If you truly are what you eat, then I must be a more fresh, organic and delicious version of myself after dining at the “soft-opening” of Paul Martin’s American Bistro in Roseville this Saturday. The restaurant’s mantra, “Eat organic. Believe in sustainable. Buy local. Love fresh.” is more than just a slogan – it proved to be an ambiance, a sense of professionalism and a delightful flavor that came in many forms.
Upon entering the softly lit bistro on Eureka Road, my first impression was one of extreme preparedness. Especially for a “soft-opening,” the staff at Paul Martin’s American Bistro was both attentive and abundant (not to mention well-dressed and the perfect blend of edgy and clean cut, although that has nothing to do with the food).
We were seated immediately, despite arriving a bit early for our 12:00 reservation. The well-thought décor matched the classic chic vibe; with dark wood and warm colors enveloping an otherwise relaxed environment.
My guest for lunch (also known as my mom) and I were greeted by our waitress Crystal who guided us in choosing the buttermilk breaded calamari as a starter. Crystal does not mislead – the calamari was deliciously light, a tough feat for any fried food to accomplish.
For the main course, I ordered the Skirt Steak with roasted maple-bourbon sweet potatoes and arugula and my (health conscious) mother decided on the butternut squash soup. I don’t know about you, but the phrase “family style” is a way of life between my mother and I, so sharing plates is always a given.
The skirt steak was perfectly cooked to a medium-rare, just the way I’d ordered it. The sweet potatoes were basted with a maple syrup glaze that could have bumped them right over to the dessert category. The arugula even proved to be a nice touch, turning an otherwise filling meal into a lighter, more complete plate.
The butternut squash soup with sage pesto and croutons was a dish that I could easily feast on every day through the winter months. Its vibrant color stood out almost as much as the comforting taste it delivered.
We almost ended the meal there, which would have been a near tragedy. But to finish it all of, we chose the devil’s food cake, three layers with rich ganache made from Grass Valley Dorado chocolate and garnished with sour cherries and whipped cream. Our waitress mentioned (in a half joking tone) that the first time she tasted the Devil’s Food Cake, she nearly cried. It was just that good.
With great service and excellent food, I left feeling both satisfied and impressed. Even beyond that, however, the restaurant’s greatest selling point may be it’s commitment to buying local. It is truly great to find a place that lets the best of Northern California take center stage. With meat from Superior Farms (Dixon) and Diestel Family Farms (Sonora); seafood from Ports Seafood (San Francisco); produce from Greenleaf Produce (San Francisco); bread from the Acme Bread Company (Berkeley); and dairy from Clover Stornetta (Sonoma), Paul Martin’s is drastically upping the local ante.
Last night marked the official grand opening of Paul Martin’s American Bistro, and if the evening went anything like my preview lunch on Saturday, I’m sure it was a huge success!
See what others are saying about Paul Martin’s American Bistro:
The Sacramento Bee
The Sacramento Business Journal
Edible Sacramento
Tastes of Life
Sacatomato
Vanilla Garlic
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!
Weekend Round-up
Suzanne Peabody Ashworth and Jim Mills
What a great gastronomic weekend! We started early on Saturday and visited the grand opening of the East Bay Culinary Center. We were greeted by fellow Slow Food member Jim Mills who was there with Suzanne Peabody Ashworth of Del Rio Farms. Jim offered us samples of beautiful, perfectly ripe peaches, figs, plums and blackberries.
We grazed through dozens of food stations and enjoyed:
All before 9:00 a.m.! My husband said, ‘this is the best breakfast I’ve had in a long time!’ Clearly, we both have iron stomachs.
We watched a portion of pastry chef Ginger Power’s demonstration in the new kitchen, which by the way, is WAY cool! As mentioned in a previous entry, chef and culinary instructor Carolyn Kumpe will be leading the new culinary center and classes and demonstrations will begin next month (we’ll make sure to post activities on sacfoodies.) We would have liked to have stayed all day and watch all the demonstrations, but Michael Buble and a trip to San Francisco awaited us….
I’ve heard great things about the Ferry Plaza Farmers Market in San Francisco, so I was excited when fellow Sac Foodie, Melinda McRae, myself and our foodie hubbies found ourselves with a few extra hours to spend in the City on Saturday on the way to a concert.
The colorful produce won me over. From rainbow chard to red, orange, and yellow peppers and radishes, it was a gorgeous spectrum. Since I work with the United States Potato Board, I was excited to see Russian Banana and Rose Fir specialty potato varieties too. We took home heirloom tomatoes for a colorful Caprese salad, and blackberries for snacking by the handful.
The farmers market snakes around the Ferry Plaza Building, which is a recently renovated foodie landmark of its own. After winding through the marketplace, we found a spot outside at Ferry Plaza Seafood for fresh oysters and San Francisco’s own Anchor Steam Beer. With clear skies, a Bay Bridge view, and lots of people-watching, it was a lovely way to spend an afternoon in the “city by the bay,” to quote one of my favorite 80’s bands.