DESSERT: Hot Italian

I am a huge fan of sweets. I will pick sweet over savory 9 times out of 10. I usually choose frozen yogurt over ice cream but since our first dinner club night out to Hot Italian in July, I have been back twice for gelato. The first two times I went to Hot Italian for gelato I ordered the caramel salato and that is still one of my favorites. On my last trip I wanted to try something new. My sister and I sampled a few flavors before choosing one we wanted to order. The fig tasted incredibly exactly like fresh figs. It was uncanny really. I didn't think the cannoli tasted like cannoli but my sister did and she really liked it. The girl serving us handed me a sample of her favorite, Ferrero Rocher, even though I didn't ask for it nor was it on the list of flavors I was considering. I normally have vanilla tendencies rather than chocolate. It's not that I don't like chocolate because I do, it's just never my first choice. I am so glad she nudged me to try this delectable chocolate flavor. I was immediately sold on the rich chocolaty, hazelnut goodness of it. Being the creature of habit that I am I ordered half caramel salato and half Ferrero Rocher. Try it, I promise you will like it. If you don't they have a bunch of other flavors and you are sure to find one you will love.

DINNER: Taylor's Kitchen, Bernadette's take

Taylor's Kitchen's Web site

I cannot believe I didn't know about this charming, lovely, little place. We've shopped at Taylor's Market every once in a while, but I never even noticed the restaurant right next door. What a find! The menu at Taylor's Kitchen is interesting and current, the food itself is delicious. The decor is perfectly pleasant and the service is excellent. Its plates are not embellished or styled, but that's probably because it's more of a substance over style place. I loved the Humbolt Fog cheese, although each selection on the cheese plate was delectable. The Housemade Stinging Nettle Tagliatelle was wonderful (Ray ordered it, too); it appeared to be just a bowl of green noodles with a sausage crumble here and there -- but it tasted so much better than it looked. Lots of garlic and some fennel, I think. The beet salad was one of the best I've ever had (and I always order beet salad if it's on a menu). The Andrew Rich Pinot Noir that was recommended by our server was a huge hit, too. I enjoyed the panna cotta dessert, but it was the only thing I'd rate as "good not great." I cannot wait to go back here (our first-date anniversary is coming up, John ... hint hint). So, sorry Land Parkers, your hidden gem is becoming more widely known!

DINNER CLUB RECAP: Healthy Fare

I can't control myself at Dinner Club. I always eat too much. And I feel super stuffed (guilty and fat) afterwards. So, I decided host a healthy dinner club: nutritious and low-fat (which means no cheese! a big deal on a vegetarian menu!). We started off with baked sweet potato chips and raw broccoli with a non-fat yogurt and fresh herb dip. The salad course was a watermelon-tomato-mint-red onion dish dressed very lightly in olive oil. The main course was 100% buckwheat soba noodles and green onions with an Asian-style dressing. I also served Pumpkin-Chia seed muffins at the table. For dessert I brought out more muffins; this time my Banana-Nut muffins and some fresh berries. (Yep, lots of muffins but I'm very proud of my whole grain, sugar-free muffins). The meal wasn't totally guilt-free though, I did serve alcohol ... this IS Dinner Club, after all.

DINNER: Taylor's Kitchen, Wray's Take

Taylor's Kitchen's Web site

This place is a hit. Excellent food, service and atmosphere, with a clear focus on fresh, high quality ingredients. The five of us started with antipasto and cheese plates. Both were very nice and went well with a sparkling wine picked out by our resident bubbly-aficionado, Sandra. I shared a beet salad that tasted like the beets were ripped from their home mere hours before. I chose the Stinging Nettle Tagliatelle with Italian Sausage, Kale, and Pecorino Toscano. To be honest, I am afraid of whole grain or green pastas. They usually are dry, chewy, or taste like something my brother would serve me when he had to baby sit me as a kid. But, despite this being a green pasta, it was outstanding! And, no, no stinging nettles ended up lodged in my tongue or esophagus. Our waiter directed us to a very nice wine that seemed to go pretty well with everyone's entree, and his overall service was attentive and sharp, without being overbearing. For dessert, a panna cotta and cappuccino. I left happy, fulfilled, and only slightly lighter in the wallet.

