Weekday breakfasts may be one of my most favorite things. Saturdays and Sundays pack them in and you always face an impending wait. But on a weekday, when I should be at work and there are less people dining out, it seems as if going out to breakfast is more of a treat.
Now what’s a bigger treat than a free breakfast … and on a weekday no less? Well that’s what is happening this Friday, March 7 in Downtown Sacramento. Mayahuel on K Street is introducing its new breakfast menu by giving away free breakfast tacos and burritos as well as cups of delicious Pacha Coffee. Here’s the skinny:
Mayahuel — Free Breakfast Tacos and Burritos and Pacha Coffee
Friday, March 7
7:30 a.m. – 11 a.m.
1200 K Street, Sacramento
(916) 441-7200
Explore Bay Area Culinary Treasures with an Edible Excursions Food Tour
By: Amanda Frew
Are you looking for a fun and delicious weekend adventure? Look no further than Edible Excursions, an award-winning Bay Area culinary tour company.
Edible Excursions offers foodies intimate insider tours of some of the Bay Area’s most delicious neighborhoods throughout San Francisco, Berkeley and Oakland. The tours are led by chefs, food writers and epicureans with deep culinary knowledge and strong ties to the local culinary community.
Last weekend I had the pleasure of embarking on a private tour of Oakland’s Uptown neighborhood. I had no prior experience dining in Oakland, so I was looking forward to this adventure. Little did I know that Uptown holds so many gems!
On our three-hour tour, we visited an artisan sandwich shop, dined on spicy-sweet bacon popcorn, enjoyed Spanish-style small plates, indulged in heavenly grilled cheese and even tasted a flight of wine from a local winery! At each stop we had the opportunity to meet and talk to the restaurant owner or chef, and on our walks in between, our tour guide Sarah taught us about the history of Uptown while pointing out architectural details and landmarks. This tour left me with a new respect for Oakland, with a list of wonderful restaurants I’ll definitely be returning to and of course, with a very full and happy belly!
Check out Edible Excursions for a food adventure you won’t forget!
2014 Valentine's Day in Sacramento
When you’re lucky enough to have Valentine’s Day fall on a Friday, the options are endless where romantic dining is concerned.
Should you stay in and set the mood in the comfort of your own home? Do you go grand and reserve a table at the hottest restaurant in town? What about the single ladies and gents – should you defy cupid and indulge in solo pursuits on the most romantic day of the year?
Can’t decide? Not to worry, the Sac Foodies are here to help. We’ve created a list of must-dos for love-struck couples, happy homebodies and single ladies and lads to help everyone’s V-Day sizzle all night long.
Valentine’s Prix Fixe Offerings in Sacramento (Make reservations on Open Table or by contacting each restaurant quickly before it’s too late)
- The Melting Pot – $75 per person offers five-courses of mouthwatering fondue dishes with a variety of dessert and entrée options. There’s also a Lover’s Lane package for $125 per person, which offers four courses, sparkling wine and an embossed photo frame. See the full menu here.
The Melting Pot
814 15th St., Sacramento, CA 95814
(916) 443-2347
- Cafeteria 15L – $80 per couple includes a champagne toast, an appetizer, an entrée and dessert options for two. Dinner is served from 5 – 11 p.m. See the full menu here.
Cafeteria 15L
1116 15th St., Sacramento, CA 95814
(916) 492-1960
- Ella Dining Room and Bar – An Ella Valentine’s meal is an exquisite four-course adventure paired with one bottle of champagne per couple. The cost is $125 per person and the full menu can be found here.
Ella Dining Room and Bar
1131 K St., Sacramento, CA 95814
(916) 443-3772
Creative Ideas for Homebodies (This is what I’ll be doing)
- Netflix subscribers rejoice! Season 2 of the award-winning ‘House of Cards’ premieres on Feb. 14. So tune in, cozy up, and kick off the night with a bottle of red and a home-cooked meal, made with love. Check out these appetizing delights on CookingLight.com for 20 delicious (and healthy!) romantic recipes to set the mood.
