LUNCH: 58 Degrees & Holding

58 Degrees & Holding's Web site

Every now and then, Suzanne and I hit up 58 Degrees & Holding for a weekday lunch. It's a hidden gem for the lunchtime crowd. Rarely is there more than a couple other patrons -- making for a cozy, private experience with attentive service. You can have a long, leisurely meal without worrying about them needing to turn the table, or you can request fast service if you're in a rush. 58 is one of my favorite places, but it is typically too packed for happy hour (I just can't enjoy a fancy glass of wine and apps while standing and looking around for a table to open up) and dinner. Small plate sampling is my favorite way of eating, and that's 58's specialty. The trio of bruschetta provides a variety of tasty options and the charcuterie and cheese plate selections are equally as scrumptious. I've never had a plate at 58 that I didn't demolish -- the inspired salads offer lovely flavor combinations and the entrees are always perfectly seasoned and delicious. And I will give any place snaps for offering half glasses of wine, as I like to sample beverages as much as I do food. Check it out for your next midtown lunch!

Lounge on 20

Lounge on 20's Web site

Lovely lovely lovely compared to my last post on Jamie's. What can I say? Totally different caliber of cuisine. The wine we ordered was out due to a Sac Foodie event that packed the place up; we weren't thrilled with our replacement option. I think the waitress could tell we were disappointed, so all of a sudden the wine sommelier showed up. He recommended another Pinot Noir that turned out the be excellent. Kudos on the part of the restaurant to try to make up for a snafu. We ordered small plates: dates wrapped in bacon, the beet salad, the yellowtail carpaccio, and the beef sliders. All very tasty- LOVED the dates. A bit pricey, but a very fun evening with my fella!

COCKTAILING: Frank Fat's

Frank Fat's Web site

RIP OFF! M-F are 1/2 off ALL martini specials at the bar at Fat's. I've gone several times. This past time the bar was packed and we asked if we could go ahead and sit at a table and still get the 1/2 off specials. They said yes. We sat down. After 6 very weak special martinis, we were charged $48 instead of $24. Unfortunately or fortunately, someone else had already picked up the tab for us by that time, but either way. We got ripped. There was firm agreement by many at the bar that the male evening bartender is quite the jerk (unless he knows you and you drop fat lobbyist cash). I will not go back anytime soon.... Be forewarned.

DINNER: Plan B

Plan B's Web site

After a long awaited date night, we finally booked a sitter for Saturday night to make it happen. Chris picked the spot - a hip little french joint just around the corner from our house called Plan B. This place was AMAZING. From the decor to the service to the food - 5 stars all the way (even when the guy who was a few scotches in knocked over our almost empty bottle of wine while walking to his table on to my almost finished fish plate special - within seconds two servers cleared my plate and brought me an almost full portion of the special!) It was such a wonderful dinner I almost can’t even remember what we ate. Oh yes, after ordering cocktails (margarita and a champagne split) we started with the butter salad with walnuts, Roquefort and sun-dried cherries. This was simple and delish. Our waiter (who was 100% french, accent and all) was excellent with suggestions. Knowing that this place was famous for their mussels, we asked which dish was the best as they offered six different mussel plates. He recommended the nantaise (butter, shallots, and creme fraiche) without hesitation. This was wonderful - I could have drank the sauce alone. The mussels were fresh tasting and not fishy. The dish also was the perfect size, plenty for two, even three people. The dish was accompanied by pommes frites which were seasoned with oregano. No need for catchup with all this yummyness going around. I ordered the fish special. Honestly, I cannot even recall the two types of fish — they were two that I had never heard of before – but we aren’t talking our standard salmon, halibut or ahi tuna here. So light and with a texture that I would have never thought of. Again our waiter highly suggested this special (and I usually go for the fish special, anyway) and being he was so right on with his other suggestions how could I refuse. Chris had the lambchops which he said were to die for. I took several fork-fulls of his side of ratatouille and thought it was excellent. Our waiter also made an excellent wine selection - a pinot noir from the Alexander valley. We didn’t grab dessert because we were off to catch a movie. This place is a neighborhood gem and I really hope it sticks around. It’s got that kind of downtown trendish feel, so you can get all glammed up if you choose to, but since its nestled between the neighborhoods of Arden Park and Willhaggin, it doesn’t have that crazy pick-me-up clientele. We both decided that we would be coming back, both for dinner and/or also for a night cap on the way home. These guys know their wine and food. Now go and enjoy! Go!

