DINNER CLUB RECAP: All Things Green

At first, I was thrilled to find out I was hosting Dinner Club on St. Patrick's Day. Then -- after lots of searching -- I found only two Irish recipes that were vegetarian. And they were kinda boring. So, I went green instead. Apps: salsa verde and spinach dip with green crudite. Entrees: asparagus soup, roasted broccoli with cheese, and cod with a cilantro and macadamia nut pesto -- and lime wedges as garnish. Dessert: cupcakes with green sprinkles and mint chocolate chip ice cream. You'll have to take my word for all of this since I didn't have a chance to take photos ... Hope everyone had a fabulous St. Patrick's Day!

DINNER: Ambience, Lisa's Take

I'm going to be one of the odd men out and be a little bit more critical of Ambience than the others! Rogue blogger! :) We were really hyped to try Ambience and the prix fixe meals there, but kind of got mixed impressions. The service was a little bizarre at first; I did feel that there wasn't a whole lot of enthusiasm by the wait-staff when we first arrived and the server didn't seem to know what was on the beer list. To her credit, the waitress got a lot better as the evevning went on. As for the food, I thought some dishes were lackluster and others pretty decent; I think, however, that I was hoping it would be more like the Kitchen or Ella, but I think I prefer Ella. The starter dish was a strange salmon mousse concoction on soft toast. We just said "eh" and looked for the next dish. My tuna dish was pretty decent, although one of the tuna sashimis was mixed with a strange tomato paste/sauce, which didn't seem to go together well. The crab cake, again, was ok; the best part was the baby polenta crouton. Wish I had had two more of those! The highlight of my meal was the veal shank; it was perfect. I also tried the beef tartar, which was not tasty, and the duck, which had a strange texture. The rabbit was decent. If this was Iron Chef, I would give them a 25 on presentation and more like a 19 on food. Very hit or miss selections, although impressive that they have such a wide variety and the plating is excellent!

DINNER CLUB RECAP: Chili and Corn Bread

My last dinner club, in February, needed to be quick and painless, since February is a very busy month at work. I decided to scour the crock pot recipes and get everything ready the night before to decrease dinner club stress. Usually, just pouring lots of wine helps, too. So, in the crockpot went lots of different types of beans, onion, cumin, garlic, crushed tomatoes with jalapenos, etc... For appetizers, we started with deviled eggs, cut carrots, and celery with peanut butter. Very comfort food-esque. Then we had our vegetarian chili with cilantro, cheese, and sour cream on top and yummy cornbread on the side. For dessert, we had port and sliced cheeses and pear. Overall a pretty healthy dinner club!

DINNER CLUB RECAP: Pho

It's been a while since I blogged, but wanted to do a quick update on my past dinner clubs. This one, I think from January, was all about comfort food and pho. The entire theme was mostly asian, with egg rolls to start, and then pho, which wasn't really authentic pho, since I did use udon noodles to make the dish a little heavier entree. I used veggie broth, added udon noodles, onions, garlic, mushrooms, and then for the meat eaters, some precarved deli roast beef. That added some great texture. To me, the best part of pho is the condiments. We had bowls of whatever we wanted to add: bean sprouts, limes, jalapenos, cilantro, mint, basil, rooster sauce, etc... I love pho.

