LUNCH: Il Fornaio Cucina Italiana

Il Fornaio's Web site

A couple of us at work held a small private retirement lunch for a group of 12 at Il Fornaio the other day, and I would highly recommend for such functions. I've been to a rehearsal dinner there (my own), a wedding reception, and a bachelorette preparty-dinner, and every time they've done really well at accomodating our needs. Also a plus: they do not charge extra for the smaller private rooms, unlike Ella, which we had looked into first. We all, I think, had respectable lunches, although it sounded like most would try something different the next time. Lots of panini and salad orders (tonno and salmon); canneloni; risotto; turtei (lobster ravioli); and one special, the piatto smera, which had the rave review out of all the entrees (scallops, prawns, and calamari, over a toasted piece of french bread and a canneloni type bean). The favored dessert: tiramisu. I recommend for large groups, and their happy hour (free apps).

DINNER: Pearl on the River

Pearl on the River's Web site

Our first impression was good. We had a small plate dinner consisting of the beet salad, sliders, clams with chorizo, and polenta-mushroom tart. Coffee and bread pudding for dessert. Overall this place is a HUGE improvement over prior establishment The Blue Gecko (aka the Denny's-like-place called The Blue Gecko). Physically, the location is nice, great views of the river and the establishment is clean and modern with a comfortable feel. The food was all prepared well and tasty, although there did seem to be a bit of sand? in the clams. Never a good texture to have with any seafood. The sliders were prepared perfect and very tasty and juicy. The polenta-mushroom tart was also good, but not stellar. And, except for the sliders, I was glad to be sharing each of these plates. Our second experience was with Sandy, and I'm sure her post will be up soon, but the food was not as good as our first experience. We shared the recommended "outstanding calamari appetizer." It is the traditional fried calamari but in a spicy tomato sauce. It is not crunchy, but I don't think it is supposed to be. I enjoyed it, but again was glad to be sharing with others. I also shared a butter lettuce, blue cheese vinaigrette, with blue cheese crumbles salad. There were no blue cheese crumbles, and the description was much better than the actual salad, although still tasty. My entree was the "Spicy Fettuccine and Prawns". The prawns were very tasty, the fettuccine was nice (not spicy), but it was not great, not something I would remember as worth ordering anytime soon, especially with other options on the menu that I thought sounded worthwhile, like the "Espresso & Cocoa Pork Chop" or the "Niman Ranch Kobe Sirloin". I did have a bite of a special lamb chop which I would say was very, very good. I shoulda got that one. They do have a good tangerine beer that is worth a try. Despite my criticisms, It is a new restaurant that is still working out its kinks, and given the other options (Chevy's, Crawdads, Virgin Sturgeon, or Bridges on the River) it is still a good pick for the area.

DINNER CLUB RECAP

Our recent Dinner Clubs have leaned toward the more healthy persuasion. I had to get us back on track with this Foccacia-Basa Sandwich, sweet potato fries, and chocolate brownie & port offering. There was a light broccoli salad with fresh walnuts and dried cherries to put something green on the table and throw off the veggie-lovers, but this dinner was all about the sandwich. Basa is a white, flakey, very mild flavored fish that, although called a "vietamese catfish", has a clean un-catfish-taste. It cooks easily and was served on a toasted foccacia bread with red onions, shreadded cabbage, pepper jack cheese, tarter sauce, capers, and a thin slice of tomato. The Broccoli salad had a mayonnaise, sugar, and white wine sauce with crushed fresh walnuts, dried cherries and crumbled bacon for the porkavours. The table shared a few bowls of sweet potato fries, pickle spears and several bottles of wine which helps out all my Dinner Clubs. The Nugget had fresh Basa and all other needed amenities for this DC.

