Amanda Frew

Coconut’s Fish Café: A Taste of Maui in Midtown

July 8, 2016 by SacFoodies

Here at SacFoodies, one of our main goals is to keep you in the know about the latest and greatest things happening in the Sacramento food scene, and today I’m here to dish on Midtown’s newest restaurant, Coconut’s Fish Café.
Some of you Maui lovers may be thinking “Coconut’s Fish Café? That sounds familiar.” Yep, you’re right! Coconut’s was founded on the beautiful island of Maui by Sacramento native Mike Phillips, who wanted to bring an affordable, fresh option to the island. It has been his dream to open a Sacramento location, and now that dream is a delicious reality (much to our benefit).

Upon my recent visit to Coconut’s, I was greeted with the Aloha spirit and a cold and refreshing Ace Pineapple Cider (highly recommended). They also have a nice selection of Hawaiian brews on tap, perfect for a warm summer evening.
The menu is plentiful without being overwhelming, and is brimming with island favorites like their famous fish tacos (voted a “perfect taco” by Zagat), fresh salads, mahi mahi and ono dishes, and of course, Hawaiian poke.

Fish Taco_Edited — Coconut’s Famous Fish Taco

I sampled many dishes on the menu, and I can honestly say that I’d recommend all of them. The coconut shrimp was super crispy and served with an addictive Thai pineapple chili sauce, and it’s no surprise that the fish tacos are award-winning! (Pro-tip: two diners can easily share the fish tacos, as they’re huge. They even come on two plates!)
Coconut’s cuts all their fish in house daily, and also makes all their own sauces, dressings and marinades from scratch each day. They pride themselves in super fresh and high-quality food at an affordable price. I personally think it fills a hole in our Sacramento dining scene and I strongly recommend you go soon to try it out for yourself.
Mahalo!

Fish and Chips_Edited — Mahi Mahi and Ono Fish and Chips

Coconut’s Fish Cafe
1420 16th St.
Sacramento, CA 95814
Phone: 916-440-0449

A Fabulously Sweet Evening at Andy’s Candy Apothecary

March 8, 2016 by SacFoodies

You might have noticed that last month on SacFoodies we celebrated all things fabulous. Well, even though it’s now March, I have something really fabulous to share with you today. Call it fabulous, marvelous, something out of a dream, or whatever you’d like – you’re going to want to know about this.

Sarah Maren Photographers — Photo Courtesy of Sarah Maren Photography and Andy’s Candy Apothecary

Have you ever had a dream that you were one of the kids that got to tour Willy Wonka’s factory and play in his magical room filled with candy? You know, the one that has a chocolate river, whipped-cream filled mushrooms, trees with gummy leaves and numerous other sweet treats. Well I’m about to tell you that right here in Sacramento you can have an exclusive experience that will make those dreams come true.
After hours, Andy Paul of Andy’s Candy Apothecary, provides exclusive, curated tastings of some of the highest-quality confections available, all in the privacy of his gorgeous candy store. From old-timey sweets, to artisan chocolates, to unique treats (spicy and zesty tequila lime tortilla chip brittle, anyone?), he leads groups through tastings akin to a wine tasting with a skilled sommelier. Speaking of wine, Andy also encourages groups to bring in their favorite wines to enjoy with the treats. An evening filled with candy and wine, how bad can that be?

Photo Courtesy of Sarah Maren Photography and Andy’s Candy Apothecary

I can tell you from personal experience that it’s not bad at all – in fact, it’s pretty great! I recently had the pleasure of attending one of these exclusive candy and wine gatherings at Andy’s with a group of 10 of my friends, and we had an absolute blast. We enjoyed 17 different candies (you read that right!) and brought a selection of wines which we paired with the unique candies that we tasted. Andy guided us through the tasting, encouraging us to enjoy each piece of candy and think about the nuances of flavors and textures (these are not run-of-the-mill candies, so it’s truly worth savoring each bite).

The seemingly never-ending selection of candies to try, and the fact that we had the store all to ourselves, made me feel just like a kid in Wonka’s factory (without the fear of turning into a giant blueberry) and it was the perfect way to spend a Thursday night with friends.
All in all, we learned a lot, tasted some delicious treats and had a great time. I’m already thinking of excuses to do it again.
If you’re looking to do something fabulous, book yourself a private tasting at Andy’s Candy Apothecary. I promise it’ll be sweet!
For pricing and additional information on private tastings, click here.
Andy’s Candy Apothecary
1012 9th St.
916-905-4115
Hours: Monday-Saturday 10:30am-6pm; Sunday 11am-4pm

Sacramento Beer Week: Track 7 Beer Pairing Dinner at Grange

February 25, 2016 by SacFoodies

The SacFoodies are paying close attention to all things Sacramento Beer Week and will be sharing news here on the blog about the events that catch our eye.
First up? Coming up on Thursday, March 3^rd, Grange Restaurant & Bar at The Citizen Hotel is hosting a beer-pairing dinner with Track 7 Brewing Co. Executive Chef Oliver Ridgeway will prepare a four-course-tasting menu with pairings by brew master Ryan Graham of Track 7.
Sounds as delicious to you as it did to us? Call 916-492-4450 to reserve your seat now. The cost for this food and beer experience is $65 per person. Space is limited, so don’t wait!

