SacFoodies

2018 St. Patrick's Day Roundup

by SacFoodies

By. Jessi Gunn
St. Patrick’s Day is just around the corner, March 17th to be exact, and thankfully Sacramento has plenty of activities for everyone to enjoy. Do you have a favorite annual event that didn’t make it onto the list? Leave us a note (and an invite) in the comments!

Cafeteria 15L
Local dining hotspot Cafeteria 15L is adding classic Irish dishes to their brunch menu on St. Paddy’s Day only! If you follow SacFoodies on Instagram you’ll know that we are quite partial to Sunday brunch at 15L, (Bacon Jam Bennie and bottomless mimosas, yes please!) but the corn beef hash special sounds so good I might be tempted to switch it up. Hey, this does only happen once a year!
Old Sacramento Parade
This annual parade unites hundreds of colorful marchers, highland dancers, bagpipers and drum bands, and re-enactors in traditional Irish and Celtic outfits for a day of entertainment you won’t want to miss. Events begin at 11:30 a.m. with the parade starting at 1:00 p.m. Arrive early to get a front row seat to the action.
de Vere’s Irish Pub
For Irish food you can find year-round, head to de Vere’s Irish Pub. They have traditional, yet elevated, dishes such as Bangers and Mash and Irish Stew. Before celebrating the holiday on Saturday, head to de Vere’s on Monday the 12th for their annual St. Baldrick’s Rock the Bald event to raise money for St Baldricks foundation.
Fox & Goose
Fox and Goose is bringing Irish music to town with performances from bagpipers, Irish folk singers, The Pikeys, and The Spicy McCormicks. Plus, Irish beer is on tap all night and delicious Irish bites are served until 10:00 p.m. All ages welcome until 10:00 p.m., and 21+ from 10:00 p.m. to 2:00 a.m.
Malt and Mash
Downtown restaurant and bar Malt and Mash is hosting their second annual St. Pat’s Block Party. They will be featuring an outdoor beer garden, four bars and live music.  Want a side of bagpipers with your Guinness? Malt and Mash will make that happen. Open from 8:00 a.m. until 2:00 a.m.
Streets Pub and Grub
Streets Pub and Grub will be hosting their annual St. Patrick’s Day party featuring live entertainment, Irish beer, and peanut butter car bombs. Not to mention Irish Tacos (which I think I definitely need to try). Wear green and get ready to celebrate with the self-proclaimed “OG’s of St Paddy’s Day.”
Pizza Rock
Pizza Rock on K Street is serving their specialty Sausage and Stout pizza in honor of St. Patrick’s Day. With dough made with honey malted stout beer and toppings including beer sausage, carmelized onions, fontina cheese, scallions, beer salt and a sweet Guiness reduction, ths is the perfect dish to celebrate the holiday. Pizza Rock only make 23 of these pizzas a day, so get yours before it’s gone!
Wherever you go on St. Patrick’s Day remember to celebrate responsibly and treat-yo-self to some corn beef and cabbage, I know we will!

2018 Valentine's Day Round-Up

by SacFoodies

By Sidney Burt
With Valentine’s Day on the horizon, it’s time to start making plans. And, with the holiday falling on a Wednesday, it’s the perfect opportunity to plan a week’s worth of fun-filled activities!
Whether you are planning a romantic date night or just looking to have fun out on the town with friends, there are plenty of options for everyone! Take a look at how you can celebrate this year’s Valentine’s Day in style.
Valentine’s Day Date Night Options:
Dawson’s Steakhouse Valentine’s Day Dinner – Indulge in specialties such as a Dungeness Crab Tower, Seared Scallop or a Niman Ranch Prime Beef Filet. And be sure to save room at the end for something sweet. (Reservations required)
Hyatt Regency Sacramento
1209 L Street
Sacramento, CA 95814
Painted Cork Date Night – This Valentine’s Day, enjoy an evening of professional art instruction with all art supplies included. Plus, complimentary wine and chocolate with the class to celebrate that special someone!
The Painted Cork
1624 J Street
Sacramento, CA 95814
Ella Dining Room & Bar – Enjoy a beautifully prepared and locally sourced prix fixe menu to celebrate Valentine’s Day! (Reservations required)
Ella Dining Room & Bar
1131 K Street
Sacramento, CA 95814
Valentine’s Dinner Train – Treat your loved one to three courses of hearty American fare while taking a leisurely ride along the old Garden Highway in rural West Sacramento.
Sacramento River Train
400 N Harbor Blvd, West
Sacramento, CA 95605
Selland’s Market-Café – Spend the night at home with delicious bites. Menu is available for pick-up and don’t forget the bubbles! (Must place orders by February 12)
Selland’s Market-Café – East Sacramento, Broadway and El Dorado Hills
 
