SacFoodies

Saucy in San Francisco

by SacFoodies

By Cheyenne Cameron-Pruitt
It’s the last week of National Sauce Month (*cue sad music*), but as they say, don’t cry because it’s over – smile because it happened! We’ve been getting saucy every single week, and this week is no exception.
We took our adventure on the road this weekend to San Francisco.  Nestled in a small space on Polk and Eddy Streets is Brenda’s French Soul Food. If not for the huge crowd gathered outside, it would be pretty easy to miss. Brenda’s boasts a large menu that blends French, Creole and soul food influences into creative takes on everyone’s favorites. You can taste the soul in the food and feel it in the atmosphere, making it well worth the 45 minute wait!

Even though everything looked fantastic, it was really easy to figure out what I wanted. Since it was breakfast time, and I was there for research purposes, I ordered the Eggs Benedict.

Eggs Benedict sounds like a classic breakfast. Poached eggs, English muffins and hollandaise sauce. Pretty straightforward, right? In any other case the Eggs Benedict wouldn’t be all that special, but at Brenda’s, I swear I heard a choir of angels sing when I saw my plate. When I took a bite, somewhere far away a butterfly shed a tear of happiness.
In all seriousness, this was best Eggs Benedict I have ever had. I think this dish represented the French, Creole and soul food influences so perfectly. Instead of the classic English muffin, the base of this dish was a fluffy and huge cream biscuit. Now for the exciting part: Brenda’s offers up the classic ham option, but also offers fried chicken and catfish as toppings. I opted for the fried chicken, but it wasn’t an easy decision.
Let’s talk about the hollandaise sauce – which is what I was really interested in – and how it upped my eggcellent experience by 1,000 percent. The usual slight citrus flavor of the hollandaise was replaced with a kick of Creole spices, but still managed not to overwhelm the flavors of the fried chicken and the biscuit. I have not stopped thinking about that sauce, I’m seriously worried I will never be able to enjoy Eggs Benedict the same way again!

I finished off my meal with an order of beignets. Brenda’s offers the classic flavor with simple powdered sugar, but also changes it up with chocolate filled, granny smith apple filled, and even a savory crawfish option. The crawfish option is filled with a mix of crawfish and cheese and is spiced like the hollandaise sauce. I was able to get a taste of all four options, and they were just as good as they sound, if not better. 10/10 I would them eat again.
Brenda’s is a great little spot for a weekend brunch or anytime. They’re very popular, so be prepared to wait awhile, but I promise it will be worth it!

Curry Paradise

by SacFoodies

“Curry Para-, Para-, Paradise” – Coldplay, probably
For this week’s #saucyspot, the SacFoodies decided to check out Curry Paradise, a West Sac diamond-in-the-rough that boasts stellar Yelp ratings and delicious dishes. Due to a busy work week and a shortage of long lunch hours, we ended up ordering delivery to our downtown office.

The owner sent us his personal recommendations over email prior to our order and even put us in direct contact with the chef, Dino! It was clear that both the owner and chef were incredibly hands-on with their food and customer service.
We ordered butter chicken, jira masti (spicy shrimp), samosas and naan. It was delivered to our office within the hour, and we wasted no time in breaking out the forks! Straight up, the food was awesome. It was spicy. It was delicate. The portions were generous. Most of all, it was full of complex flavors and textures that made it a real treat to eat.
Laurel: I ordered the jira masti and absolutely loved it! I am a big fan of spicy food but often have to proceed with caution at Indian restaurants – sometimes I get in way too over my head and end up with a burning mouth and bruised ego. Thankfully, this shrimp dish hit the spicy sweet spot; not too hot, but definitely hit you with a building heat as you went on, which I really enjoyed. The sauce was rich without being heavy and was a nice addition to the shrimp. It was so good I ended up saving the leftover sauce in the office fridge to add to my lunch the next day! (P.S. – I didn’t get a picture of my shrimp because I ate it too fast. The struggles of food blogging are real.)

Cheyenne: I fancy myself an Indian cuisine connoisseur. I certainly have my favorite dishes and I usually stick with them before venturing off into un-tasted territories. Samosas are a must-have anytime I’m trying a new Indian restaurant, and Curry Paradise did not disappoint! They were perfectly crisp on the outside while leaving the inside warm and delicious. I think that was my favorite part of the meal, I almost had to call them back and ask for sa-more-sas! I also tried the butter chicken and you butter believe it was delicious! Butter chicken is generally a milder dish, but this had a nice little kick that complimented the dish so well and allowed every flavor to shine through. It paired so well with the basmati rice and naan, and most importantly, it wasn’t too heavy to leave me napping at my desk. I thoroughly enjoyed Curry Paradise, seriously, naan-thing but good things to say!
If you’re on the hunt for a flavorful #saucyspot, than this is your jam. Aren’t close to West Sac? They also just opened a second location in Roseville, so you’re in luck. This National Sauce Month is shaping up to be naan-tastic!

Let's Get Saucy!

by SacFoodies

It’s National Sauce Month, everybody! If the SacFoodies love anything, it’s getting #lostinthesauce (in the most culinary sense of the phrase). We’ll be featuring a different kind of sauce each week of the month, ranging from barbecue to chocolate. Bring on the ranch, marinara, caramel, and curry – we’re hunting down our favorite sauces, and all the delicious food that goes under them!
For our first saucy spot, we stopped by – you guessed it – Sauced BBQ & Spirits on 7th and K. Sauced takes pride in the quality of their meat, the integrity of their smoking process, and their generous (i.e., gargantuan) portions. We had a great time at our lunch, which included great service, a lively atmosphere, and an overall satisfying work-day meal. Below, we each talk about our favorite part of the meal, and of course, our favorite sauce!

