SacFoodies

Coconut’s Fish Café: A Taste of Maui in Midtown

by SacFoodies

Here at SacFoodies, one of our main goals is to keep you in the know about the latest and greatest things happening in the Sacramento food scene, and today I’m here to dish on Midtown’s newest restaurant, Coconut’s Fish Café.
Some of you Maui lovers may be thinking “Coconut’s Fish Café? That sounds familiar.” Yep, you’re right! Coconut’s was founded on the beautiful island of Maui by Sacramento native Mike Phillips, who wanted to bring an affordable, fresh option to the island. It has been his dream to open a Sacramento location, and now that dream is a delicious reality (much to our benefit).

Coconut Shrimp_Edited
Coconut Shrimp

Upon my recent visit to Coconut’s, I was greeted with the Aloha spirit and a cold and refreshing Ace Pineapple Cider (highly recommended). They also have a nice selection of Hawaiian brews on tap, perfect for a warm summer evening.
The menu is plentiful without being overwhelming, and is brimming with island favorites like their famous fish tacos (voted a “perfect taco” by Zagat), fresh salads, mahi mahi and ono dishes, and of course, Hawaiian poke.

Fish Taco_Edited
Coconut’s Famous Fish Taco

I sampled many dishes on the menu, and I can honestly say that I’d recommend all of them. The coconut shrimp was super crispy and served with an addictive Thai pineapple chili sauce, and it’s no surprise that the fish tacos are award-winning! (Pro-tip: two diners can easily share the fish tacos, as they’re huge. They even come on two plates!)
Coconut’s cuts all their fish in house daily, and also makes all their own sauces, dressings and marinades from scratch each day. They pride themselves in super fresh and high-quality food at an affordable price. I personally think it fills a hole in our Sacramento dining scene and I strongly recommend you go soon to try it out for yourself.
Mahalo!

Fish and Chips_Edited
Mahi Mahi and Ono Fish and Chips

Coconut’s Fish Cafe
1420 16th St.
Sacramento, CA 95814
Phone: 916-440-0449

How to Slay a Lobster

by SacFoodies

Photos by David Cross and Jess Keller

A couple weeks ago, I had the privilege of sailing to the Bahamas from Miami on Juliet (104 feet long, three-masted, steel-hulled schooner). Among the sailing, cocktailing, scuba diving and land excursions, there was also an opportunity to go spear fishing for lobster. Free lobster? Yes, please!
The Bahamian government does an impeccable job of protecting its reefs, and spear fishing is only permitted when you are free diving. Like most fishing, the best time to catch these delicious crustaceans is at dusk.
 Below, you will find a step-by-step process on how to catch and clean a lobster next time you find yourself in the Bahamas with a spear.
 Step 1: Find a lobster

Size matters! The general rule of thumb in the Bahamas is lobsters must have at least a six-inch tail to be fair game for spear fishing.
 Step 2: Take a deep breath, dive down and spear that sucker

First Mate Chris dives down 30 feet to catch dinner.
 Step 3: For fun (and for street cred), count your lobsters

Lobsters found in the Bahamas are known as spiny lobsters. They do not have front claws and most of the edible meat is in the tail.

Step 4: Clean

Firmly twist off the tail and dispose of the head. Utilize one of its antennae to remove the intestinal vein (a long black vein, like that of a shrimp) from the tail meat. Cut the tail with the meat inside before cooking.

Step 5: Barbecue or steam until flesh turns white and the tail shell turns bright red.
Using a barbecue gives the meat a nice smoky flavor.

Step 6: Revel in the fact that you are eating free, delicious lobster and enjoy!

Cafeteria 15L, Sacramento

by SacFoodies

I am addicted – to Groupon. So when I saw a Groupon a few weeks back for Cafeteria 15L, a restaurant I wanted to try since it opened, I snapped it up. I ended up heading over on a weeknight but the restaurant was still impressively busy. Although the entrees looked intriguing, there were too many delicious-sounding small plate choices to pass up, so my dining companion and I decided to order four small plates to share.
Passing up Mac and Cheese on any menu is near impossible, so of course, we had to have an order. Topped with crispy breadcrumbs, it might have been our favorite, yet the most simple, dish of the evening. The waiter sold me on the Hangtown Fries, so we tried that, too. The dish consists of think cut potato wedges topped with a poached egg, bacon pieces, fried oysters and Tabasco hollandaise – this rich dish reminded me of the food I sampled on my trip to New Orleans last year (dieters, beware!).
Our third dish was the Spicy Ahi Tuna Poke served with avocado and orange bits mixed into it surrounded by potato chips. I could have gone without the clips, but the ahi was delicious and fresh with a bit of spice. The last dish we tried was the Roasted Beet Salad served with pears, goat cheese and spiced pecans on a bed of arugula that added a light and fresh element to our meal.
I’m looking forward to another visit to Cafeteria 15L and venturing into the entrée category next time (but I might not be able to resist a side of the Mac and Cheese!)
Cafeteria 15L
1116 15th Street
Sacramento, CA
(916) 492-1960

McCormick & Schmick's: ‘Reel’y great deal: Dinner and a Movie

by SacFoodies

One movie that the Sac Foodies are very excited for is “Eat, Pray, Love,” in theaters starting August 13.  The wonderful stories, fantastic travel destinations, and of course, delicious food, make it a must-see for any foodie.
Interested in seeing “Eat, Pray, Love” for only $5? McCormick & Schmick’s Seafood Restaurant’s Reel to Reel is back and other than being a client, we love their delicious seafood and fantastic happy hour deals!

McCormick & Schmick’s is offering a premium movie ticket for $5 with the purchase of any dinner entrée.
McCormick & Schmick’s has provided us with a $25 dining certificate to give away to one lucky Sac Foodies reader. To enter, post a comment either here, or on our Facebook page telling us which upcoming movie you are most excited for. If it happens to be “Eat, Pray, Love,” and you read the book, what was your favorite country?
For more information and a list of participating theaters, visit the McCormick & Schmick’s website.
A winner will be picked at noon on Tuesday, August 10.