COCKTAILING: Lounge on 20

Lounge on 20's Web site

Until today I usually had great things to say about this place. It has a modern, open warehouse turned swanky lounge feel. The decor is nice and the red lights, candles, white curtains, white leather chairs and ottomans contrasted with the dark furniture and accents makes for a great cocktail atmosphere. The small plates are good and the service is usually good too. The last time I went on a Saturday night they even had a DJ spinning decent music. They have a patio which considering the prime location makes for great people watching. It is a fine way to see and be seen. Having said that, I am so disappointed with the ownership/management. They do a great job with the place but fail miserably in customer relations. I had an out of town guest and took her to Lounge on 20 last week. We paid for our 2 drinks and left. Half a block away we were literally chased down by the hostess who asked if we paid for our drinks. I was flabbergasted and embarrassed. I called to complain to the owner who said he would get to the bottom of it and call me in 2 days. After almost 4 days went by with no response I went to see him in person. He offered an explanation about what happened and half heartedly apologized for not getting back to me sooner but said he was busy. What anybody with a good sense of business would have done is given a huge apology, let the customer know what was done about the situation and what they are doing to make sure it never happens again. A really good business person would go out of their way to tell me what they are going to do to make things right with me, a loyal PAYING customer. Lounge on 20 is a fine place to go but if they do something to screw up your experience they are not going to worry about you too much.

LUNCH: Phil's Fish Market: Moss Landing, CA

I know we don't blog about out of town places, normally, but Phil's Fish Market is easily one of the best fish markets around and easily accessible on vacations, such as to Monterey or Carmel. Phil took on Bobby Flay of the Food Network channel and won for the Cioppino cookoff. We highly recommend ordering one bowl of cioppino for two people.... It is enough for two. The east coast oysters on the half shell are another great option for appetizers. Don't sit in the "dining" area if possible; it reminds us of picnic benches in grade school. The bar is the best spot, and you sit next to the fish market and those lovely big chunks of tuna. Also, you can order Phil's online and have it shipped! Check it out!

DINNER: Ella Dining Room and Bar

Ella Dining Room and Bar's Web site

Recently, a prix fixe menu for Ella for April was emailed to us, so we thought we'd try it out. $25 Lunch and $35 dinner. Great prices, although the entrees are entrees from the lunch menu, which is ok, though, because if you break it down, you are definitely getting your moneys worth. As usual, the service and decor were excellent. The only downer- when we were seated no prix fixe menu was provided; we had to ask for it, which immediately had our waiter rushing us to pick our entrees and our wines ($20 wine pairings with each dish). He warmed up to us later, but still.... Don't advertise a prix fixe menu if you aren't going to be happy about honoring it! Not sure if they will have one next month, so go soon for the April menu (note- no substitutes and the small plate is their meatball plate (for you vegans)).

Dinner: Fat's Asian Bistro & Dim Sum Bar in Folsom

Fat's Bistro Web site

The hubby and I had a rare date night without our little one and after running a few errands, somehow stumbled upon eating at Fat's Asia Bistro & Dim Sum Bar in Folsom on Thursday night. Not surprisingly, it was packed. Overall, the service was pretty quick considering there were still people waiting to be seated when we left at the ripe hour of 8:00 pm. The decor is stunning, with its high ceilings and lush plants, but if I didn't have the menu in front of me stating the name of the place, I could have easily been sitting at P.F. Changs. We were starving so we decided to start with an appetizer sampler with calamari, veggie egg rolls, edemame and coconut shrimp skewers. I know! That really was a meal in itself! Everything was yummy, including the two dipping sauces. We didn't get very creative with our entrees, picking the standard sweet glazed prawns with walnuts and an asparagus and shrimp tempura dish. The husband and I both agreed that we liked the prawns, but they were very sweet and filling which over powered the rest of the meal. After just a few bites we had to call it quits! The shrimp tempura dish was good - a simple batter with sea salt and pepper that gave it some uniqueness. We also had a side of the veggie rice which was nice because it wasn't very oily and the veggies still had a crunch to them. Looking back, we should have switched out one of the heavier dishes with the ahi tuna and mango salad that I was eyeing. Next time I'm going with my gut! It would have brought some lightness to the meal. But, on the upside, we have some very yummy left-overs waiting for us at home. It's always better the second day, right?

DINNER: Center Court

Center Court's Web site

Out of town people are fascinated by this place. I don't blame them! It's a great sports memorabilia bar, being that Chris Weber, former Kings' player, owns it. The food is always so-so, but if there's a game on, it's a great place. A friend from out of town and I went there, and had chicken fajitas and the grilled chicken sandwich. Both were respectable; they serve crazy cocktail mixed drinks with odd basketball names; V liked hers. I always order Blue Moon there. Note- If you are not wild about the club scene, the place turns a little hoochy after 9:00 PM on weekends. Apparently, cashmere sweaters are out on these babes.