Valentine’s Week Celebrations:
Cupid Crawl – Grab a friend and head out to the Cupid Crawl. Indulge in some great eats and delicious libations from Milagro’s Restaurant Community.
Milagro Center
February 9, 2018
Advance: $10; Door: $15
Port, Wine and Chocolate Lover’s Weekend – Enjoy wines, ports, dessert wines, and sweet delights at the Old Sugar Mill Wineries. 15 Wineries will be offering wine tastings and pairings all weekend.
Old Sugar Mill
February 10 & 11, 2018
Advance: $29.50 Door: $40
Valentine’s Day Yappy Hour – Celebrate Valentine’s Day rain or shine with your furry friends and help the animals at the SPCA. For every pint purchased, $1 will go directly to the Sacramento SPCA.
Big Sexy Brewing Company
February 15, 2018
FREE

Farm-to-Fork Fun This Weekend

by SacFoodies

By Jessica Gunn

California State Fair
Celebrate the California State Fair’s 164th anniversary with a ton of foodie fun. The fair has FREE (yes, you read that right…free) samples of honey from Sola Bee Farms, cheese tastings from Point Reyes Farmstead, cornbread and bbq sauce from Burgess Brothers and ice cream samples from Gunther’s Ice Cream. The CA State Fair has everything your fair-going heart could desire, including the highly-anticipated wiener dog races. End your State Fair experience with a cooking demo from official fair chef, Keith Breedlove. He will be showcasing all the best farm-to-fork ingredients available. Nothing says summer like the State Fair!
July 14-20, 2017
1600 Exposition Blvd                                                                                            Sacramento, CA, 95815
Tickets are $10.00 for adults and $6.00 for children if you purchase in advance.
Off the Grid @ The Barn
Do food trucks, live music, interactive art and dancing pique your interest? If so, you should head over to West Sac for this week’s Off the Grid at The Barn, where food trucks from Sacramento and San Francisco gather to share their delicious bites. This Saturday, the Drake’s Brewing Co. crew will be in attendance to host an interactive beer brewing (and tasting) experience. This event is held every Saturday through the end of August, so you have plenty of time to get your foodie groove on!
July 15, 2017
5:00 p.m. – 10:00 p.m.
The Barn                                                                                                             985 Riverfront St.
West Sacramento, CA, 95691
More information here.

Rio Linda Farmers Market
Get out of the city and take a drive into the country for Rio Linda Farmers Market. They have everything foodies need to make fresh & healthy meals for the week. This week’s market features berries, cage-free eggs, local honey, and fresh Central Valley tomatoes from local vendors. Don’t forget to stop by the High 5 Homemade Pet Treats booth for healthy treats for your 4-legged friends. Fresh country air and fresh produce? Sounds good to us!
Every Saturday through September 30, 2017                                                 9:00 a.m. – 2:00 p.m.
Dry Creek Ranch House                                                                                       6852 Dry Creek Rd                                                                                             Rio Linda, CA 95673
More information here.
Soil Born Farms – Field Days
Experience a day in the life of a farmer with Field Days at Soil Born Farms. Help the farm staff weed, harvest, and care for their fruit and vegetable farm. Pre-registration is necessary to participate. If farming isn’t your style, hang out and listen to music from Millington Strings, taste pastries from Magpie Cafe, or experience a veggie centric cooking demo. Before you leave, don’t forget to purchase some of the fresh produce you helped harvest! Working hard has never tasted so good.
Every Saturday through November 18, 2017                                                        8:00 a.m. – 12:30 p.m.
2140 Chase Drive Drive                                                                             Rancho Cordova, CA 95670
More information here.
Midtown Farmers Market
For those who want to stay a little closer to home, stroll on over to the weekly Midtown Farmers Market. Venders flock to midtown every Saturday morning to show off the best of the best products from California, including Dragon Gourmet Mushrooms, Wheel Lemonade, and The Pasta Queen. The Midtown Farmers Market is the ideal place to shop, gather as a community, and explore the neighborhood.
Saturdays all year                                                                                               8:00 a.m. – 1:00 p.m.
20th St between J and L streets                                                                       Midtown Sacramento, CA 95816
More information here.

[Read more…]

Pasta La Vista + Giveaway

by SacFoodies

There are a few things that foodies can’t say no to, and pasta is one of them! When Romano’s Macaroni Grill asked us if we would like to try some of their signature menu items AND have it delivered to the office, our answer was a resounding YES.

Cheyenne: Pasta the Chicken Parm my way! We were so excited to have the Macaroni Grill cater our lunch meeting last week. When they sent over the menu we were impressed by the variety available to us. “Create Your Own Pasta,” a multitude of signature entrees, sides and even dessert, made it really hard to pick exactly what we wanted to enjoy. We settled on two versions of the “Create Your Own Pasta”: Penne with Pomodoro and Penne with Pesto, pine nuts, sundried tomatoes and spinach (per the recommendation of the catering manager), Chicken Parmesan, salad, roasted veggies and, of course, rosemary peasant bread. The delivery was a breeze and Macaroni Grill set everything up, labeled each dish and provided us with all of the necessary essentials for us to enjoy our meal with the greatest of ease. The food was delicious! The pasta was cooked to perfection and the sauce tasted so authentic it was as if someone’s grandma was in the kitchen stirring the pot. The roasted veggies were still crisp and flavorful. I think the Chicken Parmesan was the real winner for the office. As soon as we sat down to eat, everyone raved over the dish. It was breaded perfectly, had just enough sauce and the most important part (to me at least) the CHEESE!  Overall the meal was delicious, the process was easy and the foodies were full and happy!