DESSERT: Ginger Elizabeth Chocolates

Ginger Elizabeth's Web site

For Valentine's Day, my hubby got me a box of chocolates. Not just any box, but a delectable selection from Ginger Elizabeth. First, I was pleasantly surprised by the present and loved the exquisite brown and pink packaging. Second, and most important, the chocolates were amazing. I'm pretty picky, in fact I don't care for those other candy vendors whose chocolates are saturated in sugar. No, the chocolate from Ginger Elizabeth has flavor. Mouth-watering flavor. I could easily identify what went into whichever piece I was eating: fresh raspberries, salted caramel, peanut butter, etc. I didn't miss the synthetic mystery flavors of those other brands at all. There are no preservatives in Ginger Elizabeth chocolates, so you need to eat them within two weeks (no refrigerating). Not a problem, I ate the entire box in two days. Even though I've had more than my fair share, I am very tempted to pop into the Ginger Elizabeth boutique on 18th and L to sample the ones I haven't tasted yet. (The Olmec spice is my favorite so far.) The leaflet that accompanied my box explained that every candy is made from scratch on site, not even flavor extracts are used. I didn't know extracts were that taboo, but I suppose using vanilla bean instead of vanilla extract, or fresh lemon instead of lemon flavor, makes a big difference. In fact, some of her offerings are seasonal, depending on when the ingredients are available. Ginger Elizabeth is open late most nights, so that midtown restaurant goers can stop in for dessert. What a good idea.

DINNER: Plan B

Plan B's Web site

I've been wanting to try this place since Leslie and Chris reviewed it. Plan B is a cute, cozy eatery near Fair Oaks and Watt. I appreciated the decor -- pretty dark colors contrasted by white brick walls. (John thought it was lacking, though.) I was impressed with their wine list, especially their wines by the glass -- many of our favorite wineries were represented. The menu is simple, offering appetizer "stix" options that mirror the entree selections. And mussels. They offer a variety of mussels, which I assume is one of their specialties. Not really in a seafood mood, we each ordered a salad and meat entrees. John's Caesar salad was good, but could have used more anchovies. My mache salad was also good (it came with a hunk of brie, how could I not like that?). My lamb was simply and perfectly prepared. John loved his rib eye steak, a strong recommendation for all you beef eaters. We had apple pie for dessert, John thought it was boring, but I appreciated its simplicity. In fact, that's how I'd sum up Plan B -- delicious food, simply prepared.

DINNER: Ambience, Sandra's take

Ambience's Web site

I couldn't wait to try Ambience after John's review so we decided to make it our Dinner Club night out restaurant. I was not disappointed and I recommend it to anyone. $45 for 5 courses (not 4 as their website says) is a steal! The inside of the restaurant is very, well, ambient. I did get lost in the maze of rooms trying to find the restroom though. To be completely honest, some of the 5 courses were better than others but none were bad. The starter course of salmon mousse brioche was my least favorite. I felt the dough and the sauces drowned out any flavor from the mousse. My lobster crème brulee (a few dollars supplement) was a delicate and slightly sweet dish. The consistency was between a light mousse and custard. It was like nothing I ever tried. I don't understand the name since it was not burned on top. The follow up to that were three cold seared lobster medallions with various sauces. It was fantastic! My next course was a crab cake that I liked just fine and a polenta cake that was delicious. The star was my main course of Chilean Sea bass perfectly cooked served over the most delicious braised leeks and arborio corn rice and served in a Chardonnay cream sauce topped with crisped beets. Out of this world!! Dessert was an equally decadent light and airy but still rich chocolate parfait with a truffle on the side. The truffle wasn't anything memorable but the parfait made me crave more. Our server was pleasant and friendly and did a great job recommending a Vignonet that paired nicely with my food. Please go check this restaurant out. It is a great dining experience.

DINNER: Ambience - Leslie's take

Ambience's Web site

John said it best when he said that Ambience in Carmichael was a "delightful find." Man, this place is good! And I have NO idea how they can offer such five star food at a prix fixe menu of five courses for $45. Our waitress started off a little shaky in the beginning (oh, that is a beer that has a "cartoon character" on it and can be sold at Trader Joes... what?), but totally pulled it out by the end. She knew this menu like the back of her hand and explained each detail of the course (often seven different dishes were brought to the table!) effortlessly. Ambience looks completely cheesey from the outside but the decor in the inside is trendy and mellow. For veggies and non-veggies alike, the options seemed endless.... We all started with the Salmon scallop mousse puffed pastry thing. The second course included beet salad, ahi tuna samplers, lobster.... just to name a few. Our table did a good job of ordering almost everything on the menu with the exception of dessert - they had this chocolate number that most couldn’t pass up - so check out other blogers for their view. I had the beet salad that was wonderful. I am a sucker for anything beets. Next course was asparagus soup with creme fraiche that I think was my favorite dish of the items I sampled. It was fresh tasting with a hint of heat. My main course was the Grilled Chilean sea bass on braised leeks, corn arborio rice with radicchio and arugula. I practically licked my plate! The fish was cooked perfectly and some how the whole dish seemed "light" not drowned in any sauce which was a refreshing change. This place isn’t just a fish and steak place — they offered rabbit, duck, and boar as well as a few other numbers. For dessert, most of the table got pulled into this chocolate-sabayon cream parfait number that was to die for. Seriously, it was a lot of food, but the portion sizes were nicely done and they timed the platings perfectly so your tummy had just enough time to digest before moving on. The hub and I decided that we are already going back.... perhaps for Valentine’s day? (Hint! Hint!)