LUNCH: De Vere's Irish Pub

de Vere's Web site

As compared to prices at Frank Fat's, see below, we went to lunch at De Vere's and for a 2:00 PM "lunner" ended up spending $50 for 4 beers, a bowl of soup, fish and chips, and a straight 15% tip. Not the best value for your buck nowadays (for all you value shoppers), but the ambience, I guess, is the reason to go. It's lively, loud, 2 bars, lots of draught options, and hot men playing soccer on the tube. The fish and chips were just so-so (2nd time I've heard that), but the soup was, again, the best thing tried. If you go -- order the soup.

COCKTAILING: Frank Fat's

Frank Fat's Web site

I've reviewed before, but to sum downtown Frank Fat's happy hour: 1/2 off martinis, $1.95 beers, and 1/2 off appetizers. 3-6. We had 4 drinks and 3 appetizers for $40, which included a fat tip, since I was shocked at the crazy low bill. The dim sum, lettuce wraps, and salt and pepper calamari were all cooked well, and was enough for 2 of us for dinner. Note- you must sit at bar for happy hour prices.

DINNER CLUB RECAP: Sandra's Moroccan Shrimp

This last Wednesday I decided on a Mediterranean theme. The menu was smoky eggplant dip with crackers, Moroccan shrimp with couscous, grilled halloumi cheese and dessert was homemade berry scones with lemon curd and crème fraiche. So the dessert wasn't quite consistent with the theme. Nobody complained. The appetizer was surprisingly easy. I took one large eggplant and poked holes in it with a fork. I broiled it for 20 minutes turning it every 5 minutes. I admit the "smoky" part was because I put it on parchment paper. My smoke detector went off and I learned that parchment paper does not mix well with the extreme heat of the broiler. None of my co workers will find this surprising. After it cooled down I peeled the skin off and blended it in a food processer. Then I mixed it with about 8 ounces of crème fraiche (sour cream would work too) and the juice of a lemon. I seasoned it with salt and put it in the fridge to cool. The couscous was simple to make. Just buy a box and follow the instructions. For the main course put a pound of peeled, deveined shrimp in a bowl and added 2 tsp cumin, 1 tsp cinnamon, pepper and the juice of half a lemon. Set it aside. I chopped a yellow onion and cooked it in a large covered skillet over med/high heat with olive oil, salt and pepper until it was soft (5-7 minutes). I added a chopped red bell pepper and 3/4 cup golden raisins and cooked for 4 more minutes. Add one 28 ounce can of whole tomatoes drained and chopped and cook for 3 more minutes. Now drain the shrimp and add to the skillet stirring until the shrimp turn pink (about 3 minutes). I served the couscous and the shrimp with sliced halloumi cheese that I sprinkled with lemon and pepper and grilled in a skillet until one side was golden brown. This neat-o cheese does NOT melt. Crazy!! It was really salty but went well with the sweetness of the golden raisins and shrimp. The scones were just made from a simple recipe. They were a cinch.

LUNCH: The Counter - Custom Built Burgers

The Counter's Web site

Burgers ... everything a growing boy needs. My wife and I go to Whole Foods in Roseville every week because, oddly enough, the Whole Foods out there is a quicker trip for us (in Natomas) than the one on Arden. However, I don't mind going out to Roseville since right next to the Whole Foods is the newly minted The Counter (a.k.a. John's reward for chauffeuring his wife to Whole Foods). On the menu are burgers and...well, there may be other things on the menu, but who cares? The burgers are phenomenal, so why look at anything else? You can choose one of their tempting Signature Burgers, but why do that when you can exercise your creativity and adventurous streak and Build Your Own? The list of options is dizzying. You choose your meat, size and bread ... and then we get into the fun stuff. Want grilled pineapple, guacamole AND a fried egg on your burger? You got it (but that example sounds kinda gross, I only used it for emphasis). I've been to The Counter a few times and have settled on my favorite toppings: jalapenos, chilies, Dill pickles, fried onions and honey cured bacon. (Of course I don't put all of these on at the same time, it just depends on my mood.) Oh, and cheese, of course -- there are about 10 types from which to choose. Bernadette ordered the (boring) Counter Burger and wasn't crazy about the sun-dried tomato vinaigrette. Another time she ordered something with Gruyere cheese and carrots (weird) -- which she really enjoyed. Once, my sister Casey was on a diet and ordered a Chicken Burger -- which she ate but she was really drooling over our beef burgers. As for sides, I highly recommend the sweet potato fries. They have just the right amount of crunch to offset the juicy burger. And don't even think about dessert -- just order one of the shakes. They'll make them right there using a real milkshake machine. The only downside with The Counter is that it's always busy. (Even though there are several empty tables, they still tell us it'll be a 30-minute wait. Not sure why.) If there's only two of you, you can probably snag a seat at the counter -- which is the best place to sit. And, one more bit of advice: show up hungry.

