This past week, SacFoodies has been featuring restaurants and cafes in Old Sacramento. Enjoy today’s review below and be sure to also check out the reviews from earlier this week to learn about great places to eat in Old Sac!
Old Sacramento is one area of this city that I have yet to explore. In fact, prior to last weekend, the only restaurant I had truly dined at in Old Sacramento was, drum roll please … Subway! So, needless to say, I jumped at the chance to check out the food scene over there. After doing my research, I decided to use this opportunity to not only explore a new part of town, but to explore a new cuisine: Indonesian food.
In an attempt not to make my cluelessness too obvious, I did my research before venturing over to Indo Cafe, on a busy Saturday afternoon in Old Sacramento. Of course as soon as I walked in, all of my studying flew out the window and I made a beeline to the counter where an incredibly kind woman waited, eager to help me make a dining decision. I told her that I had never had Indonesian food, wanted to try something authentic and wasn’t scared to try something new. She let out a big grin and said “Ah! You need to see the secret menu!” Way to make a girl feel special.
I finally settled on the Lemon Grass Chicken. I know, not the most adventurous choice, but it was a gateway to my Indonesian food exploration. Served in a wooden boat, the stir fry chicken with lemon grass herbs and mixed vegetables was fresh, packed with flavor and simply delicious. I washed it all down with a glass of the typical Indonesian drink, Ice Cendol: coconut milk, jelly-like pieces made from rice flour, shaved ice and palm sugar. If for no other reason, I’d go back just to get another one of these!
From the most traditional dishes like satay, soto and nasi goreng to your more common beef and broccoli dish, Indo Café offers fresh and deliciously satisfying food for a wide range of palates. Stay tuned for details on my next visit–I promise to step a bit further outside the box!
Indo Cafe
1100 Front St.
Sacramento, CA 95857
(916) 446-4008
Archives for 2011
Fanny Ann’s Saloon
This week, SacFoodies is featuring restaurants and cafes in Old Sacramento—so be sure to visit SacFoodies everyday this week for reviews of great places to eat in Old Sac!
I quickly raised my hand to review Fanny Ann’s Saloon when the SacFoodies decided to dedicate a week to Old Sacramento restaurants. Fellow Chico State grads know why! There’s a very familiar look and menu to one of the most popular burger restaurants and bars that borders the campus in Chico – Madison Bear Garden. Not until my recent trip did I know for sure that they were owned by the same owner, AND the Sac establishment came first! You can also find similar restaurants in Carson City and Reno, and here’s why you should seek them out:
The menu is awesome! At my last visit to the Sac location, I ordered the Cheeseburger Pair-O-Dice (aka Bear Burger in Paradise), which is a classic burger served with lettuce, tomato, pickle and mayo, and your choice of cheese. It’s my go-to burger, but you can definitely be daring with your burgers at Fanny Ann’s with selections like the Jiffy Burger (you guessed it – a burger smothered in peanut butter, topped with bacon and jack cheese, plus onions recommended!), Island Burger, Pastrami Burger, Bravo Avocado, Singing the Blues Burger, and much more!
The perfect pairing to any burger is good fries, and Fanny Ann’s curly fries are the terrific amount of potato, crunch and just plain fun. We also enjoyed a yummy side of Zooks and Shrooms – “breaded deep fried zucchini slices living in perfect harmony with deep fried mushrooms.”
The menu is extensive, including an equally interesting array of sandwiches, salads and dawgs, but I am true to my “Bear” roots and enjoyed the nostalgia of my college days by ordering the classic burger. Unfortunately, this trip didn’t include the nostalgic pitcher of Sierra Nevada as it was a lunch run with my colleagues, fellow SacFoodies Kim Bedwell and Vanessa Smith.
P.S. Looking for a deal? Check out Fanny Ann’s Saloon on Wednesdays, Thursdays and Sundays for their Burger Madness deal – burger, fries and a salad all for $4.49!
Fanny Ann’s Saloon
1023 2nd Street
Sacramento, CA 95814-3201
(916) 441-0505
Rio City Café
This week, SacFoodies will be featuring restaurants and cafes in Old Sacramento—so be sure to visit SacFoodies everyday this week for reviews of great places to eat in Old Sac!
When SacFoodies decided to do an Old Sac themed week, I used it as an excuse to schedule a date with my dear friend and fellow social media maven, Natalie (or for you Sacramento tweeps @NatalieDaily). After a few text messages back and forth, we settled on Rio City Café. Upon arrival, and after checking in on Foursquare, we studied the menu for options that would meet our vegetarian and vegan diets. Just after our server said the chef could do a meat-free transformation of my pre-vegetarian favorite – the turkey sandwich with brie cheese, bacon, cranberry aioli on twelve grain bread, he offered to create a custom seasonal vegetable dish – sold! To my delight, it contained a combination of butternut squash, broccoli, green beans and a medley of mushrooms surrounding a small cup filled with a tasty dipping sauce. I also couldn’t resist a side order of rosemary fries. I was pleasantly surprised with flavors of my simple, made-to-order meal but may have even more impressed with the aim-to-please service. Thanks Rio City!