DINNER: Dragonfly (take two)

Dragonfly's Web site

I sit up at night concerned about empty restaurants. Dragonfly is the source of my latest dose of insomnia. The restaurants around it (Zocalo, Paesano's) are always packed, but Dragonfly rarely has more than a smattering of occupied tables. If it weren't for Leslie's recent review, we probably wouldn't have tried it again. It was about 7pm on a Thursday, and -- sure enough -- Dragonfly was deserted except for two other tables: a family with three little kids sitting outside and a dour-looking couple sitting inside. We sat outside, next to Zocalo's packed patio, where the sounds of the busy restaurant next door wafted over to punctuate the utter stillness of our near-empty patio. I guess this would be great place to bring kids, or perhaps a very mean dog, since there are rarely any other patrons for them to disturb/maul. Right away after sitting down, a negative: I am (ahem) a touch under six foot, but the tables were too high for the chairs, so we felt like little kids. We ordered a couple of their delicious (and strong) mojitos. Mine was mango, which was a tad sweeter than Bernadette's classic mojito. For food, we liked the Dragonfly roll (very good), the bbq albacore tuna (tasty, but unexpectedly spicy) and the short ribs (highly recommended). I personally didn't care for the the Thai Chicken noodles -- it was basically salty chicken nestled in saltier, bland noodles. We had two bites of that and left the rest. On balance, the food is fine, and the service is good, but I still feel strange eating in an almost empty restaurant. Dragonfly needs to distinguish itself. Fast.

DESSERT: Yogurtagogo

Yogurtagogo's Web site

After we finished up at Dragonfly, we walked to Yogurtagogo for dessert. It's a cute, tidy, tiny spot on the corner of L and 18th. Nothing special, but a nice option on the block. It's one of those self-serve places that sell by weight whatever concoction you put in your bowl. After going through some free samples, we shared a bowl with chocolate and tarte yogurt flavors, topped with cookie crumbs and chocolate sprinkles. It was pretty good. Their signage and web site promotes Yogurtagogo as a healthy option, so I checked out their nutritional info online. While it's true that yogurt is good for you, most frozen yogurt places -- including Yogurtagogo -- offer yogurt with much more sugar than "regular" yogurt. So, if you're in the mood for a quick dessert and want an ice cream subsitute, give Yogurtagogo a try.

DINNER: 58 Degrees

58 Degree's Web site

I went to 58 Degrees for some wine and a bite to eat. After ordering a trio of tastings of wonderful red wines (Mc Crea Syrah, Macchia Zin and Peter Franus Zin) I got hungry. I was thinking I would indulge in their delicious mac and cheese but I decided to try their Daily 20 menu instead. It is a three course meal for you guessed it, $20. You choose from at least two options for each course. I settled on the trio of bruschetta to start, the mushroom lasagna for my main course and the Grand Marnier crème brulee for dessert. For my trio of bruschetta I chose the fig compote with blue cheese and pecans, the country artichoke pesto and the grilled eggplant with roasted garlic and goat cheese. I got two slices of each type of bruschetta. The fig compote was almost dessert like. The other two were good but the eggplant was a bit on the bland side. The lasagna was wonderful. It was a whimsical square creation of four types of mushrooms and miso cream sauce between layers of wavy won ton crisps resembling lasagna noodles. It was the perfect size, not to small and definitely not too large. It was very tasty. The crème brulee was crème brulee, delicious. You really can't screw it up. I was surprised by how large the dessert was. I love sweets and I didn't even finish it. For $20 this is a nice meal if you are ok with smaller portions and ok with eating in a wine bar.

DINNER CLUB RECAP: Zucchini, Tomatoes, Anchovies and more!

I was happy with the grilled zucchini I made for dinner club. And with the roasted tomatoes. The lentil salad with baked sweet potatoes wasn't great. But the white anchovy bruschetta app was a hit. ZUCCHINI SIDE DISH: I sliced the zucchini into thin planks, tossed with olive oil and grilled each side on medium heat -- to lightly sweat them out. Then I cranked up the heat to give each side some lovely grill marks. I tossed the slices in a tasty dressing: olive oil, red chili, red wine vinegar and lots of shredded mint leaves. SLOW-ROASTED TOMATO SALAD: I halved vine-ripened tomatoes, tossed in olive oil and roasted them in the oven for three hours on 275F. I served them with torn chunks of fresh mozzarella, olive oil and dash of balsamic on the plate. APPETIZER: I found white anchovy fillets at Whole Foods and threw those on some country bread that I grilled and rubbed with garlic. DESSERT: For dessert, I made individual lemon cakes with a lemon zest and sugar crust, and then dripped them with basil syrup -- found the recipe on Epicurious.com. NEWS: At this dinner club, we decided to hit up one unsuspecting restaurant all at once -- so, Sac DC is planning a group outing in June or July ... stay tuned!