DINNER: Cuvee Napa

Dinner at Cuvee in Napa was the close of a nice day of being shuttled around Napa in a limo and wine and tasting with my good friend Danielle, her mom and my new friends Maria and Lillian. Cuvee was dark and elegant but still casual. The front room is a cozy and plush lounge/bar area complete with a roaring fireplace. The lounge opens up into a large dining area that was buzzing and full of diners on a Saturday night. The service was ok and the food was pretty good. They started us with bread that was incredibly chewy. I don't know why nice restaurants often overlook the bread. I think a good bread basket is one sign of a truly good restaurant. Some of the girls ordered appetizers of light and buttery tempura asparagus with capers as well as squash ravioli. The ravioli was a slightly sweet, fluffy pillow stuffed with delicious butternut squash. It almost tasted like pastry to me. Next, the marinated beet and arugula salad was a generous heap of fresh baby arugula with minced beets, crumbled goat cheese, toasted hazelnuts and aged sherry vinaigrette. I really enjoyed it although minced beets do not make for the same presentation that sliced, brightly colored beets make. My main course was spring vegetable risotto with baby artichokes, leeks, spinach and pecorino. The rice was too tough and the dish was a touch oily. It was very cheesy though and I love cheese! For dessert I had churros and Mexican hot chocolate with a side of vanilla ice cream. The churros were good. You can't really screw up a churro. The hot chocolate however was not nearly as thick and sweet or spicy as a good Mexican hot chocolate should be. The ice cream was a dream. Although it was rock hard at first, it was dense, rich and creamy. I wish I knew where I could buy it! Overall the dinner was not a WOW experience but it was a pretty good one. The only reason I wouldn't return for dinner is that there are so many other great dining options in Napa to try.

LUNCH: de Vere's Pub

de Vere's Web site

My office has been so busy lately, so I decided to organize a unit lunch to boost morale. I wanted to try something new, so we went to De Vere's on L and 16th. As far as the food goes, we had a couple so-so's from my colleagues, and a big plus from me for the potato leek soup. Other meals tried were the chicken sandwich, cobb salad, fish and chips, and BLT with irish bacon. But, again- just average reviews. The soups are all made fresh, so I think my next trip may just be for soup, and of course, their own red ale. The place itself gets a plus- I can see myself going again, and describe it as a more polished Fox and Goose. I still love the goose, though, and Bonn Lair will forever be on the top of my list. Try De Vere's on St. Paddy's Day- the whole street will be closed off for them. Props to them for getting the city to sign off. Good addition, in general, to downtown. Food so-so. Beers- never bad.

DINNER CLUB RECAP: Asian Wraps and Noodles

After several weeks of gut wrenching illness in our household, we were finally ready to have the gang over for our dinner club. I started off with a shrimp cocktail and steamed edamame. Simple, but it seemed to be enjoyed. But shortly thereafter, the trouble began! I had planned on serving shrimp wrapped in rice paper along with a ramen noodle dish. Well, I had prepped the vermicelli noodles, sliced the cilantro, picked the mint, shredded the carrot and slivered the seedless cucumbers - all in preparation for the wraps. Just as I prepared the hot water to make the rice paper pliable, I made the cardinal mistake of putting ALL the wrappers into the hot water, rather than one by one! What was I thinking? Sigh. They could not be saved. So, I jumped in my car to pick up some more rice paper. None to be found at Raleys. OK, I thought, what could I use? I headed to the produce aisle and grabbed two heads of lettuce. 10 minutes later I was half way done with my lovely wraps! The ramen noodle dish consisted of noddles, bamboo shoots, baby corn, snow peas, water chestnuts and tofu. For the sauce, I chopped one chili pepper, ginger, peanut butter, soy sauce, rice vinegar and veggie broth in the food processor until smooth. I then tossed and served warm, along with a garish of fresh mint leaves, cilantro and dry roasted peanuts. Looking back, I think the lettuce wraps actually complimented the noodles more than the rice wraps would have. The lettuce gave some color and crunch to the plate, rather than the blandness that the rice paper would have given. I also included a small mango avocado salad on the side just for fun. Dessert was mint chocolate chip ice cream with whipped cream and these cigar chocolate cookies that were just delish! I think everyone had at least two, including little Claire who stayed up way past her bed time....

COCKTAILING: Frank Fat's

Frank Fat's Web site

Fantastic Honey Walnut Prawns, not such great other entrees. Happy hour - fantastic if you can get there from 3pm-6pm. Bartender - very sweet.