DINNER CLUB RECAP: Sandra's September 2009

I am late in posting this but better late than never. I did a Central American/seafood theme this time. For appetizers I served shrimp cocktail and crackers topped with a dollop of either sour cream or El Salvadorian crema, smoked salmon and capers. For our starter I served chilled avocado soup topped with chopped shrimp and cucumber. The main dish was home made (literally with my mother in LA and brought up to Sacramento) pupusas served with salsa and Cacique crema Salvadorena. I served two types of pupusas, queso con loroco and shredded pork. Our drink was a little random for the theme but I tried it over Rosh Hashanah when I was in LA and loved it. It was Jewish Rosh Hashanah pomegranate honey cooler that I made with 1 cup POM juice, honey and one bottle of white wine. Dessert was the Princess cake from Ettore's bakery to celebrate Wray's birthday. Since I have been asked about the soup recipe here is how I made it. I sautéed a minced white onion and 2 seeded and minced Serrano chilies for about 15 minutes, added 3 or 4 minced garlic cloves and salt and sautéed another 2 minutes. I let those cool overnight. The next day I made the rest by placing 4 ripe avocados in a food processor along with 4 cups of veggie broth, 4 Tbsp lemon juice and the now cooled onion/Serrano chili mixture. Add salt and pepper to taste. I also added a little sour cream but I don't really think it needed the cream. I let it chill for about 3 hours but longer would have been better. If I had to make it again I might use half broth and half water. There are lots of ways you can play with this recipe. The topping/garnish was 8 oz. medium chopped cooked shrimp, 1 peeled, seeded and diced cucumber, 3 Tbsp chopped cilantro and lime juice mixed together. If you make this ahead I would chill the soup with the avocado pits in it and lay plastic wrap in direct contact with the soup to avoid air getting into it and turning the soup brown. The pupusa recipe is top secret. ;)

DINNER: Taylor's Kitchen, Sandra's take

What a charming little neighborhood restaurant this is! I loved the amusing rotating ceiling fans that are literally two small fans rotating on a long blade. Our Lucien Albrecht sparkling wine paired nicely with our four cheese plate. My favorites were the Humboldt Fog and Point Reyes Blue but I am partial to both of those so it was an unfair fight. The Carmody cow's milk cheese was a nice cheese I have never tried. It's nice to know I can go next door to Taylor's market and pick some up if I want to. The appetizer plate of caper berries, almonds, roasted yellow peppers and little cheese stuffed peppers (or were they tomatoes?) was not memorable except for the outstanding little stuffed red things. I think they were red peppers of some sort. The warm crusty bread and herbed olive oil were yummy. I ordered the nut encrusted Walu fish special with mashed butternut squash puree (served in place of traditional mashed potatoes) and baby green beans. The fish was absolutely delicious but ever so slightly overcooked around the edges. The portion was generous. The butternut squash was rich, sweet and savory at the same time. I wish I knew how to recreate it because I would want to make it all the time! It is the perfect fall side dish. Our endearing server Andrea suggested a nice Andrew Rich 2007 Pinot Noir that I enjoyed. Dessert was buttermilk panna cotta drizzled with honey and topped with blueberries. OMG, it was soooo good! Please order it if you go. It was thick and rich without being heavy or oily so it was creamy yet light at the same time. My only issue with our dinner is what I learned today googling Walu fish. Apparently it is known to cause an extremely unpleasant gastrointestinal issue if you eat too much due to the oils in the fish. I think restaurants should either not serve it or warn diners of this unpleasant side effect. I can't imagine a polite way to do that though. I was lucky that I had no such side effects. I guess I have an iron stomach. Overall I would recommend this place to anyone looking for a great meal in a charming and cozy setting.

