Rewind about 14 months and you’d find me sitting at Artisanal in New York City, with not a worry in the world and a big plate of cheese at my fingertips. I suppose I should apologize in advance for this post to fellow SacFoodie Jenna Buhagiar, as she’s given up cheese for the time being. I promise to make it up to you with a big slice of Manchego whenever you’re ready. 😉
Archives for 2010
Tightwad Tuesday: Lounge ON20, Sacramento
We heart 3-course menu deals – they are the definition of “getting more bang for your buck.” Add on some free wine to that and we’re in heaven!
Lounge ON20 announced the following on Twitter this morning:
“Tuesday night dinner at lounge? How about $30 for 3 course dinner…and receive a complementary glass of wine pairing when you mention this promotion tonight. Happy Eating.”
What makes Lounge ON20’s $30 for 3 course dinner great is once you choose between beef brochettes, chicken curry spring rolls and fried mac ‘n cheese for an appetizer, you’ll be able to select from the entire Garden and Entrée menus for the rest of your meal – everything is an option!
Lounge ON20
1050 20th Street, Suite 100
Midtown Sacramento
(916) 443-6620
Paragary’s Bar & Oven, Sacramento
A few friends and I recently decided that we were long overdue for a ladies’ night out. Feeling like we’d slipped into the “come home from work and veg out on the couch” routine, we needed an excuse to get dressed up, treat ourselves to a nice meal and glass of wine out, and of course, gossip the night away. So, when I got an email about Paragary’s Bar and Oven’s iEat Loyalty Program exclusive, I knew it’d be the perfect place for us to try out.
For $20 per person, we were each able to indulge in a very generous 3-course dinner. The only downfall was that there wasn’t a single thing on the menu that I didn’t want to try! We quickly solved that problem by each ordering something different and sharing bites – one of my favorite dining techniques.
For starters, the potato and leek soup was perfectly creamy and so deliciously filling that I had to cut myself off half way through the bowl to save room for my entrée! Once our main courses of beef short ribs, grilled boneless half chicken with polenta and grilled asparagus, and linguine and clams arrived, they immediately started making their way around the table.
Being a huge fan of seafood, and clams in particular, I was not the least bit surprised that the linguine and clams ended up being my favorite dish. Don’t be mistaken, though – there wasn’t a single piece of food left on our table by the end of the night. Needless to say, we were very impressed with each dish!
For dessert, we each opted for the Crème Brulee, but soon found out that there was only one left in the restaurant. To apologize for the inconvenience (and probably to avoid a fight over the last dessert!), the staff was kind enough to open up the full dessert menu to us. And oh, what a dessert menu it was! To put it simply, there’s just no picking favorites between the Warm Valrhona Chocolate Cake, the Crème Brulee and the Seasonal Fruit Warm Crisp.
Although the $20 3-Course Dinner deal is now over, I can’t wait to go back and try out the rest of the menu. Whether you’re looking for a good date spot, a nice place for a ladies’ night out, or just some good food, Paragary’s Bar and Oven is a definite must try.
Paragary’s Bar and Oven
1401 28th Street
Sacramento, CA 95816
(916) 457-5737
Soup Series: 7th Annual Empty Bowls Event
Like the warm & fuzzy feeling you get by reading “Chicken Soup for the Soul,” some of Sacramento’s favorite eateries are offering up soups that will warm your heart and your bowl.
Last week, the Sac Foodies had the opportunity to preview some of the soups planned for the 7th Annual Empty Bowls event – an initiative that combats hunger in Sacramento County while offering attendees a selection of the area’s best soups. A ticket to the March 8 or 9 event includes the choice of a beautifully crafted ceramic bowl made by local high school students and artisans, plus a gourmet soup serving from one of nine area restaurants. Benefiting Sacramento’s River City Food Bank, this popular event has been a sell-out in previous years.
For more info and a full listing of restaurants, click HERE.
In the meantime, here’s a little taste of what you can expect:
Liz Conant – “I was lucky enough to pick-up a to-go order of two delicious seafood soups from Scott’s Seafood: Scott’s Boston Clam Chowder and Crab Bisque. The chowder was perfectly creamy with just the right mix of clams and potatoes. And, I thought it was interesting that they use Sierra Nevada Pale Ale in the soup – can’t go wrong with that! The Crab Bisque was unique as it has quite a kick from the cayenne pepper. The crab tasted fresh and between both soups and the fresh bread they supplied for dipping, this was more than a filling meal for two, and perfect for a cold February evening.”
Christine Schunk – “Chef Shannan Berg at Café Bernardo does soup right. We tried the Potato Roasted Red Pepper Soup which was full of flavor and hearty enough to make a meal out of. Chef Berg let us know that the soup is even popular in the summer months – which says a lot for the high temps we reach here in Sacramento! Delish!”
Karlie Bettencourt – “I picked up the tortilla soup from the Vizcaya Pavilion and Mansion, a beautiful white mansion with a large water fountain in front and beautiful garden courtyard in back. As I made my way to the kitchen to get the soup I took in the scenery, and for a second I forgot I was in Midtown. It was tortilla soup – one of my favorites! The soup had large pieces of chicken and vegetables in it and was topped with delicious tortilla strips. There was a very homemade taste and quality to it.”
Trattoria Corso, Berkeley
Back in 2004, I was lucky enough to study aboard in Florence, Italy, where, like anyone would, I fell in love with the food, the wine and the culture. But it wasn’t until just a year or two ago that I was introduced to Trattoria Corso in Berkeley and felt like I’d finally discovered a local restaurant with food truly reminiscent of Florence. (Side note: If you are familiar with Rivoli, also in Berkeley, you’ll most likely enjoy Trattoria Corso as well – same owners).
Even the restaurant itself feels authentic, with framed menus from Italy adorning the walls and an open kitchen with pots, pans and utensils in seemingly constant motion. Here are the dishes I sampled on this particular visit to Trattoria Corso:
The funghi pizza was covered in mozzarella and fontina cheeses and topped with mushrooms and white truffle oil – if you ask me, it really doesn’t get better than this! I had to stop myself from eating too much of it so I could enjoy the pasta dishes that I knew were coming up – and I was glad I did!
We tried the pappardelle (made in house!) with braised rabbit ragu as well as the orecchiette con salsiccia, a pasta dish with house-made pork sausage, little neck clams and rapini. Even I was unsure about the combination of the clams, pork sausage and rapini but I was amazed to find that this was by far my favorite dish of the day. I was literally using bread to soak up every last bit of the sauce on this dish! The pappardelle was delicious too – you just can’t go wrong with homemade pasta and sauces.
Trattoria Corso has officially become my go-to for when I’m craving that homemade Italian comfort-style fare that I loved to eat in Florence. Now I’m curious – does anyone know a place like this in Sacramento? If so, please share by leaving a comment below.
Trattoria Corso
1788 Shattuck Ave
Berkeley, CA 94709
(510) 704-8004
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