DINNER: Strings (Natomas)

String's Web site

OK. I promise to NOT go off, too much. Basically, we go to Strings occasionally, especially for the cheesy wine and the stuffed lasagna. Both of us were starving and tired tonight, so we decided to see what Strings had (natomas). We had a 2 for 1 coupon and thought, hey, let's use it. Why not? We got there and I specifically asked WHILE placing my coupon on the table, what entrees were not considered part of the 2 for 1 coupon. We ordered, getting one wrong order. Ray got some sort of lasagna but not the one we orderd. Anyhow, whatever. As our check was placed on the table 1/2 way through our meal, my hubby put the credit card down. The waiter was just as fast picking the card up and putting the bill down. So, after we questioned the full bill, he basically told us to "suck it" and that we didn't, in advance, tell them we were using the coupon (duh) and he could not reverse charges. Bull crap. What a loser. So, please, out of respect for me; do not patronize this place. We felt fully taken and disregarded. In this economy, can you really treat patrons this way? Guess you get what you pay for.

DINNER: Shanghai Garden

Shanghai Garden's Web site

For a low key take out dinner on a rainy Saturday night, we decided to order take out from our old fav in East Sacto, Shanghai Garden, located on Alhambra Blvd. Although we have enjoyed many, many meals from this joint, we have never eaten in, so I cannot comment on the staff or service (although they have never messed up our order or have been late in delivery). If you are looking for good Chinese food, you can't go wrong with Shanghai Garden. Every dish has been delish. This time, we ordered the hot and sour noodle soup that did not disappoint in the spicy department. We also had egg fried rice, which was fresh tasting and not overly oily. We rounded it off with Szechuan Spiced Shrimp that was wonderful. Little Claire even liked the shrimp with a kick! The dish was filled with shrimp, peanuts and fresh veggies. The one thing that was a little disappointing was that they did not give us an order of plain rice, which we usually got in the past. Not sure if they made their first mistake or if it was because we only ordered one main dish. In any event, they can expect to see us again when the mood for Chinese food strikes.

DINNER: Mulvaney's at the B&L

Mulvaney's Web site

Perfect. That summarizes Mulvaney's in one word. The decor is rustic but nice. The bathrooms are another story but you don't care about that do you? To start, we were presented with an amuse bouche of crostini topped with pistachio paste, citrus and a dot of brie with a ribbon of bleu cheese running through it. I spread the topping over my crostini before I ate it. Not everyone was a fan of the citrus but I loved it. It was a perfect flavor combo, salty, creamy yet clean from the citrus. Bread was served aside polished seashells filled with butter topped with crunchy brown Hawaiian sea salt naturally colored by clay. The bread was slightly disappointing, chewy and generic not rustic and fresh. The beet salad got thumbs up from Monica. It was a 3 beet salad dressed in oil over arugula, just how I like it. Rachel raved about the celery and potato soup. The scallops were devoured quickly. I tried someone else's fettuccini with seafood and bok choy or some such green. I thought it was ok, nothing more. My entrée however still has my mouth watering. Snapper over sticky rice and sautéed spinach in a shallow bowl of broth. I don't recall the specific ingredients but if I recall correctly the broth was tofu based (as in miso soup) with fish sauce. The dish included mushrooms, sautéed spinach and shredded carrots. It was delicate, well balanced, a tinge smoky and ever so slightly sweet. It was to die for!!! I do have to point out the rice was not true Thai sticky rice. All is forgiven since I don't think true sticky rice could have made the dish more perfect. Dessert was a Valrhona ding dong cake of chocolate mousse and ganache made to look like a hostess ding dong. We couldn't resist the port or a cheese plate. Delicious!!! The service was absolutely flawless. Our server was helpful, unassuming and explained the ingredients I was unfamiliar with without a hint of snootiness. The quiet but attentive servers were the utmost professionals, always present to fill a water glass and fold a napkin when someone got up. I love that they were always present when needed but you hardly noticed them and they certainly didn't make a fuss. I cannot wait to return to Mulvaney's.