Dinner Club Recap: Southern Home Cookin'

It’s been forever since I blogged but I can’t forget about our last dinner club. It was the husband’s turn to do the cooking and he knocked it out of the park. He decided on straight up Southern cooking — fried fish, buttermilk chicken (baked, although you couldn’t tell by looking at it!), baked apples with fennel and the best mashed potatoes ever made. I can’t comment too much on the chicken since I don’t eat meat, but man, I was even tempted to take a bite. It was crispy on the outside and juicy looking on the inside. The fish was amazing, perfectly cooked so not as to taste a bit of oil, and light and flaky. The bake apples with fennel was right up there as well, the sweetness of the apple with the bite of fennel flavor was outstanding. He might have used two tubs of butter for the mashed pots, but it was worth it. Dessert was simple after such a heavy meal - grilled pineapple circles with nuts and nutella drizzle. Amazing!

DINNER: Ambience

Ambience's Web site

Ambience Restaurant is a surprising and delightful find – right in the middle of an unassuming strip mall in Carmichael, which we managed to find in the pouring rain thanks to our bossy Garmin navigator. Apropos of the name, the interior is casually elegant, with several rooms, some with booths, adding to the sense of place and privacy. The menu is prix fixe at $45, and has five courses. As we were soon to learn, this may be one of the best deals in the Sacramento area. Several of the courses allowed for multiple options, so do not be concerned that you will be boxed into what the chef thought you should eat that evening. Bernadette had the baby beet salad as a first course, and raved about it. My lobster crème brule came in two parts and was topped with a dollop of caviar. Say. No. More. My main course, the wild boar, was excellent; although I had to get over the guilt of eating beef that was flown in from New Zealand … I’ll offset the carbon with a few trips to work on my bike. Bernadette’s sea bass was similarly excellent, but she regretted smothering it in the herbed butter dollop that topped it. Since I was driving, it was probably OK that Ambience does not offer a wine pairing menu to accompany each course; Bernadette was initially disappointed … until she tasted the Cold Creek chardonnay which put her in a very good mood. Overall, we were just as satisfied walking out of Ambience as we have been walking out of The Kitchen, Ella, Biba, and any of the other “event” restaurants in Sacramento. The service was knowledgeable and attentive, but not obnoxiously so, which added to our very positive experience. So, if your reconnoitering skills are good, do try this little gem in the middle of suburbia. It is worth the trip.

Dessert: Yogurtagogo Happy Hour!

As you may (or may not) know, I am addicted to frozen yogurt. In fact it has gotten so out of control that I ate it almost every day in the last week and on one day I had it twice in one day. Embarrassing I know. My ultimate fave is taro flavored yogurt. That is why it is always a treat when Yogurtagogo in midtown has taro as a featured flavor. I make sure to get my fix every day until the delicious lavender taro goodness runs out. I was pleasantly surprised this week to find small cups at Yogurtagogo. It is a peeve of mine that many yogurt places insist on one giant sized cup to try to trick you into filling it up with way too much yogurt. When I inquired about the new size I was even happier to find that it is not a new cup size, it is their "happy hour" cup. From 5-6 they put out the small cups and you can fill the cup as high as you can get it for only $2!!! You can guess where I'm going to be every day between 5 and 6 until taro runs out. :) Yogurtagogo is located at 1801 L Street on the corner of 19th and L. Try the taro topped with shredded coconut and plain mochi. Yum!