- Not in the cooking mood? Here are local hot-spots offering takeout for two.
- P.F. Chang’s – Nothing says takeout, like Chinese takeout! Here’s the full P.F. Chang’s menu to choose from. Call-in your order ahead of time to ensure it arrives quickly.
- Buca di Beppo – Known for their family-style Italian cuisine, Buca di Beppo offers heart-warming, tummy-filling meals to satisfy both you and your love. The best part? They deliver! Check out the full menu here.
- Looking for more delivery options? Look no further than Eat24.com to find any fine dining cuisine in your area that delivers straight to your front door.
- And if you really want to impress that special someone – try this amazingly simple, mood-setting treat guaranteed to wow: chocolate-covered strawberries. Believe it or not, I make these for friends and family at least twice a month because it’s that easy. As in, two-ingredients-one-microwave-and-15-minutes-easy. Here’s my go-to recipe on FoodNetwork.com that never fails.
All the single ladies… Now put your hands up!
- If you’re not marching to the beat of Beyoncé’s ‘Single Ladies’ song, then you’re truly missing out. Let your hair down and have more fun on Valentine’s Night, because you CAN! Consider indulging in these activities with a group of your closest pals.
- Harlow’s Restaurant – All-girl rock band, the Rainbow Girls will be performing at Harlow’s on Feb. 14, so turn Valentine’s Day into Ladies Night and enjoy good tunes, cold drinks and great company at Harlow’s Restaurant & Nightclub.
- Fox & Goose – Enjoy good folk music from Sea Legs and Davis folk rock group, Red Union Blue at local hot-spot Fox & Goose. Event starts at 9p.m. and tickets are $5.
- Shady Lady – Take yourself back to the Roaring Twenties when jazz and blues were all the rage. This Friday at 9 p.m., Shady Lady will bring original blues orchestra and jazz from Sacramento-based musician, Harley White Jr.
- Are you a single homebody? Then I suggest turning Valentine’s Night into a fun friends or family affair. Include a group of friends, your devoted pet, or perhaps your kids or parents and throw in some ice cream, pizza, beer, wine, or all of the above, and pop in your favorite movie for a full family date night!
Tell us, what are your plans for the big day?
Dine Downtown Restaurant Week at Dawson's
By Jake Ferguson and Sarah Hamblen
Thanks to Dine Downtown Restaurant Week, through January 17, 2014 you can visit 28 of Sacramento’s hottest restaurants and enjoy a delicious 3-course meal for only $31.
We were invited by Dine Downtown Restaurant Week to check out the Dine Downtown menu at Dawson’s Restaurant in the Hyatt Hotel, and we definitely left feeling more than satisfied.
In addition to the 3-course meal, Dawson’s offered a $12 wine pairing to go along with the first and second courses.
Everything from the first course was absolutely scrumptious! Here are a few of our thoughts on each item:
- Butterball Potato Bisque with Leek, Crème Fraiche and Sterling Caviar: this bisque was creamy and delicious, but not too heavy. The leek provided a good texture and creaminess of the soup balanced the flavor.
- Local Albacore Crudo with Sweet Potato Chips, Pumelo and Lemon Curd: the presentation of this dish was gorgeous and had a flavor to match. We loved the texture combination of the crunchy chips with the fresh albacore tuna, and the lemon curd was very tasty.
- Winter Greens Salad withHeirloom Beets and Maple and Mustard Vinaigrette: this salad was perfectly dressed and the combination of the beets and the blue cheese was delicious!
Our favorite: Butterball Potato Bisque
Lucky for us the second course was just as delicious as the first! Selecting a favorite course was no small feat and one can be certain that no matter which items of this course they select—it will be superb.
- Loch Duart Salmon with Lobster and Fingerling Potato Hash and Chive Buerre Blanc: the melt-in-your-mouth salmon was cooked to perfection and the hash was absolutely fantastic! We loved the sauce which complimented the dish perfectly.