DINNER: Aioli Bodega Espanola

Aioli Bodega Espanola's Web site

My friend Rachel had a birthday dinner for 12 at Aioli recently. Although it looks charming and cozy, the restaurant feels slightly cramped and very warm. Our server was a nice but somewhat brusque Frenchman. In assisting us with wine he immediately asked for a price range. Upon getting one he said "I'll take care of you" and disappeared without asking our preferences. He returned with a bottle that he poured and left with the empty bottle without telling us what the wine was. I was a bit put off but others appreciated his take charge attitude. I admit the wine he selected, a Guelbezu Azul 2005, was a crowd pleaser and even came in under the budget we gave. He was helpful in telling us how many tapas to order and stopping us when we had ordered enough. There were some odd choices the restaurant made like serving the cheese plate with 2 spoons and making ravioli with what appeared to be won ton wrappers. Read on for a food recap. The halibut with white wine and capers Rachel ordered was perfect. The patatas bravas on the other hand were not spicy or hot. The gambas (shrimp) were slightly overcooked. Herb and cheese stuffed ravioli in sage butter in my opinion had almost no filling or flavor. However, my friend Joni loved them and others seemed to like them too. The mussels in sherry sauce were a huge flop. The mussels had a horrible taste. My friend Bri and I agree on this completely. The house cheese filled bourek (pastry triangles) were doughy and delicious. The traditional tortillas tre colores were good but there were pieces of eggshell in the dish, a big no no. Salmon with lemon and capers was perfect, the chicken with mustard sauce was not a table favorite, the raw tuna served on spinach with tomato confit was blah. Chris devoured every bite of his rib eye giving it a thumbs up. For dessert, the birthday girl got an almond meal cake doused in fruit syrup. Many described it as tasting like froot loops cereal which I love by the way. I loved the texture of the almond meal and I tasted a hint of jasmine. At least I thought I did. Remember, I had a few glasses of wine by that point. Overall, this place has good date ambience but the food is hit or miss. In nice weather it has a small but gorgeous patio that has the perfect romantic date ambience.

COCKTAILING: Bridges on the River

Bridges on the River's Web site

I want to love Bridges on the River. I really do. I keep trying to give it chance after chance after chance. It's a family run neighborhood restaurant right on the river, and, during the summers, they have great outside seating with view and the occasional band. I just wish the food was more consistent, and wish the upstairs service was, as well. The bar, I thought, was nicer when it was smaller and cozier; now, with the remodel, it seems a bit open and cold. Nonetheless, if you go -- the owner told us he's starting to do nightly 2 for 1 specials; that may get us back in the door for dinner. What is always consistently good is the brie appetizer with roasted garlic and a sort of compote over bread toasts. Can't complain about the cocktails!

COCKTAILING: de Vere's

de Vere's Web site

Sandra was right, de Vere's has quite a mixed crowd. We were lucky enough to get a little table in the front section, the place was packed at 5:30 on Thursday. To my right was a table of four senior citizens finishing up an early supper, the men were drinking beer and the ladies were sipping Irish coffees -- adorable! To my left was a slew of men in suits. CUTE men in suits -- all you single ladies need to check out this place. Henry, one of the owners, stopped by our table and explained that nearly everything in de Vere's came from his family in Ireland. I was impressed with how far removed I felt from Sacramento's L & 16th locale; with no windows and the detailed decor, de Vere's whisked me back to the pub-laden trip I took to Ireland years ago. Debbie and Phyllis sampled and enthusiastically reviewed the Belfast Tini, the Irish Tini and the Shillelagh -- all whiskey-based drinks (a couple were served in martini glasses). I was not in an adventurous mood so I sipped the Edna Valley chard. We ordered the Fish & Chips to share, which I doused in the malt vinegar they keep on the table -- delish. By 7pm, a lot of the crowd had cleared out. It was by no means empty, but de Vere's is obviously popular with the post-work drink crowd. My only complaint is the lack of valet parking. But, if you work within walking distance of de Vere's (or parking issues don't faze you), check out this cheery new spot. de Vere's is a nice contrast to its uber-sleek upstairs neighbor, MiX, and a unique addition to the growing host of midtown restaurants.

DINNER: Mikuni (midtown)

Mikuni's Web site

After hitting hot spots de Vere's and MiX, the girls and I headed to good ol' Mikuni to finish off our night. This midtown restaurant is still popular despite the throng of hip, new eateries popping up around it. We ordered only a few rolls (gotta love that special sauce) because we already had a fair amount of apps. I've enjoyed every single thing I've ever ordered at Mikuni -- the hamachi, tuna steaks, all the nigiri -- it's all good. Every time I go to Mikuni, I order the sparkling sake (see photo), a refreshing alternative to wine or beer that goes very well with sushi. If you're ever there with a big group, you can't go wrong with the party platters -- quite a good bang for your buck (that's saying a lot for sushi). The service at Mikuni is great, and really quick. They're all about the sushi, not much fanfare. It's the ever-present crowd that gives this place a cool vibe -- without them the downstairs eating area would look more like a school cafeteria than a restaurant. It's pretty loud, so doesn't top the list for a romantic date (upstairs is a tad quieter), but it's always a fab choice for drinks, fun and (of course) sushi.