Laurel: Ayyyy, Maca (roni!) Macaroni Grill catered our office lunch last week, much to the delight of the SacFoodies. It’s always a treat to have a hot meal during office lunch meetings, and Macaroni Grill absolutely delivered! We were able to order everything in advance from their online menu, even using the “Create Your Own Pasta” feature to fit the different tastes and dietary restrictions in the office. When Macaroni Grill arrived, they had everything labeled perfectly and clearly, set up the lunch (on a paper tablecloth, just like you get at the restaurant!) and made sure we had everything we needed before leaving. It was really nice to have a lunch delivery that took care of everything, from the actual delivery to the food organization and set up. All of the dishes came in individual and re-sealable containers, which were perfect for saving leftovers. Our meal consisted of several pasta dishes, Chicken Parmesan, salad, roasted vegetables, and, of course, their rosemary bread. While I liked everything that we ordered, my favorite (just like Cheyenne) was the Chicken Parmesan – it was breaded, cheesy deliciousness.  I liked being able to order such a complete meal from one location and have something for all tastes and appetites. It’s always helpful and convenient to have a reliable restaurant on call for office lunches; being able to order easily and count on full-service delivery cuts down on the stress of having to set up a large lunch during the work day.
We think it’s easy to see that we like Macaroni Grill! Lucky for us, it turns out they like us (and our followers) a lot too. Head over to our Instagram @sacfoodies or Facebook Page to see how you can win a Macaroni Grill gift card!
 

[Read more…]

Countdown to Kick-off!

by SacFoodies

By Cheyenne Cameron-Pruitt

It is one of the biggest sports weekends of the year, and whether you are watching the game or the commercials, it is always nice to be somewhere exciting with good beer on tap and delicious food to snack on. Check out our roundup of game day events and great places to watch the game.

Events:

Big Sexy Super Bowl Party
Big Sexy Brewing Company is hosting a party that puts the Super Bowl musts in one place. Watch the game on multiple 70-inch HD TVs and enjoy pint specials all day and food from It’s Nacho Truck. Basically, all the makings of a great game day!
February 5, 2017
2:30 p.m. – 7:00 p.m.
Big Sexy Brewing Company
5861 88th St., Ste 800, Sacramento, CA 95828
Vegan Super Bowl Party (El Papagayo)
Looking for an alternative to the traditional wings? El Papagayo has you covered with their Vegan Super Bowl Party. With a great place to watch the game and food for vegans and non-vegans alike, it seems like a great place to spend your game day.
February 5, 2017
3:00 p.m. – 6:00 p.m.
Cost: $20 (purchase tickets)
El Papagayo
5804 Marconi Ave., Carmichael, CA 95608
Vegan Super Bowl (Capitol Garage)
Capitol Garage offers up another vegan alternative. Enjoy the game at their downtown location and an all-you-can-eat buffet full of vegan options like nachos, hummus and vegan wings. There will also be drink specials available with the purchase of your ticket. This is another great alternative to the traditional party.
February 5, 2017
3:00 p.m.
Cost: $15 (purchase tickets)
Capitol Garage
1500 K St., Sacramento, CA 95814

Places to Watch the Game:

If you are looking for a place to watch the game, but want to avoid the party scene, here are some of our favorites! It’s a good idea to make a reservation so that your game day experience can be everything you want it to be.
Firestone Public House:
Beer. Food. Sports. Firestone is a great place to settle in for some great food and a great atmosphere. Take a look at our review here.
1132 16th St.
Sacramento, CA 95814

New Helvetia Brewing Company: 
Enjoy the unique environment at the New Helvetia Tasting Room, it is a great place to watch the game, or to play giant Jenga while you wait for the commercials.
1730 Broadway
Sacramento, CA 95818
Blue Note Brewing Company
Watch the game, enjoy some food and good beer, it couldn’t be more simple.
750 Dead Cat Alley
Woodland, CA, 95695
Sactown Union
Watch the game on one of the biggest screens around, and enjoy the friendly atmosphere.
1210 66th St B
Sacramento, CA 95819
Alley Katz
With traditional game day food like nachos, tacos, burgers and a wide selection of beers, it is really hard to go wrong with Alley Katz
2019 O St.
Sacramento, CA 95811
El Rey on K
With great tacos and creative cocktails, El Rey on K offers a great menu featuring Mexican street food and a wide range of margaritas.
723 K St.
Sacramento, CA 95814
Sauced BBQ & Spirits
One of the newer additions to the Sacramento scene, Sauced offers southern style BBQ, cocktails, and craft beer.
1028 7th St.
Sacramento, CA 95814
 

[Read more…]