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 CLUB RECAP: Pasta and stuffed artichokes

Last week I decided to make healthy pesto pasta. I used whole wheat rotelle pasta. I made the pesto differently than normal basil and pine nut pesto. For my pesto I used spinach and arugula with walnuts. You don't need the arugula if you are not a fan of the flavor. You can also substitute the walnuts for almonds if you prefer. Add salt, pepper, EVOO, garlic, red pepper flakes or a whole jalapeno for kick and 2 cups of grated hard Italian cheese. Blend up in a food processer and you have pasta sauce. I also made stuffed artichokes. I chopped off the tops and bottoms of my artichokes and boiled them in water with lemon for 30 minutes. After they cooled I pulled the leaves apart enough that I could pull out the center leaves. I then used a spoon to hollow out the hairy part of the core in the bottom. I filled them with a mixture of lots of chopped garlic, gorgonzola cheese, pepper and fresh chopped herbs (whatever you like). When you mix the ingredients it works best if the cheese is not too cold. Add a little milk or cream to loosen the mix and allow the ingredients to mix together but don't add too much. You don't want it too wet or loose. It should be thick and crumbly and pasty. Top each artichoke with store bought breadcrumb topping with fresh copped herbs for color. Drizzle with EVOO and bake at 400 degrees for 20-25 minutes.

For dessert I served fresh cut fruit drizzled with honey.

DINNER: The Grange

The Grange's Web site

When it first opened, we weren't in a hurry to check out The Grange because we heard the service was a little iffy. Now that it's been open for six months (and we needed a hot spot to eat before the Chelsea Handler show), we decided to give it go. It was worth the wait. The service, food and atmosphere at The Grange was top-notch. The hostess offered to bring us umbrellas after overhearing we left ours in the car (we valeted at the restaurant and were going to walk to and from the show). Our server was friendly, attentive and knowledgeable. The restaurant has an urban feeling: huge windows line two walls which provide a no holds barred view of 9th and J Streets. The woody decor was a nice touch (I liked that they didn't use tablecloths, gave a warmer feeling). The chef puts great emphasis on obtaining mostly local food from sources that use environmentally sustainable practices. Whether or not that's important to you: the food is delicious. Because John ordered a killer cab, I selected the hangar steak. It was cooked perfectly and had a delightfully smoky flavor. John ordered the ribeye (because they took their ballyhooed short ribs off the spring menu), which I liked even better than my steak. I wasn't crazy about the sundried tomatoes that came with my arugula salad (the greens needed something sweet and those tomatoes didn't help, they were kind of smokey), but that's my only quibble. We shared some divine chocolate and peanut dessert. Because we were full, neither of us really wanted dessert -- until the plate came. We didn't leave a crumb.

DINNER CLUB RECAP: Lisa's Phyllo-Stuffed Mushrooms

We were missing 2 of our compatriots the other night, but I will recap for them and others, if interested in the recipe(s). This was probably the most healthy dinner club I have made of late ... Appetizers were sliced cucumbers with spreadable whipped cream cheese, a slice of lox, capers, and sliced red onion. The main dish was a stuffed portabello mushroom wrapped and baked in phyllo dough, which stuffing had been pureed in a food processor (crimini mushrooms, olive oil, garlic, pecans, and green onion). Sides were asparagus with minced garlic and lemon zest; and fingerlings with sea salt, pepper, and fresh rosemary from the garden. Dessert was blueberry and blackberry skewers with dipping choices of hershey syrup and vanilla or strawberry yogurts. My motivation: gearing up for spring and using fresh veggies and fruits!

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!