DINNER: La Fiesta Mexican

We have been going to this place for years now to satisfy our craving for authentic Mexican food. When you need a night to throw healthy out the window and relax with some chips, salsa and margarita's this place fits the bill. Located right on 65th street, this spot offers no-frills, friendly and quick service. They do have a small bar so if you are in the mood to watch a game with a plate of nachos it's doable here. Claire loves the decor and recently discovered the chicklet machine by the front door. I ALWAYS have the veggie burrito served "wet" and I devour it each time. Full of beans, Mexican rice, guac, and all the extras, it's a steal at only $5.99. Chris has been known to get the steak burrito or quesadilla and has usually been happy with the very generous portion. The menu is pretty big, with all the items that come to mind - enchiladas, combo plates, tacos, you get it. It seems to be a family run business, which is always nice to support in these hard times. So the next time you are in East Sacto and want to grub on some good Mexican, check out La Fiesta Mexican.

DINNER CLUB RECAP: Lisa's Dessert

Can I just say that I loved Lisa's idea to garnish Hostess Ding Dongs with fancy berry syrup, whipped cream and fruit? Creative, funny and yummy.

WINE: Old Sugar Mill and Bogle Vineyards, Clarksburg

Thanks to mom and dad visiting, I had a great excuse to excuse myself from work. Saturday was Ports and Chocolate weekend at Bogle Vineyards and the Old Sugar Mill in Clarksburg, CA. I won't make this too lengthy, but let's just say, we prefer less crowded weekends when we bring a picnic and don't have to deal with pushy people trying to get their 100th pour. Too many short obnoxious men taking up too much room and being overly domineering and loud. Do you really need to drape yourself over 5 feet of the entire tasting area and monopolize the vintner's attention when there are about 50 other people waiting? I think not. Typical jerks trying to get their free stuff. Seemed to be more about the "free" and not about the tasting of the wine. Bogle- still a favorite, mostly a reason to support local businesses; best wines- Phantom and Old Vine Zinfandel. Old Sugar Mill- great ambience, but Ray described the wine, at times, as vintner's dysentery. Carvalho- bad; immature wines. Solomon- disgusting; sugary water. Revolution- respectable Pinot Grigio, if just for the price. Heringer- the best petite syrah port we tasted on that particular day. Todd Taylor- this is probably the best winery in that complex/area. I think it's better than Bogle (sorry Bogle). It seems that their wines are more complex than the sugar water we drank at all the others. Their wines probably compete with Napa- I think most of their grapes are from Amador County and some regional Monterey areas. The Tempranillo, Primitivo, and "Clockspring" Zin are must tries. The best food we had that day- some random deli in between Bogle and the sugar mill on the main road.

Yogurtland

Yogurtland Web site

Why oh why do we not have a Yogurtland in Sacramento? It is a question I ask myself every time I'm in LA. I love frozen yogurt. Some might say I am addicted. I eat it almost every single day during the summer months. When I'm in Los Angeles where it is almost always summer, I stop into Yogurtland for the most delicious yogurt ever! Yesterday was one of those days. Yogurtland is one of those DIY places with a variety of yogurt choices and both dry toppings as well as wet toppings. They also have a variety of fresh fruit toppings that always look fresh. I go to the Hollywood location on Sunset Blvd. It is always clean and bright. My absolute favorite flavor is Taro. I have never seen Taro flavor in ice cream or yogurt before. I have seen green tea and Yogurtland has that too. But Taro is my fave! I add shredded coconut and mochi to mine. At only 30 cents per ounce this is a really cheap treat! For now if you are in Sacramento and you crave Yogurtland, you will have to go to the bay area to get it. They have a website with all of their locations. If you love yogurt, I would try this place!