DINNER CLUB: Mac and Cheese for a stormy day 1/20/10

Every year around winter I make my homemade white macaroni and cheese. What better winter time comfort food than mac and cheese? I tried to keep the rest of the menu simple and healthy since our main course was going to be rich, gooey and indulgent. For an appetizer I made guilt free spinach dip served with pita chips and endive spears. I started dinner off with a wedge salad made with homemade buttermilk goat cheese dressing. Our main course was white macaroni and cheese with a side of orange zest broccoli. Dessert was poached pears topped with plain Greek yogurt and drizzled with honey. I always rely on my friend the Trader Joe's wine guy to make recommendations for wine pairings. I especially needed help since I am not a white wine drinker. One wine that he suggested that I really liked was a Les Caves Joseph Bordeaux Blanc. It was a sweet white wine that was not overpoweringly sweet. It was very different and I really liked it. I really love the spinach dip and it is so incredibly good for you. To make the spinach dip heat 1 Tbsp of olive oil and add 2 cloves of chopped garlic. Add a 10 oz. bag of spinach and a pinch of salt and let the spinach slowly wilt. In a food processer add a can of rinsed cannellini white beans, 1 Tbsp lemon juice, 1 Tbsp balsamic vinegar, a pinch of salt and pepper, 1 Tbsp of EVOO and the wilted spinach. Puree until smooth. Serve either warm or cold.

DINNER CLUB REVIEW: New Year's Eve lasagna

I went out on an experimental limb with my roasted vegetable lasagna. The reviews on Epicurious.com encouraged deviation from the original recipe, so I came up with a lasagna layered with roasted portabello, eggplant, red peppers and zucchini. I sparingly used the bechamel sauce which the recipe called for and substituted some pesto and red sauce to make up for it. I also threw in some traditional ricotta and mozzarella cheeses in addition to the fontina that the recipe advocated. During the prep, I was worried about concocting a big mess of too many flavors, but it turned out to be a hit. For starters, I made a cranberry-apple-yogurt salad that I served spooned into individual endive leaves -- that recipe is also on Epicurious and is already a part of my repeat repertoire (I even liked it better than the lasagna). What a crazy night that was for me since John (who was supposed to come home at 3pm to help prep) got caught at work and didn't make it home until a few minutes before midnight! He missed our annual re-giftathon, but we ended up with the best loot so it all worked out.

DINNER: Jamie's - Sandra's Take

Jamie's Broadway Grille's Web site

I'll make this short and sweet. I know Jamie's is a Sacramento institution. I am aware it was recently featured on the Food Network's Diners, Drive Ins and Dives. None of that made my maiden dinner experience at Jamie's good. Ray, Lisa and I went for our third dinner club night out. The restaurant is a true, legitimate dive. I loved the relaxed atmosphere and the friendly (some drunk) patrons. I was excited to try their seafood since that is the only meat I eat. I had a choice between an encrusted halibut dish and the mixed seafood special. I opted for the mixed seafood. That was a mistake. It came in a bowl of oily, greasy red sauce poured all over the seafood. I couldn't taste anything but the sauce. It had some sort of crispy herb on top. I don't know why. I have never heard of crisping herbs. I tasted one but I couldn't taste what it was, it just tasted fried. The vegetables and rice on the side were fine if uninspired. To top it off, the dish was expensive. If I recall it was about $28. On a positive note, the bartender was nice and our server was very entertaining. I would NOT recommend the seafood special to anyone though.

