server came out with an amuse bouche for us to try: fresh fig, goat cheese and balsamic glaze on top of a homemade (I think!) cracker. Yum!
Clearly it put us in the mood to eat because we went ahead and ordered two appetizers: a caprese salad with housemade mozzarella, heirloom tomatoes, balsamic glaze and local olive oil AND housemade tortellini with artichoke, corn and parmesan. The mozzarella came out warm and pulled apart easily – hands down one of the best caprese salads I’ve had! The tortellini was delicious as well – there’s just nothing like homemade pasta. I was tempted to order another of both but decided to focus on the entrees instead.
For my entree, I had the grilled halibut which was served with a frisee salad and polenta cake. My dining companion went with the pork chop which was served atop a corn spetzel with heircot vert on the side. I have to say, the polenta and the spetzel were amazing. Not that the halibut and pork weren’t great too, but I could have gone home happy with just a plate of polenta and spetzel!
For round three, it was on to dessert. As soon as we read the funny dessert menu, we knew we had to order the dish called “The Dude Abides” (an ode to the movie The Big Lebowski). The Dude Abides consists of panna cotta in the shape of a bowling pin and a chocolate covered macaroon bowling ball. Even I, someone who does not love coconut by any means, loved this dessert.
Great service and fresh, homemade menu items make Mulvaney’s a place that I’d love to return to again….and again.…it really is too bad that birthdays only come once a year!
Mulvaney’s B&L
1215 19th St
Sacramento, CA 95814
(916) 441-6022
Allison says
I’ve always wanted to eat there! Your pictures are making me drool at my desk and I’m a huge fun of caprese salad. Now all I have to do is find an excuse to go there – my birthday already passed this year!