COCKTAILING: Mix Downtown

Mix Downtown's Web site

I went to Mix on Thursday for happy hour. This place is undeniably sexy. It has a sleek, modern and sophisticated feel to it. It is a complete singles heaven. Sexy as it may be, it lacks a bit of substance in the staff. The first thing you notice is the dim, swanky atmosphere. The place is an interesting mixture of cold industrial and rich swank. It combines cold concrete, warm wooden accents, rich velvety textures, leather and stainless steel. When you walk in you immediately go upstairs toward a mirrored wall of candles. It opens up to a choice of the indoor lounge to your right or the open patio to the left. The large patio is perfect for summer nights but it does have heat lamps and fire pits for when it gets chilly. There is plenty of seating but also plenty of room to mingle. Next to it is one of the two bars. The bar is gray with brushed steel stools. There is a small alcove at one end of the bar with couches, a flat screen TV, a window overlooking L Street and velvety privacy curtains that can be drawn for privacy. The indoor lounge is set up so that along one wall is the bar, along the opposite wall is a series of three nooks with leather couches and privacy curtains that can be drawn for an intimate party. The large middle area is all velvet couches, chairs, tables and several oversized ottomans. Let's get to the food and drinks. Happy hour here is great. It goes from 4-7 and offers half price small plates and several drink specials. My friend Pam and I both tried wine after the bartender informed us he still had never made one of their specialty cocktails since they opened a week into January! I had the J Lohr Merlot and she had the Cupcake Sauvignon Blanc. Neither of us was impressed with our wine. We decided to order food. We had several questions for our server but although she was very cute and polite she didn't know anything about the dishes on the menu. We settled on the beet salad, ahi poke, macaroni and cheese and the cheese plate. The beet salad was fair. It was served with mache, crumbled cheese and walnuts. There wasn't anything outstanding about the salad but it wasn't bad at all. It had a bit of a kick which could have been clove. I thought I tasted wasabi at one point and looking at the menu I see now it was horseradish. We dug into the mac and cheese after that. It was short little tube pasta with cheese sauce and topped with an herbed breadcrumb topping. It was pretty good. Not spectacular but pretty darned tasty. It was not too rich or cheesy but it really hit the spot. The poke was next. This was my favorite dish. It was absolutely delicious except for a tiny, tiny tinge of fishiness. It was standard poke with soy dressing served with seaweed and accompanied by house made taro chips that were good but too oily. Finally the cheese plate. It came with 3 cheeses but our server couldn't tell us exactly what they were and she mixed up the order of mild to pungent. The first was a soft bleu, the second a hard cheese and the last a creamy mild cheese. They were all very good. They were served with dry figs, apricots, cherries, honey, bread and almonds. We drank three happy hour martinis each during our meal. The vodka was Skyy. For some reason I was charged $6.75 for mine instead of $6.50. I couldn't complain since our total bill (excluding the two wines) was only about $61! There were lots and lots of good looking professionals. This was a 30 and up crowd and a fairly attractive crowd too. I will definitely be going back for many more happy hours.

DINNER CLUB RECAP: Meringue Dessert

I was so proud of the meringue I made for Dinner Club that I posted a picture of it on Facebook. I think I received about 20 requests for the recipe. I have to say that I am now a huge fan of this egg white dessert and I don't know why it's not more prevalent -- in restaurants or in home cooking. It's a cinch to make and it's less fattening than cake or pie. (OK, meringue isn't as satisfying as cake or pie since it's lighter and healthier, but it's still a worthy dessert.) This meringue was inspired by Jamie Oliver's cooking show, but since I didn't really follow the recipe, I don't think I'm violating any copyrights by posting it here: Preheat the oven to 300F. Beat SIX EGG WHITES until stiff peaks form. Add one and 1/4 cup SUGAR, and a pinch of SALT to the whites. Beat until sugar is dissolved (not grainy when you rub mixture between your fingers). Grate the zest of an ORANGE into the whites and mix it up. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Heap the mixture onto the sheet into whatever shape you want (to fit your dessert platter) -- just make sure it's two to three inches in height. Make lots of peaks and valley on the top with a spatula. Bake for one hour and 25 minutes. After it cools, you can add whatever toppings you want. I drizzled on melted DARK CHOCOLATE, vanilla cream (whip together 1 pint CREAM, 1 tblsp. POWDERED SUGAR, 1 tblsp. VANILLA), BERRIES that I soaked in Gran Marnier, and toasted HAZELNUTS. Serves 8.

DINNER: Woody's Grill & Bar

Woody's Grill & Bar Web site

Now I know what you are thinking... Woody's? Really? Well not all dinners have to be filled with fruity cocktails and fancy apps. The family was running errands and Claire was reaching her breaking point unless she was able to have a hog dog soon. Well, we were on Watt Avenue, so Woody's fit the bill. I have to say, I wasn't expecting very much of this place but was pleasantly surprised (don't get too excited, though). It had a large bar area with flat screens viewable from your table --- a plus since NCAA basketball is in full force. Claire liked the island themed decorations and that kept her entertained until her precious dog arrived. Woody's menu is what you would expect, burgers, dogs, salads, fish tacos... you get it. Chris was able to choose between two hefferveisens. Claire had apple juice with unlimited refills (always a plus). Chris was in the mood for a burger and had a nice selection to choose from --- he said the onion mushroom burger hit the spot, which came along with endless steak fries which everyone (me) enjoyed. Claire had a corn dog from the kids menu which also came with fries. For me, on the other hand, it was a bit more tricky. Being a pescotarian, I figured I would have one or two options at most. A had the taco salad with shrimp --- it was HUGE! Topped with gauc, olives, beans, tomatoes, salsa: in the biggest taco shell I'd seen in a while. They did have a yummy veggie burger option that I'd probably get next time. One warning: Do not eat here if attempting to diet. I usually try to eat healthy and this place did not have any options to fit that need. I would estimate that even my taco "salad" had a good 1000 calories in it. I guess it's all about portion control, right? We walked out with a $30 bill - and gave our server a generous tip because he was caring and attentive to Claire, which isn't something I always see a family-friendly joints.