DINNER CLUB RECAP: Autumn Vegetables

Fall is hands down my favorite season. In California it comes and goes in the blink of an eye so I was so happy to host dinner club when it looked and felt like fall outside. I decided to have a meal of autumn vegetables and I planned my meal to take advantage of the fact that Trader Joe's is selling bagged, cubed sweet potatoes and butternut squash. For our dinner I made roasted fall vegetables, lentils and mashed sweet potatoes with a hint of banana. Dessert was eggnog pumpkin raisin bread pudding. Our beverage of the evening was hot spiced mulled wine. The vegetables were easy, very colorful and really delicious! I combined a peeled and cubed butternut squash with a peeled and cubed sweet potato and three cubed Yukon gold potatoes in a lightly oiled baking dish. I set aside two seeded and diced red bell peppers and one quartered red onion. I dressed all of the vegetables with a quarter cup of olive oil mixed with 2-3 Tbsp balsamic vinegar, 3 Tbsp chopped fresh rosemary, 1 Tbsp chopped fresh thyme and salt and pepper to taste. I placed the baking dish of root vegetables in a 450 degree oven for about 35 minutes stirring occasionally, then I added the onion and bell pepper in and baked another 10-15 minutes stirring frequently. The mashed sweet potatoes were Rachel Ray's recipe that you can find online. I modified it by substituting stock for milk and reducing the amount of liquid. It was very good but if I make it again I will cut the amount of butter and banana in half. The mulled wine was made by adding 1 cup of sugar to 3 cups boiling water, add a sliced lemon and or a sliced orange, 6 cinnamon sticks, 6 whole cloves, half a gallon of Carlo Rossi Burgundy wine and nutmeg. Reduce to a simmer once you add the wine and let it simmer on low heat for about 30 minutes before serving. Happy Autumn!

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!

DINNER CLUB RECAP: Pulled Pork Sandwiches

This DC was inspired from our recent trip to Hawaii (pronounced, as any 1 week tourist will tell you, Hawaii-E). Yes, it did start with a few Mai-Tais, and no, it was not really based on any Hawaiian recipees. We started with bacon wrapped water chestnuts in a sweet soy glaze, fresh fruit and cheese appitizers. For dinner we had a pulled pork sandwich made with a pork roast slow roasted overnight in a slow cooker then shreadded with onions and BBQ sauce. Topped with chedar cheese and fresh coleslaw (a squeeze of tangerine juice mixed in with the cole slaw dressing made it taste, well, fruity, like I put a squeeze of tangerine juice in it). The side salad was a chopped salad with papaya & cucumber. Dessert was a pineapple upside down cake with whole macadamia nuts. I forgot the ice cream, so we each got a thimble full. "Less is more". That's what I told everyone.

DINNER: Jamie's, Ray's Take

Jamie's Broadway Grille's Web site

Nothing says mediocre food like a dark dive bar. Jamies lived up to the challenge. The beer was good, and, the second beer was good too. The food, well that was awful. I ordered an open faced chili cheeseburger. Hard to mess up right? Dive bars make good hamburgers, right? well, no, apparently not. Although the chili was good, the plate consisted of an overcooked hamburger patty buried in a pile of chili with two small pieces of garlic toast. I would have thought a hamburger in a dark dive bar would be a safe option, I guess you should stick to the food found in your Bloody Mary or hefeweizen. On an upside, I found street parking.

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!

DINNER: Jamie's Broadway Grille, Lisa's Take

Jamie's Broadway Grille's Web site

So, for our 3rd Dinner Club Night Out, we chose Jamie's because it was recently featured on the Food Network and is a local favorite. I hadn't been in years, so was looking forward to having a cocktail and some comfort food. What I got was a lot of heartburn! Ouch! My first impression was that Jamie's is extremely lively and fun, but it was packed. We barely found 3 spots at the bar to have martinis, and then had to wait for a table to open up. I was jazzed by their menu board, which appeared to have some interesting options. The bartender was pretty cool, but told us that a lot of items go quickly, so we should order soon. She did put aside the last order of the chili hamburger Ray wanted, but before we ever got a table, the entree I was absolutely ravenous for was wiped off the slate. Lamb stew. It sounded lovely. Needless to say, by the time we got a table, even the renown clam chowder was sold out! I kind of felt a little annoyed that I could not have what I wanted, and ordered, along with Sandra, what I thought still had a lot of potential- a seafood combo plate with scallops, opakapaka, prawns, and crab. You all know I love a good cioppino or bouillabaise, and I think this combo plate was attempting to be "similar" to a cioppino with its own twist. Unfortunately, it left me feeling not so great. It was dripping and oozing with some sort of mystery tomato oil/sauce. I mean, dripping. The combo plate was just a big bowl of oily goo ladled over fish. It was topped with fried basil and some sort of shavings that I first thought were lemon grass, but then we decided maybe some sort of green/white onion shaving? It's still a mystery. Anyhow, the fish was cooked fine, but the oily goo just didn't really inspire me nor do I think I will go back to eat. Sorry Jamie's!