- Sunfed Ranch Flat Iron with Saffron Cauliflower Puree, Roasted Brussels Sprouts and Peppercorn Sauce: the Brussels sprouts were quite tasty and a wonderful pairing to the steak and savory cauliflower purée. The peppercorn sauce finished off the tender steak and made this a very well-rounded dish.
- Roasted Kabocha Squash Lasagna with Scarmoza Cheese, Walnuts and Sage: this lasagna was hearty, packed with great flavors and the walnuts added an additional flavor profile and a nice crunch.
Our favorite: Loch Duart Salmon
A meal is never over until dessert has been enjoyed – that’s my motto.
- Mascarpone Cheesecake with Blood Orange Compote: this cheesecake was not as heavy as most other cheesecakes, making it the perfect dessert after a big meal. It was light and tasty and the blood orange compote gave it a little extra zing.
- Heirloom Apple Pie with Aged Cheddar Crust: if “apple and spice and everything nice” was a saying, it would be for this dessert. It was sweet but not overindulgent and the ice cream was delicious (and tasted homemade!).
Our favorite: Mascarpone Cheesecake
Thanks to Dine Downtown Restaurant week for inviting us – we had a great time! And an even bigger thanks to the staff at Dawson’s and our wonderful server Paulette for the exceptional hospitality and service.
Check out this full list of participating restaurants on the Dine Downtown Restaurant Week website.
What to Eat on Thanksgiving
I love Thanksgiving. I love eating turkey and gravy-laden mashed potatoes almost as much as I enjoy eating 15 different types of pie and getting away with it. Only on Thanksgiving is indulging in this much food not only reasonable but is a requirement. While Thanksgiving is a day everyone celebrates with equal enthusiasm, not everyone plans to celebrate with the traditional Thanksgiving dinner. That’s why, if you find yourself in this scenario, may we suggest the following itinerary to help you fully enjoy the holiday feasting.
10:00 a.m. – It’s the middle of the work week so your internal clock may be telling you to wake up at 6:30 a.m. but don’t! Sleep in till about 9:30 am, roll out of bed and drive (or walk…depending on where you live) over to the nearest Starbucks for a Grande Thanksgiving Blend or a Salted Caramel Mocha if you’re up for it. Pair with a Bacon & Gouda Artisan Breakfast Sandwich to kick off the day.
1:00-2:00 p.m. – You had a light breakfast so keep the momentum and have a light lunch. You want to save your appetite for the real star of the show: dinner. Because Sacramento weather on Thanksgiving will beautiful, consider a delicious lunch or an early start to dinner at The Porch Restaurant and Bar. Cocktails will be served from 1 to 2 p.m. and seating for their special Thanksgiving menu will begin at 2 p.m.
6:00-8:30p.m. – This is when all the action begins! It’s time for the big dinner, but where do you go? Here is a list of some of our favorite spots with special Thanksgiving menus to match.
The Porch Restaurant and Bar – Offering a wholesome Thanksgiving lunch and dinner menu, The Porch will promise authentic Southern cuisine with the perfect Thanksgiving twist.
Chops – Acclaimed for their undeniably delicious steaks, Chops will also be offering Turkey, Prime Rib, Lamb Chops, Lobster Tails and much more in their flavor-filled Thanksgiving menu available from 1 – 7 p.m.
Ten22 – If you love the Farm-to-Fork capital, you’ll appreciate Ten22’s Farm-to-Table Thanksgiving menu offering five courses of palate-pleasing options sure to suit all tastes.
Firehouse Restaurant – Looking for a fine-dining Thanksgiving experience at an award-winning restaurant? Firehouse is the place to be. Their special Thanksgiving options ranging from traditional, to vegan/vegetarian to Young Patrons menus include four courses of exquisite cuisine with enough variety for everyone to find something they love. We gave you a sneak peek at the menu last week.
It’s almost the end of the work day and Thanksgiving is so close, you can almost taste it!
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