This afternoon fellow Sac Foodies Brittany, Jenna and I had a commemorative last supper, so to speak, at neighboring restaurant 55 Degrees – a spot where we’ve held many business lunches, happy hours and even hosted a wedding shower for Sac Foodie Kim Bedwell.
On the third anniversary of its opening, today was the restaurant’s final day of business. In an email I received from owner Ali Mackani yesterday, he wrote:
Our game plan 3 years ago was to be part of the major re-revitalization plans on Capitol Mall and its promise of residential development. The promise unfortunately did not happen and, with the downturn in economy, we have to say enough is enough.
We are sad to see one of Sacramento’s finest restaurants close its doors as Mackani and Chef Luc Dendievel brought a unique and refreshing concept and cuisine to downtown Sacramento. But this definitely isn’t the last we’ll see of Mackani. His newest brainchild Lounge ON20 has quickly become a midtown hotspot and one of my personal favorite destinations for shared appetizers and glass of bubbly! If you haven’t checked it out already, read more here.
New Year's Eve Parties
Looking for ideas on how to bring in 2008? Below are a few parties hosted by some of my favorite local restaurants that will be creating special menus for the holiday. From dry-aged rib eye steak with potato-garlic gratin and chanterelle mushrooms to all-you-can-eat sushi, you are sure to find a destination to satisfy both your appetite for great food and a good time.
Skyline at Esquire Grill
On the 14th floor of the Esquire Building, Skyline will be Sacramento’s highest New Year’s Eve party. Brought to you by TrevorPresents and Paragary Restaurant Group, the evening will begin with a four-course menu created by award-winning chef Kurt Spataro. After dinner, make your way up to the 14th floor, which has been transformed into an exclusive nightclub for just one night. You can dance the night away surrounded by the beautiful night lights of Sacramento and, of course, enjoy a champagne toast at midnight.
Time: Dinner: 6 p.m. – 9 p.m.
Dancing: 9 p.m. – 2 a.m.
Location: Dinner – Esquire Grill, 1213 K Street
Dancing – 14th floor of the Esquire Building, 1213 K Street
Price: $125 per person will get you dinner and entry into the party on the 14th floor. If you want to go for just the dinner or just the party, tickets are $75 per person.
For more information, call 448-8900 or click here
Eye Candy at Taro’s By Mikuni
Taro’s By Mikuni is offering all-you-can-eat sushi from 10 p.m. to midnight with a complimentary shot glass for a sake toast at midnight. There will also be a raffle for:
• Free Sushi for one year (Value $780)
• Flat Screen TV (Value $500)
• Snowboard (Value $500)
Time: 10 p.m. to 1 a.m.
Location: Taro’s By Mikuni, 1735 Arden Way
Price: $60 per person
For more information call, (916) 576-2641 x30 or click here
Restaurant 55°
In celebration of the past and the future, Restaurant 55° is inviting you to join them for an evening of great food, wine and friends. In addition to its regular menu, Chef Luc will prepare a special tasting menu for the evening, which can be paired with wines hand-selected by wine director Kassidy Harris.
Time: Seatings between 5 p.m. – 10 p.m.
Location: Restaurant 55°, 555 Capitol Mall
Price: $85 per person; $120 per person (with wine pairing) or $100 per person for a table of four (includes tasting menu and one bottle of champagne for the table)
For more information, call 916.553.4100 or click here
Stardust at Spataro
Stardust is an elegant New Year’s Eve celebration at Spataro Ristorante where you can enjoy an exquisite four-course menu created by chef Kurt Spataro, named best chef by Sacramento Magazine. You can also listen to the smooth sounds of Lee Diamond, singing all your favorite Sinatra and Dean Martin hits. Enjoy an after-dinner cigar and cognac in the Cigar Lounge. Then, dance the night away to music spun by DJ Stephen Katz and enjoy a champagne toast at midnight!
Time: Dinner 6 p.m. – 10 p.m. and dancing begins at 10 p.m.
Location: 1415 L Street
Price: $75 per person
For more info, call (916) 440-8888 or click here
Sacramento Second Saturday Art Walk: A Feast for the Senses
Java City’s Nick Tucker pours samples of French-pressed Ethiopia Sidamo
This month’s Second Saturday Art Walk served up a smorgasbord of art, food, fashion and music for culture-hungry Sacramentans. My boyfriend Joe and I met up with fellow Sac Foodie Melinda and her husband Johnnie at our place, downtown, and enjoyed pre-festivity margaritas as we charted our course for the evening. Our first stop was Java City’s 18th & Capitol café. Java City is a beloved FH/Sac client, and we had a great time at a coffee tasting class where we learned how to “slurp” coffee, the best way to assess a coffee’s flavor. Very similar to wine tasting, we were educated on how to evaluate the aroma, acidity and body of three different coffees from Africa – the birthplace of coffee. The group favorite was Ethiopia Sidamo, a highly aromatic and full-bodied coffee that was softly acidic with a sweet flavor. In other words, it was delicious!
Johnnie, “Big” Joe and Melinda sniffing and slurping
After the caffeinated tutorial, we were ready to stroll the streets also buzzing with incredible energy. We crossed the street to Dragonfly to check out local artist James Cameron, a Second Saturday staple that is always a must see. Next followed a trek towards the recently relocated Phoenix Gallery. On the way there, we had to swim through a swarm of people outside Zocalo which was celebrating its three year anniversary, mariachi band, dancers and all.
As we sambaed our way through the crowd and crossed over to the corner of 18th & L Street, entrancing jazz music lured us into the courtyard of the chic new 1801 L Street Apartments, where we found a trove of captivating artwork and a flock of people carrying wine glasses. We were instantly inspired to take a detour into L Wine Lounge. We were able to score a table on the terrace where we could enjoy the music; we were soon joined by fellow Second Saturday enthusiasts and friends Stefani and Michele, who filled us in on their adventures at the Phoenix Gallery, and I do mean adventure, but that’s a story for some other time. We ordered the seasonal cheese and cured meat plate, gnudi, calamari, French fries and of course…many glasses of wine! The weather was perfect, the music was soothing, the food delicious and the evening carried on with laughter-filled conversation. Looking back, the night was nothing short of a masterpiece and I am looking forward to the September sequel!
The L Wine Lounge courtyard has the buzz of a Manhattan eatery