True, fellow Sac Foodie Liz Conant shone a Wordless Wednesday spotlight on this screaming deal back in February.
I’m here to reiterate the amazingness of it all.
Café Bernardo—that bastion of the midtown and Davis dining scenes—is a hotspot for breakfast and lunch and known for incorporating local ingredients into its inventive and approachable dishes. But do you ever consider it as a dinner option?
You should.
Especially with this weekly dining special, only available at the midtown location on Capitol Avenue. Monday through Thursday, from 5 p.m. to close, the original location is offering two starters, two mains and a carafe of wine for only $25!
And trust me. Unlike similar specials around town, Café Bernardo doesn’t skimp on portions.
Each Monday, the restaurant debuts its ever-changing Two for $25 specials on Facebook. The items range from menu staples like the to-die-for turkey burger with a large side of garlic fries, to the delicious achiote chicken salad with a side of fresh bread from the Paragary Bakery.
Depending on the dish, Café Bernardo also mixes up the drinks. While an appropriately paired carafe of wine is standard, the eatery has also offered pitchers of beer or ice-cold Coronas to wash down each flavorful plate.
Again: all for $25.
Here’s a look at my culinary sojourn this week.
Starter and Wine
A light, unfussy, and delicious mixed green salad with locally sourced lettuce in a light balsamic vinaigrette. To pair? Stone Cellars Chardonnay.
Main
Say hello to linguini with pan-seared wild shrimp, summer squash from Castañeda Bros. Produce in Fairfield, burst-in-your-mouth cherry tomatoes from Del Rio Farms, garlic, chili flakes, parsley and virgin olive oil. This summertime entrée was a celebration of seasonal flavor, accompanied by a just the right amount of heat—thanks to the chili flakes.
TIP: Executive Chef Shannan Berg created this dish for the Two for $25 menu this week. But if you missed it, no worries. The linguini has just been added to the regular menu as the restaurant’s star pasta dish for the season.
And because it’s Friday, I’ll let you in on another secret. Next week’s as-yet-to-be-announced Two for $25 Dinner will feature chili-roasted pineapple pizzettas with mixed green salads. To wash it all down, the restaurant has paired this perfectly with chilled bottles of Longboard Lager. Perfect for a mid-week date night.
And because I lack any sense of self-control, I also sprang for a dessert following the meal. Café Bernardo offers a seasonal crisp, whose current iteration involves delicious, semi-tart plums.
Our sous-chef for the evening was the delightful Kelly Her.
Again, this special is only available at the Capitol Avenue location. But that shouldn’t stop you from also checking out Café Bernardo’s newest outpost on K Street in downtown. If for nothing else, check out the stunning new elevated outdoor dining deck they’ve installed on 10th Street—perfect for people-watching.
Like all Café Bernardo locations, K Street offers a few menu items unique to its location. Be sure to try the insanely popular habañero burger. And take note that this location also offers a wider selection of desserts than any other Café Bernardo, including the intriguing butterscotch pot de crème—an updated take on the 17th Century French dessert that is fast-becoming the worst-kept secret in Sacramento.
Café Bernardo – Midtown
2726 Capitol Ave.
Sacramento, CA 95816
(916) 443-1180
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