Sac Foodies would like to give a warm welcome to a new foodie blog, the Potato Underground. A handful of us created this blog for our client, the United States Potato Board. Check out Patty Mastracco, a Sac foodie in her own right, as she shares a quick new way to make au gratin potatoes in the microwave. Potato lovers welcome!
Aloha!
Aloha! As you may have guessed, my summer vacation was a trip to Maui with my hubby, 7-month old son, and my parents (babysitters!). My husband and I hadn’t been back to Maui since our honeymoon four years ago, and one thing we remembered fondly was the food. We were looking forward to enjoying the wonderfully fresh seafood and tropical cocktails again. Here’s a few highlights!
Our first stop was the touristy Hula Grill in Whalers Village. Our condo wasn’t quite ready yet and we were absolutely starving after the five hour flight. It was barely lunch time so we got a table quickly before the lunch crowd took over the “barefoot bar.” It was my first Mai Tai of the trip and I ordered the Kapulu Joe with Mac Nut Slaw (barbecued pork, grilled onions, toasted ciabatta bun and mango barbecue sauce). Both were superb. What a way to kick off a great trip!
The nearest restaurant to our quaint little condo was an Italian grill called Basil Tomatoes. I was hesitant to try Italian in Maui, but I remembered how much I love the seafood in Italy so we went for it. I’m glad we did! The plantation-style architecture overlooking the Kaanapali golf course we were staying on was incredibly charming. The food was great too! I tried the special, a pan-fried monchong (I hadn’t heard of this native Hawaiian fish before) served with artichoke risotto and asparagus. It was decadent and delicious!
Josh and I celebrated our anniversary at the highly recommended Sansei in Kapalua. Maui’s #1 sushi restaurant doesn’t take reservations so we knew we had a wait ahead of us. While waiting for a table and sipping on Sauvignon Blanc at the bar, we struck up conversations with other guests and the bartender, Trudy. Trudy ordered us an amazing appetizer of mango and crab wrapped in a mamenori served with a Thai chili sauce. She offered to order the rest of our dinner and we took her up on it. We had no idea what was coming next but Trudy’s choices were magnificent and it sure made for a fun dining experience!
The one reservation we did make was at our favorite Maui restaurant, Mama’s Fish House. We wanted to take my parents there so they could experience the spectacular sunset and fabulous food. We weren’t disappointed! I enjoyed my favorite meal of the trip, the Bouillabaisse. Lobster, prawns, scallops, mahi mahi, and mussels swam in an herb and butter broth that was deliciously drinkable. The garlic butter toast that accompanied the dish melted in your mouth after a quick dunk in the broth. It was heaven in a bowl.
My final highlight was breakfast at the Castaway Café. My mom and I walked along the coast every morning and passed this delightful restaurant daily. On our final morning in Kaanapali, we dragged the boys over to the hidden gem. My mom splurged and ordered the combo pancake platter, a combination of macadamia nut, pineapple and banana pancakes served with Lanai sauce, a coconut-like syrup. To-die-for!
All in all, Maui food no ka oi!
Tonight at The Shack
It’s Mexican night at The Shack!
Dinner:
Chicken Mole
Chili Relleno
Rice & Beans
Shrimp Cocktail
Homemade Chips & Salsa
Dessert:
Banana Fritters
Opens at 6:00, dinner at 7-ish
The Shack
5201 Folsom Blvd
916-457-5997
A Green Door, Square Breakfasts, and Jamie Foxx – Oh My!
It’s become an annual occasion that my sisters and I meet up in Los Angeles each September. My sister Cara and I are only 11 days apart (we’re actually the same age for those 11 days, but you won’t get any actual numbers out of me!), so the excuse is we are celebrating the “September” birthdays. Real reason? Unbelievable shopping and a chance to try new restaurants and enjoy old favorites. This past weekend was no exception.
A Mysterious Green Door
Friday night we had reservations for a new restaurant-club called Green Door. (Not “The Green Door” or “A Green Door,” just “Green Door.”) This swanky destination, complete with Parisian-style décor and dimly-lit atmosphere, is located at Sunset and Van Ness in Hollywood, not too far from the ArcLight Cinema and Amoeba Records.