EVENT: Eat Your Art Out

Our long lost dinner club member Katie and her BF Paul were in town last weekend. I thought it would be fun and appropriate to get dinner club together and go on a food and drink crawl to support a good cause. I have been to both of the past Crawl for the Cure events and thought they were tremendously fun for the participants and great for local businesses and the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation. This year there are going to be a lot more crawls benefitting different foundations. We went to Eat Your Art Out supporting the Sacramento Metropolitan Arts Commission. The basic idea is that various groups of 10 or more "crawlers" walk to the 18 participating downtown/midtown eateries for a bite to eat and a drink at each location. We hit 13 out of 18. Not bad at all! We started at Brew It Up, moved on to Lucca, then hit Azul, Mulvaney's, L Wine Lounge, Zocalo, Hot Italian, Nishiki, Mochii Yogurt, Sapporo Grill, 3 Fires Lounge, Grange and Sofia. Most of us skipped Beach Hut Deli, Rubicon, Yogurtagogo, Ginger Elizabeth Chocolates and Temple Coffee in the interest of time. The highlights for me were Lucca's zucchini chips, Azul's guava sangria, Zocalo's interesting horchata with tequila drink, Hot Italian for their piping hot pizza made just for us and decanted Peroni, Sapporo Grill's amazing jade bar and gorgeous interior, Grange's figs with goat cheese, Sofia's decadent bread pudding and everyone's favorite Mulvaney's for outclassing and outshining everybody else. They were in a league of their own with baby heirloom tomatoes and homemade mozzarella cheese made right in front of us by their in house pasta maker and citrus-y sparkling wine cocktail served in champagne flutes. They had interpretive dancers in the adjoining dessert room too! An honorable mention goes to Brew It Up for their interesting white unfiltered looking beer. A dishonorable mention goes to 3 Fires Lounge for bad service and a bad vibe overall. We walked out as did a friend of mine in another group for reasons unrelated to our reasons for leaving. This was such a fun way to spend an afternoon and a chance to go to places I have never been to. There are more crawls coming up so if you love food, drink, fresh air, fun and supporting a good cause, check out www.crawltix.com for upcoming crawls.

LUNCH: CIA Greystone Napa, CA

On a recent Friday, my sister and I decided to spend the day in Napa. We decided to lunch at the Culinary Institute of America Greystone restaurant because I have always been curious about what goes on inside what appears to be a castle in the Napa valley. The inside of the restaurant was nice but looked like one you would find anywhere in CA. We settled on the patio instead for the views of the valley. To be honest I was slightly disappointed with both the patio and the view. It was a beautiful day though. The only con to sitting on the patio was that as the sun went down, the umbrellas did little to protect us from the blazing rays. We lunched on oysters on the half shell with a pink wine sauce, sweet corn soup, Pimientos de Padrones, gnocchi and two desserts. The oysters came from Hog Island Co. in San Francisco. The soup was creamy, sweet and divine! Apparently it is made with very little cream but is reduced with the corn cob and the silk from the corn still in the pot to give it a silky finish. The pimientos, or small peppers, were pan fried and served with almonds, tomatoes, shaved parm and pesto. This dish was also very good. The ricotta and spinach gnocchi were very flavorful, very large scallop sized dumplings served with lots of fresh veggies and a tomato type sauce. I was surprised at just how flavorful the gnocchi were given that the sauce is what usually provides the flavor. Dessert was a major flop. The Mexican chocolate soufflé was heavy on the egg and light on the chocolate with tasteless, drippy crème anglaise. The only positive thing I can say is that it was very spicy and cinnamony. The pizelle ice cream sandwiches tasted bland. The wine samplers were a nice option. If you decide to try this restaurant you must try the sweet corn soup and gnocchi if they are on the menu. Skip dessert though.

DINNER: Taylor's Kitchen, Lisa's Take

Taylor's Kitchen's Web site

Our 2nd dinner club outing was a lot of fun. I won't write too much about what I think the others will say, but there were some pros and cons. The pros: the service, atmosphere, and decor. What a great romantic neighborhood restaurant! I was digging the sink in the bathroom, and the 16-ply toilet paper. I'm not kidding! Ok. Maybe not 16... The waiter made a great wine recommendation, and the beet salad was fantastic. We all agreed that it was much better than Pearl on the River's beet salad. My minor disappointments in what was otherwise a great setting: the cheese plate was very drab looking; just a sprinkle of an herb or oil would have made it look stellar because the toleme cheese was stellar. Also, my pappardelle was extremely extremely salty salty salty. If and when we go again, I think the smart thing to order, from a sister restaurant of the butchery next door, would be a meat entree or the special fish entree. Duh on my part. Overall, the menu introduced me to a lot of new flavors and ideas for our next dinner club. I've never tried toleme cheese, nor caper berries or panna cotta. So, I really applaud Taylor's Kitchen for having an interesting menu and a diverse wine menu.