COCKTAILING: L Wine Lounge

L Wine Lounge Web site

It was a romantic Saturday: after doing our taxes and squeezing in a game of racquetball, we saw "He's Just Not That Into You" and then had drinks and appetizers at L Wine Lounge. I've always had a nice time at this place. There's usually a place to sit (important in my book) at the bar or in the "lounge" area. L has a cool, modern atmosphere -- perfect for many occasions, like laughing it up with a group or having an intimate conversation with your spouse. I had the Sparkler flight -- three generous tastes of sparkling wine. John had a Malbec from a Yolo vineyard, which was quite tasty. We ordered several appetizers: a pizzetta (pretty good -- but how can you mess up bread and cheese?), meatballs (John loved them, I liked them) and the white anchovy plate (delish!). Later on, I ordered a glass of red, I think it was the Barbera, which was wonderful. John, too, had another glass of red (can't remember which) and liked it. (Yeah, I know. We need to start writing these down since our memory fails us once we get to drink number two.) We drank those with a round of bread that comes with a yummy crumbly spice dipping mixture (I tasted coriander, wish I knew what else was in there). By the time we left, we were full enough to call our happy hour a dinner. I've started to favor drinks and apps at wine bars instead of structured dinners at restaurants -- it not only costs less, but I don't get overly full and come home with leftovers that I never eat. L Wine Lounge has consistently offered up tasty food, great wine and attentive service. I've heard others disagree (post your comments below!), but L Wine Lounge gets a big thumbs up from me.

LUNCH: Grange Restaurant

Grange Restaurnant's Web site

I was excited to try this nice new place but I have to admit I was disappointed. I work downtown so I was just a short walk away. I had pretty high expectations for Grange. It started well. The Citizen building is old and gorgeous and the space Grange occupies is also very well done. Our bread was rustic and fresh and served with an amazing herbes de Provence spread. Our appetizer was marinated olives served with flatbread drizzled with olive oil and topped with goat cheese. It was fine. The flatbread was grilled but looked soggy from the oil. I ordered the lunch special of a salad and fish tacos. I settled on the watercress and frisee salad with Point Reyes blue cheese and roasted pears. It looked a bit sad. I couldn't taste even a hint of the walnut vinaigrette, I had to search for the tiny crumbles of cheese, and the pears were flavorless. I ordered the overpriced Rosemary cocktail. I couldn't taste the rosemary at all but pieces of it kept floating into my mouth with each sip. My fish tacos on the other hand were outstanding, if a bit spicy. The fish was lightly fried and topped with cabbage and fresh green salsa. The beans that accompanied them were not bad. I also tried my friend's mushroom risotto. I am usually very disappointed when I order risotto in restaurants but this one was very good. It was earthy, flavorful, mushroomy and had a great consistency. My other friend ordered the Petrale Sole with French fries that he really enjoyed. I indulged in dessert for the sake of our readers. ;) The pudding cake was very good. In my eagerness to get to the best part of the meal I neglected to note the type of sauce it came with. I can tell you that it was a tasty liqueur sauce with candied fruit. And I'll even admit that I ate every last bite of it. Overall, for the hefty price (around $50 total for my lunch with tax and tip) I expected much better food.

COCKTAILING: de Vere's Irish Pub

de Vere's Web site

I checked this brand new place out after work and as soon as I walked in I felt overwhelmed. It was about 6:15 on a Thursday and the place was packed to the rafters. I know it is the newest downtown spot but it caught me off guard for pub atmosphere. It is a very large space with bar and small table seating. It has two sections front and back that are equally pub like but for some reason that I couldn't quite put my finger on, the feel is distinctly "upscale." I found a spot belly up to the bar and ordered a de Vere's Irish Red Ale. It was very good. For my next, I wanted to try a beer I never had. I saw two on the list I had never tried. Unfortunately for me they were out. Really, on a Thursday night?! I decided on the de Vere's Irish Lager and I liked it even better than the red ale. It was light, clean and delicious. For food my friend and I settled on the broccoli cheese soup and the chips with Dublin dipping sauces. My soup was very good. It wasn't heavy or creamy like I thought it would be and it had lots of fresh broccoli pieces in it. The chips however disappointed. They were steak cut fries and instead of dipping sauces we got something I can only describe as gravy butter dip. It was pretty awful. The bartenders were friendly and the older suits at the bar next to my friend and me were even friendlier. It was quite a mixed crowd but after work it was heavy on the older professional crowd. Unfortunately they don't offer any sort of happy hour. That is a big minus for this place considering its location. My friend Pam described de Vere's as the place that the Streets of London crowds go when they've grown up and got real jobs. Well put.