Despite the unmarked entrance, we arrived and were admitted into the restaurant after two men checked to make sure we were on “the list.” The French-inspired menu was surprisingly short (but not short on flavor), and the wine list extensive (no “by the glass” here). We enjoyed a bottle of Sanford Pinot Noir and each of us ordered something different: Sara had the sea bass and Yukon gold potatoes, while Cara and Katie feasted on crepes – one of black forest ham and gruyere cheese and the other filled with shrimp and spinach – both excellent. I devoured the French Onion Soup with chunks of sourdough bread smothered in fontina and gruyere cheeses – honestly, I think it’s the best I’ve ever had. Our server brought us dessert crepes (gratis!) with birthday candles, which we of course inhaled despite our very full bellies (who can pass up banana/chocolate and strawberry/cream?). I’d love to show these dishes, especially the innovative presentation, but alas there are no photos allowed inside Green Door!
Open Air Latin-Asian Fusion
Saturday night we hit one of my all-time favorite restaurants, Asia de Cuba, located inside the Mondrian Hotel on Sunset in West Hollywood. Despite having a reservation, we waited for almost an hour, but were rewarded for our patience by being seated outside with a gorgeous view of the L.A. skyline and beautiful trellises of vines above. We ordered a pitcher of Sangria and then decided on our strategy: we’d order appetizers and dessert so as not to get overly full. Hah! We over-ordered appetizers and couldn’t finish dessert (carrot cake and “Coco de Cielo” cake, which roughly translated to heavenly coconut cake). Our choices were insanely delicious.
When we finished dinner, we rolled ourselves next door to Skybar – again, one of my all-time favorite places – an open-air bar adjacent to the restaurant. It was there that we saw none other than Mr. Jamie Foxx grooving with his birthday entourage, enjoying a balmy evening in the City of Angeles. And, truly, what is a trip to L.A. without a star sighting?
Breakfast Squared
We wrapped our weekend with Sunday breakfast at Square One, which boasts being one of the top 10 places for breakfast in L.A. – and I can see why. First of all, their breakfast is out-of-this-world delish, and for another, the staff is so happy. Who doesn’t want happy on a Sunday morning? We sat outside on their brick patio with the sun shining and the murmur of the city passing by and enjoyed brioche French toast, a pressed egg sandwich on brioche with tomato, arugula and aioli, as well as scrambled eggs with applewood smoked bacon and a fresh fruit salad. Simply scrumptious!
Another September, another memorable trip to L.A., another 5 lbs!
Celebrating Our New Digs!
Every new office needs a party (even if you only moved across the street), and last night we did just that with good food and great guests to celebrate the office move of FH Sacramento.
The party kicked off with an informative (and often hilarious) food and wine pairing from David Mirassou, sixth generation winemaker and FH client, and David Katz from the Culinary Institute of America, Greystone. The Davids never fail to both amuse and educate and last night they treated our tastebuds to a couple of Mirassou varietals paired with savory bites from Culinary Specialists here in Sacramento. If you’ve had the pleasure of dining at Mulvaney’s B&L, you may also know they do catering through Culinary Specialists, and similar to my many visits to Mulvaney’s, Culinary Specialists did not disappoint. From appetizing canapés to perfectly sweet tarts, all our guests left sublimely satiated.
Speaking of guests, thanks to all who were able to join us. From old friends including the good people at Java City, Mirassou Winery, California Tree Fruit Agreement, California Grown, 500 N Street and AT&T to new friends such as our fellow bloggers at Sacatomato, SacRag and VanillaGarlic (thanks for the posting today Garrett — photos are gorgeous!), it was a delicious time had by all!
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Book Signing Tonight
Our favorite East Sac neighborhood hangout, The Shack, is hosting a book signing with Tom Myers from 6 – 8 p.m. Myers’ photography book, “Sacramento Impressions,” will be availble to purchase for $10, and there will be a special wine tasting with appetizers for $5.00.
The Shack
5201 Folsom Blvd.
457-5997
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