A Holiday Treat for your Furry Friends

December 22, 2015 by SacFoodies

Since Christmas is this week, I’m sure you’ve gotten all your holiday shopping done (unless you are a major procrastinator like me). But, have you remembered everyone on your list? I’m betting there might be one (or a few) that you’ve forgotten… that’s right, your dogs!
This year, make sure your four-legged friends feel special and loved on Christmas morning by making them their very own homemade dog treats. I found this recipe via the Damn Delicious blog, and it couldn’t be easier. I was recently able to whip up a batch of these in a matter of minutes (all with ingredients I had on hand) and my dogs couldn’t wait until they came out of the oven to sample their goodies. And of course, once they got their paws on one, they couldn’t control themselves (think repeated sitting, rolling over and speaking until they got another one).

Depending on the size of the cookie cutter you use, you can get dozens and dozens of treats out of one batch, perfect for making plenty for your pooches and gifts for all their friends.
This year, be sure Santa comes to your canine companions by making them some homemade dog treats!

Treats on baking sheet — Leroy and Penny give these homemade treats four paws- Poodle approved!

Homemade Peanut Butter Dog Treats
Ingredients
2/3 cup pumpkin puree
1/4 cup peanut butter, crunchy or smooth
2 large eggs
3 cups whole wheat flour, or more, as needed
Instructions
Preheat oven to 350˚F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper or a silicone baking mat; set aside.
In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat pumpkin puree, peanut butter and eggs on medium-high until well combined, about 1-2 minutes.
Gradually add 2 1/2 cups flour at low speed, beating just until incorporated. Add an additional 1/4 cup flour at a time just until the dough is no longer sticky.
Working on a lightly floured surface, knead the dough 3-4 times until it comes together.
Using a rolling pin, roll the dough to 1/4 inch thickness.
Using cookie cutters in the shape of your choice, cut out shapes and place onto the prepared baking sheet.
Place into oven and bake until the edges are golden brown, about 20-25 minutes. Let cool completely before serving.
Note: Baking time will vary depending on the size and thickness of the treats.

Cheers! It’s National Tequila Day

July 24, 2015 by SacFoodies

Today might arguably be one of the best days of the year. Why, you might ask? Well, it’s National Tequila Day, of course! And this year, we should all celebrate because it’s also on a FRIDAY!! On top of that, it’s summer and here in Sacramento our farmers’ markets and local shops are bursting with the most amazing fresh fruits and veggies to play with in tequila concoctions. This trifecta makes for the ultimate tequila celebration, no excuses.
When thinking about the perfect way to celebrate National Tequila Day, Friday and summer all wrapped into one, it got my head spinning. I love to mix up a good cocktail (see two previous cocktail-filled posts of mine here and here). And specifically with tequila, I frequently make my own at-home infusions (more on that in a future post). However, for National Tequila Day this year I wanted to shake it up a bit (see what I did there?) from my usual fruit and herb-infused margaritas and make something a bit different.

I’m all about tomatoes in the summertime and here in Sac, we get the best of them. They don’t call it Sacratomato for nothing! I know what you’re thinking, “what do tomatoes have anything to do with tequila?” You just wait…
A fresh tomato-mint margarita. I was inspired by this recipe from The Chic Site, with a few little tweaks of my own.
The result is a super refreshing, lightly sweet and yes, tomatoey drink that will leave you wanting another (and another, and another). And, you know what? It’s Friday and National Tequila Day so you have my permission to have an extra one… or two.
Fresh Tomato-Mint Margarita
Adapted from The Chic Site
Ingredients
6 grape tomatoes (yellow, green, orange, red or a combination)
4 large or 6 small fresh mint leaves, plus more for garnish
Juice from 1/2 a lime, freshly squeezed
Juice from 1 lemon, freshly squeezed
2 tablespoons plus 1 teaspoon simple syrup
2 ounces blanco tequila
1/4-1/2 club soda or sparkling water, to taste

Directions
In a cocktail shaker, muddle together the tomatoes, mint leaves, lime and lemon juices.
Pour in the simple syrup and tequila and shake with ice. Pour over ice into serving glass of choice and top with club soda or sparkling water to taste. Garnish with mint leaves, a slice of lime or lemon and a few grape tomatoes on a pick. Makes one large (approximately 8 ounce) drink or two smaller drinks. Cheers!