Laurel: For my lunch at Sauced, I ordered the appetizer Smoked Wings plate. As someone who doesn’t like my meals pre-drenched in sauce, I was happy that the wings came spiced, smoked, and with sauce on the side. This meant that I could add as much sauce as I wanted, and experiment with different kinds! Sauced has four house BBQ sauces – Tin Roof, Hot Tin Roof, Pig Candy, and Georgia Gold. I felt like the Georgia Gold, which is mustard-based, went best with the smoky chicken, but I definitely liked all four. Disclaimer: I also love mustard and vinegar, so it wasn’t suprising for me to pick this as my favorite!

Cheyenne: When I see tater-tots of any form on a menu, I’m blinded by their golden light and know that I have to have them. Even with the incredible number of menu options at Sauced, tater-tots had my heart. I ordered the Tot-Tas for lunch. “What exactly are Tot-Tas?” you may be wondering. Well, according to the menu it is a plate of tater-tots covered with cheddar cheese, bacon jam (yes, bacon jam!), sour cream, green onions and jalapenos. If you ask me what a Tot-Ta is, I’ll tell you it’s how Sauced made me say goodbye to plain tots forever. I’m counting bacon jam as the sauce on my meal, because there was really no need for anything extra on that plate. Every single thing – from the crunchiness of the tots, to the sweet, salty, smoky flavor of the bacon jam – made me fall in love with each bite. I probably could have used a little more sour cream, but that is a personal preference. If you are going to stop by Sauced I cannot recommend the Tot-Tas more, whether you plan on keeping them to yourself or sharing. Though I didn’t need anything extra on my meal, you can’t go to Sauced and not try the BBQ Sauce! If I had to choose one I would go with the Tin Roof, it is a classic ketchup-based sauce and I’m a classic kind of girl, but they were all delicious in their own special ways.

We can’t wait to go back to Sauced and try more #saucyspots throughout the rest of March. Word to the wise: Sauced is the spot to go before Golden 1 events, but be ready for crowds! We liked going for lunch to reap the rewards of a Sauced lunch without dealing with the pre-game rush. Tot-Ta for now! (Get it?)

Valentine's Day in Sacramento

by SacFoodies

By Cheyenne Cameron-Pruitt

Valentine’s Day is almost here. We know that everyone can use a little bit of help with the planning process sometimes, so we have gathered Valentine’s weekend events and restaurant specials that are sure to please!

Valentine’s Day Weekend Events:

Port, Wine and Chocolate Lover’s Weekend
Port, Wine and Chocolate? You can’t go wrong there! Old Sugar Mill is giving you access to all three with their Lover’s Weekend. Thirteen wineries are in one location offering tastings from the barrels – of wine and chocolate. A cigar lounge, live music and demonstrations, including a “Bottle Your Own Port” activity round out the event. This is a unique event that will certainly add some fun to your Valentine’s Day weekend.
Cost: $29.50 in advance, $40 the day of, and $10 for any Designated Driver; $125 for the Bon Temps Package for groups of 6 or more. (purchase tickets)
February 11, 2017 – February 12, 2017
11:00 a.m. – 5:00 p.m.
Old Sugar Mill
35265 Willow Avenue
Clarksburg, CA 95612
Valentine’s Day Wine Tour
Odds are you are going to get some sort of chocolate this Valentine’s Day and nothing pairs better with chocolate than wine! Grab your heart shaped box and hop on the Valentine’s Day Wine Tour presented by Cain Event Planning. This all-day tour includes transportation to participating Amador County wineries Karmere, Dobra Zemjla and Helwig Winery, drink service during travel, lunch and of course wine tastings.  It is a great way to spend the day with your loved one.
Cost: $59 for a single ticket and $110 for a couple’s ticket (purchase tickets)
February 11, 2017
10:00 a.m. – 4:00 p.m.
Butterfield Station
9636 Butterfield Road
Rancho Cordova, CA 95827
American Whiskey with the Bourbon Babes
Hook & Ladder Manufacturing Co. offers an alternative option for Valentine’s Day weekend. Join The Bourbon Babes at Cocktail Academy and learn everything there is to know about American Whiskey.
Cost: $75
February 11, 2017
2:00 – 4:00 p.m.
Hook and Ladder Manufacturing Co.
1630 S St
Sacramento, CA 95811

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A Seasonal Selection at Paragary's

by SacFoodies

photo-dec-06-4-48-15-pm

If you’ve done any exploring in Sacramento’s picturesque Midtown, we can pretty much guarantee that you’ve spotted the California bistro Paragary’s. Nestled on the corner of 28th and N, you’ll enter a warm and inviting space filled with a staff that has an attention for detail. The restaurant has been a staple of the Sacramento food scene since 1983 and re-opened in June 2015 after a remodel.
SacFoodies was given the opportunity to join other Sacramento influencers to taste Paragary’s current seasonal menu of pizzas, cocktails, desserts and so much more. Their menu is designed to showcase the different bounties available in Sacramento at any time of year. So what you’ll enjoy in the winter will be completely different than what you’ll find in the summer.

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