A few thoughts from guest blogger Natalie Paulsen:
It was hard enough to believe Julie and I were available for lunch at the same time on the same day. The only thing more shocking was my announcement upon arrival at the restaurant. I was doing a little lifestyle experiment – and I was vegan for the next 21 days (if you know me – you can laugh now). At first glance, there was nothing strictly vegetarian (let alone vegan) on the menu. Worst case scenario, I figured I would work on a Pellegrino and ice chips while Julie ate her lunch. Instead, Julie helped me dissect the menu and spoke up when our server came back for our order. He spoke with the chef (about his high maintenance table) and came back with a few options for us. I ended up with an incredible salad and a basket of sweet potato fries that were perfectly salted and lightly fried (in oil of course). Kudos to one of Old Sacramento’s staples for being flexible and accommodating in the face of adversity. Needless to say, this experiment is only going to last a few more weeks. By that time, Julie should be fully recovered from that experience – and we’re going to have a mac & cheese feast.
Note: SacFoodies also loves the cocktails at Rio City Café—so be sure to enjoy one of their yummy cocktails, too!
Rio City Café
1110 Front Street
Sacramento, CA 95814
(916) 442-8226
Steamer's
By: Liz Conant, Jon Schuller and Jenna Buhagiar
This week, SacFoodies will be featuring restaurants and cafes in Old Sacramento—so be sure to visit SacFoodies everyday this week for reviews of great places to eat in Old Sac!
Every once in awhile a few of us SacFoodies will set off on an Old Sacramento lunch outing. Typically we’ll visit Subway, a tried and true standby. Or, if we’re feeling more adventurous, we might pick up a to-go order from Ten 22. This time we went beyond our usual haunts and visited Steamer’s, a café we’d heard good things about but never tried. In true work fashion, we didn’t eat-in, but took our to-go order back to the office where we chowed down on the following:
We enjoyed a couple of Turkey & Bacon Paninos made with oven-roasted turkey, provolone, bacon, avocado and a creamy pesto mayo on foccacia bread as well as an order of the Asian Chicken Salad made with crisp greens topped with diced chicken, toasted almonds, scallions, crispy noodles and a Honey Ginger dressing. The sandwiches hit the spot and the salad was more than enough to share.
It’s official: Steamer’s is a new go-to, to-go lunch destination for the SacFoodies—we’ll be back!
Steamer’s
101 K Street
Sacramento, CA 95814
(916) 737-5252
Open Daily at 8am
A 'Golden' Night for the SacFoodies
Two members of the SacFoodies team (Julie and Vanessa) got golden tickets to the FOX Golden Globes party this past Sunday on behalf of Black Swan Wines (client), the official wine sponsor for the evening’s festivities. Talk about giddy with excitement – we still have perma-grins! Not only were we thrilled about the wine’s role in the evening, we couldn’t wait to check out the celebs, the fashion and, of course, the food!
At The Bar: The four bars in the organza-draped, roof-top tent were fully stocked with an ample supply of four Black Swan varietals – Pinot Grigio, Chardonnay, Merlot and Shiraz – to toast this year’s nominees and winners. Celebrating with Black Swan wine was the perfect pairing for the evening in every way … even the wine bottle labels matched the rooms’ lighting and décor!
The Guests: The evening’s top celebs flocked to the soiree, like Natalie Portman with her award for best actress for her role in Black Swan, and Jane Lynch with her best supporting actress award for Glee. Anne Hathaway, Jennifer Lopez and Marc Anthony, Jennifer Love Hewitt, Carrie Underwood, Katey Segal, and most of the Glee and Modern Family casts made appearances as well.
The Food: Waiters warmly greeted each guest with libations and comfort fare from the moment we stepped inside. From Triple Decker Chili Cheese Quesadillas to Shitake Mushroom Tempura and Roasted Duck Empanadas with Candied Kumquat and Grand Marnier, you couldn’t escape the delectable offerings on hand-passed trays. The hors d’oeuvres and dinner buffets were created by Alan Jackson, executive chef and owner of Lemonade with four LA-area locations. Jackson is also known for his foray serving guests at the Screen Actor’s Guild Awards, Directors Guild of America, and TV Land Award show, among other clients.
Top Three Menu Sensations:
Vanessa’s Picks: the Mini Lobster and Shrimp “Corn Dogs” with Meyer Lemon Tartar Sauce; the Watermelon Radish, Ahi Tuna and Sesame Salad; and the Boysenberry-filled Donut Holes.
Julie’s Picks: the selection of cheeses including the Sierra Nevada Organic White Cheddar and the Cyprus Grove midnight moon Goat cheese; the Mombai Veggie Burger with Red Tomato Chutney and Nigellal-spiked Buns; and Cotton Candy Wrapped Frozen Chocolate Mousse!
Best ‘Golden’ Moment:
Vanessa: Anne Hathaway walked right by me and I must say she is absolutely stunning in person. And, by the way, her dress looked must better in person than it appeared on TV.
Julie: A “Gleeful” photo opp with Cory Monteith (Finn) and Mark Salling (Puck) of one of my favorite TV shows – Glee!