DINNER CLUB RECAP: Miscellaneous Meal

For this one, I whipped up a random array of dishes I thought would be Dinner Club-worthy -- no theme, just stuff I thought folks might like. App number one was a fontina and roasted red pepper pizza on a cornbread crust. The other app was black-eyed peas croquettes with a barley malt dipping sauce. The entree plate had a scoop of barley casserole and a slice of a sweet potato and goat cheese frittata --separated diagonally on the plate by a baby bok choy with an umeboshi and gomasio vinaigrette.For dessert I made peanut butter and chocolate cups, served in ramekins. I was pretty happy with how everything turned out considering I didn't have any real inspiration for it.

DINNER CLUB RECAP: Fall is Finally Here

After what seemed like the longest summer ever, the leaves are finally on the ground and it's time to break out the sweaters and hot cider. My dinner club was inspired by fall flavors. I started with a caramelized apple and onion bruschetta with melted brie as my appetizer. The bite of white wine vinegar really brought out a unique taste in the apples, but there still was a hint of sweetness. For dinner it was squash, sage, and ricotta cannelloni served with an arugula salad with sweet potatoes and feta. I grilled the butternut squash the night before and I think that helped the smokey flavor settle in a bit. One thing that I really liked about this dinner was that it was made with all fresh ingredients and relatively low fat. No oil, butter, or cream. Always a plus, especially when heading into the holiday cocktailing season. For dessert, I made my first-ever pineapple upside down bundt cake. I think I might have over cooked the cake just a tad, but having the extra juices from the pineapple seemed to have saved the day. All these recipes were certainly keepers for this fall season!

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: Roxy's

I'll make this short, but Roxy's is a fun and fancy western-themed restaurant on Fair Oaks Blvd. Thursday night they have special burger and brew specials. I got to make my own lamb burger with very yummy and diverse condiments! Don't know how much vegetarian fare is available, though. This place is very meat oriented since the owners own Lucky Dog Ranch. Most of the meat is from their ranch or other local places. I will go back!

DINNER CLUB RECAP: Vermouth and Cream of Onion Soup with Scallops and Caviar

I have to say, I'm not sure what inspired me to make soup for our last dinner club... Ha ha ha. Just kidding. I love soup. Our menu was inspired by the Soup Bible and also by Taylor's, in a sense. I started out with a simple brie appetizer that our friend Laura makes. I'm not sure if it was exactly the same recipe, but for mine I poured brown sugar on top of the round brie, stuck in the microwave for a couple of minutes, and then poured split almonds on top. Always yummy. Then for the main course, I made a vermouth and cream of onion soup topped with seared scallops, black caviar, and chives. On the side was a gruyere and pear panini on rye. The drink of choice was a caper berry martini that I made up after eating caper berries for the first time at Taylor's restaurant. Dessert was easy no mess moose chocolate ice cream with strawberry sauce and chocolate covered oreos. I have to say that I really enjoyed the soup but it was a LOT of work and stress. I'm going low maintenance for my next DC!! So look out guinea pigs!

DESSERT: Hot Italian

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

DINNER: Taylor's Kitchen, Bernadette's take

Taylor's Kitchen's Web site

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

DINNER CLUB RECAP: Healthy Fare

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

DINNER: Taylor's Kitchen, Wray's Take

Taylor's Kitchen's Web site

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

DINNER CLUB RECAP: Sandra's September 2009

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