COCKTAILING: Mix

Mix's Web site

I did swear to not go back here after my last experience, but I didn't want to miss out my girlfriends' rendezvous last night. I have to say that Mix really is a nice place to go for drinks after work ("nice" refers to the place -- not the drinks). The service was so much better this time. Both the outside and inside bar areas are well-decorated and ideal for enjoying drinks. So, why do the drinks at Mix suck? I ordered wine this time since I have been disappointed with every cocktail I've ever had at Mix. The pinot grigio happy hour special was ... icky. I guess I can't complain, it was only $5. Why does this place have awful wine AND sugary cocktails? I could answer that by saying that they perhaps cater to a low-income, 21-year-old crowd. But if you look around, there's many successful-looking folks in their 20s, 30s and 40s -- so I just don't know. Anyway, Mix is no longer a spot of contention for me, I'll certainly return if my friends choose it as a destination. But next time, I'll flip past the first page of happy hour specials and the corny cocktail menu to find a decent glass of wine ... and cross my fingers.

COCKTAILING: Fox and Goose

Fox and Goose's Web site

Holy moly, Sandra! Chimay on tap!

DINNER: Pearl on the River

I have to say that Katie's last review of the sliders at "Pearl" per Sandra's post was pretty accurate. When they opened, we had tried the sliders and they were perfect. Katie had mentioned to us that they were a little dry, but ok. I just reordered them a couple nights ago, and they were dry!! I also had the beet salad again and found the lack of beets disappointing; it was more of an arugula/watercress salad than anything. When you're a beet freak, like I am, you expect more than just a couple chunks. On that note, Ray's chicken entree was delicious. The service is still friendly, and the patio view is very nice. We will go back again, but will keep trying different things. The Tangerine Wheat beer, though, is our favorite.

LUNCH: De Vere's Irish Pub

Again, the food was "eh," the beers fantastic. Soccer on the tube- great! Lots of space- great! Best thing on the menu besides beverages- the soups made daily.

Drinks & Dinner: Tokyo Fro's Rockin' Sushi

With so many new and trendy places popping up all over town, the hubby and I have learned that we are creatures of habit. Located next to another old fav, Bandaras, Tokyo Fro's has once again not disappointed. This time, we decided to hit the sushi bar without the kiddo, although Tokyo Fro's is quite kid friendly. We went on Friday night and it was pretty packed due to their amazing 1/2 off happy hour. We usually sit a table when the little one is with us, so we switched it up a bit by sitting at the sushi bar. I think one of the reasons why we always go here for sushi is because of their fresh fish - it never seems like it has been sitting around and it doesn't have that funky fish smell --- something not appealing in fish, especially sushi. We shared the tuna poke appetizer, which was served in a martini glass and generously enough for two. We moved on to three different roles, the Captain "save-a-fro" (spicy tuna with lots of extras), The Coach T Finger (tempura prawns with lots of extras), and the Peeta Roll (all veggies with special sauce). Like most sushi places these days, Tokyo's has lists and lists of rolls with crazy names that are loaded with several types of fish, veggies, sauces, and beyond. Heck, they even have rolls with meat in them these days. We even capped it off with some citrus sake. So, the next time you are in the mood for sushi but are a little too scared to try the new hole in the wall down the street, check out Toyko Fro's instead.

COCKTAILING: Morton's

Morton's Web site

I never went to the Morton's at its old location, but a lot of my coworkers like their happy hour and a lot of the bar fare appetizers. We decided to give it a try before Concert in the Park, since a bunch of us were headed over to watch a coworker's boyfriend's band play. I was quite impressed. They have a great patio, but also a nice lounge area. They list their happy hour specials, so if you are looking for the cheaper drinks go with that. I recall my Finlandia vodka being $7 and Wray's Stella being about $6.50. So, the drinks aren't super cheap, BUT the apps were $5 a piece. Yes, let me repeat that! $5! The table had sliders and roast beef sandwiches, but I did see crab cakes and an endive leave "type" app for the pescatarians. I think the waitress may have been annoyed at us for moving the tables, but she got over it and was friendly afterwards when more people showed up. Going to the ladies room I checked out the dining room and know I'll be back. They had the entrees laid out very tastefully by the chef's area, and it wasn't creepy the way it is at Chops (the meat being in the locker areas). You could tell the quality of meat was high, and I can't wait to hit the dining room next time! Ray- bring your checkbook!

COCKTAILING: Tre

Tre's Web site

My curiosity got the best of me. I don't like to patronize businesses that don't appreciate their customers and after reading many atrocious reviews on Yelp I decided I should not go to Tre. However, I am always on the hunt for new happy hours to go to and Tre has one that goes from 5 until 7. I caved and decided to check it out. It is in an odd location. It is in the old El Torito in the shopping center on Howe Ave. that has the Old Navy, Marshalls, Ross and several other stores. How can a restaurant/club in a large strip mall be snooty I wondered? Luckily I did not get any attitude. From what I read they save that for the people trying to get into their nightclub that has apparently become popular. My happy hour server was very friendly and helpful. I arrived around 5:30 and the place was totally dead. For happy hour they serve well drinks as well as select wine and draught beers for $3.33. The happy hour wine was Bogle Chardonnay or Syrah. The happy hour beers were Blue Moon, Coors Light, Fat Tire and Rubicon IPA. They have a short menu of small plates for $3.33. On the menu were Kobe sliders, Asian guacamole, hummus, French fries, tacos and a milkshake. I tried the Asian guac. It wasn't good. It tasted like a pre-made guacamole mix. I don't eat most meat or poultry so I didn't try the Kobe sliders. I hear they are amazing though. The interior is mostly nice although I could still see remnants of the El Torito. The dance floor was a totally unimpressive white rectangular room with a wooden floor. The scotch bar was done in dark wood with red accents. The VIP areas were nice and loungey. The wine room was nicely done too. The patios however were totally bare and horrendous. One has a view of the traffic on Howe and the other has a view of the strip mall parking lot. They could at least put up screens, curtains or put some nice plants out there. I might be back to try their Tuesday night seafood happy hour.

DINNER: Dragonfly

Dragonfly's Web site

After securing a babysitter for a long-waited and much-needed date night, we decided to wing it and make our final dinner choice selection once we hopped in the car on Sat night. We discussed tapas or Asian or sushi.... which led me to thinking about Dragon Fly on Capitol. It was second Saturday and we were already half way there, so we figured we check it out and if it was swamped we would try some place else. After the parking Gods smiled down on us with the perfect spot in front of Dragon Fly, we saw that there was still a table or two available on the patio. Why? Zocolo’s and Paesano’s were SWAMPED. Hmmm. Well, I had eaten there long before and recalled liking it and we were there, so why not check it out. We started with some mohito’s that hit the spot. Not mind-blowing delish, but not bad, either. Neither of us wanted full blown meals and Dragon Fly is a great spot to share dishes. We started with a tempura tofu dish that was topped with steamed spinach and mushrooms. It was light and cooked perfectly, not wet and soggy. We then got the ahi tuna blossom - very simple dish of Ahi tuna slices and avocado which tasted fresh and had non-fishy flavor. We rounded it out with two of their veggie sushi rolls – for some reason we are finding that we like veggie sushi rolls rather then the ones with the raw fish these days! Ah well. These were similar in taste with asparagus, cucumber, mushrooms and the like, but their unique sauces definitely made them different. We finished the evening off with a big piece of simple plain cheesecake. This was the perfect spot to people watch on Second Saturday. The down side to Dragon Fly, which is known to all, is that it was slow, just like the internet reviews had promised. There was only one person working outside, but since we weren’t in a hurry and it was a beautiful night we were fine with it. I hope that Dragon Fly stays around. After 7:30 there wasn’t an open table, but it still didn’t have the crazy lines like Zocolo’s and others around the area. Go check it out!

COCKTAILING: Mix Downtown

Mix Downtown's Web site

The last time I went to Mix, I had only positive things to say -- we sat at the bar, had decent wine and a great bartender. After my more recent visit, I doubt I'll go back again. John and I were craving margaritas, so we initially went to Zocalo. But it was packed and I really wanted to sit down (I was wearing killer heels). So we ended up at Mix. Their menu listed two margaritas. Being the purist that I am, I asked which was closer to a classic margarita since I didn't want any sugary flavorings. The server didn't really know (?!) so I ordered a standard margarita with Patron Tequila. About 30 minutes later, our appetizers came, but still no drinks. We finished most of our apps (those kobe sliders are yummy!) before our drinks finally came. I eagerly sipped my margarita ... it tasted terrible. I asked what the Patron was mixed with -- Grand Mariner? Cointreau? She said she wasn't sure but it was some sort of mix. Seriously. A wannabe hot spot in Sacramento used a mix in place of a real cocktail? With Patron? Even though I was surprised and highly disappointed, I didn't send it back for fear I'd have to wait another hour for a replacement. I slurped it down and certainly needed another drink. Nearly half an hour later, I sent John to the bar since we hadn't seen our server. He came back with some cocktails straight from their menu (figured that was safer than ordering off-menu again). Those drinks weren't very good. In fairness, we're not really into the flavored trendy drinks so it's not shocking we didn't like them. By this time, we were ready to leave. We asked for our bill. It didn't come. Twenty minutes later, we asked someone else to find our server because we really wanted to go. Ten minutes after that, John went to the bar to ask for our check. They ran his credit card and said they'd bring it to our table. They didn't. We were about to go back to the bar to ask for it when finally someone came over with what we thought was our bill -- yes! We could finally get out of there! Oops. It was actually some guy telling us our table was reserved for later in the evening and we couldn't stay much longer. I almost lost it, but decided to be polite since this guy hadn't been a party to the substandard service we had already received. I said, "Yes, we've been trying to leave for the past hour but they are having trouble with our bill. Could you help us get out of here by speeding up the process?" He said, "Oh, don't worry. We don't need your table for another hour." Bottom line: Mix has a fabulous, fun atmosphere but the drink menu caters to an unsophisticated palate. Wait staff is friendly, but easily confused. If you speak slowly and repeat yourself often, you might fare OK.

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.

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.

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.

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!