Sacramento's Thriving Food Culture

Star Ginger is Changing the Top of the Grid

2011-03-09T06:21:30Z

Nationally acclaimed chef Mai Pham expanded her Southeast Asian food emprie in Sacramento with the opening of her newest restaurant, Star Ginger Asian Grill & Noodle Bar, on Tuesday, January 25, 2011, and ever since I heard about it I wanted to see what it was all about. From her incredible food and cocktails that I've had at her landmark restaurant, and then the local and affordable convenience of her addition on Howe (Lemongrass Noodle Bar), I was hooked. This is exactly the kind of food that is approachable for novice foodies to the Asian dining scene, and Pham gives a wonderful introduction to what those flavors have to offer!

Blending the bold simplicity of Asian street food with the exotic flavors presented at her famed Lemon Grass restaurant, Chef Pham draws from the cuisines of Thailand, Vietnam, and other culinary regions of Asia.

Lunch offerings at Star Ginger include noodle soups, salads, salad rolls, wok-fried rice noodles, and an assortment of Vietnamese hot toasted sandwiches called banh mi. I can attest to how great these banh mi sandwiches are, fresh crisp veggies, and well cooked (locally sustainable) meat, LOVE!

Small plates will highlight the extensive dinner menu, encouraging diners to sample and share a variety of flavors. Specialties include Thai curries, stir-fries, grilled meats and fish, and vegetarian options.

"When I opened Lemon Grass Restaurant 20 years ago, most Southeast Asian foods were new to Sacramento," says Star Ginger owner Mai Pham. "Fortunately, over the years, our customers have increasingly fallen in love with the bright, fresh flavors. Star Ginger represents the next chapter, and is inspired by the street food I grew up with in Vietnam and later in Thailand. It's fresh Asian food on-the-run, food that is rather inexpensive but yet delivers high-impact flavors. It's also healthy food because many menu items are built around fresh herbs and greens. I'm so excited to be sharing this amazing cuisine with our mid-town customers!"

Star Ginger focuses on the use of local, seasonal produce from area farms and farmers' markets. The culinary team is committed to featuring naturally raised meats, the freshest seafood, locally made rice noodles, and a flavorful assortment of Asian vegetables and aromatics, such as Thai basil and chilies, Vietnamese rau ram, lemongrass, kaffir lime, mint, and curry leaves. Dessert will include a special ginger ice cream made exclusively for Chef Pham.

The beef pho. This is one of my all time pick-me ups, whenever I need a cup of soup or I'm not feeling well THIS is the soup that cures my soul. It's quite simple in style, content, but not execution - this is not your normal corner store Pho, it has bright flavors of clove, garlic, beef broth, red onion, scallions, and pure delicate decadence! This is a must try for all those that call themselves a foodie in the Northern California area.

The Star Ginger menu is designed to simplify everyday dining and take-out. Most lunch items are priced at $7.00 to $8.00, and dinner entrees will be under $12.00. Many small or appetizer plates are offered at $5.00 to $7.00. Weekend specials will be featured to add ongoing diversity to the menu.

The atmosphere at Star Ginger is distinctively modern and casual. Lunch is counter service with table delivery, while dinner is full-service, with hours coming soon. Reservations are not required. Coming soon there will also be a dinner menu and seated dinner service at the restaurant! Word to the wise: this place is seated to capacity at noon, so do yourself a favor and get there early or take a long lunch, but don't ever consider passing - this place is worth the wait!

Star Ginger Asian Grill and Noodle Bar
3101 Folsom Boulevard at the intersection of Alhambra Boulevard
Phone: (916) 231-8888
Fax: (916) 231-8885
Hours: open daily from 11:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m.
Closed Sundays

Berryessa Gap's Paella Cook-off, a Savory Success!

2010-11-09T04:43:11Z

There was a buzz in the other room, and a wafting smell of shellfish and rice. It was the third annual paella cook-off at Berryessa Gap Winery, and it was was already under way.
The beautiful drive on a late Saturday afternoon was the perfect setting to a great evening. Once inside we were warmly greeted at the door and led into the huge storage cellar where the festivities were already under way. From a sangria competition to tapas served all over, the party was off to a great start.

My favorite, though not the winner of the Sangria competition, was a wonderful jalapeno and savory spiced-styled one nicknamed "man-gria," as it was so robust in flavor. The competition was exciting as it involved using all the same wine varietal, and the interesting part came with what went in it, and who was making it. The winner of the competition, with a beautifully sweet mulberry-flavored sangria, was Head of Wine Sales Clint Crow.

Along with all the tapas being served, there was a full tasting of all the wines Berryessa Gap offers throughout the cellar room. My personal favorites are the 2008 Tempranillo, 2007 Petite Syrah, and a yet-to-be-released 2008 Durif (seriously outstanding) this is an interesting and exciting grape as it's also known as Petite Sirah, but this is not to be confused with Petite Syrah (which is another varietal they offer).

Along with the wine tasting, we got an exclusive winery tour with Mike Anderson of the facilities. This gave us a wonderful insight into how they make their wine (a great deal of precision and labor intensive techniques to control the highest quality), to their crush machines (the same barrel-style crusher used 2,000 years ago).

While the judges (including myself) were doing the back-breaking job of figuring out which was the best of the best, the winery staff was serving portions to all the guests from the huge paella pans.

Photo: Shown is the other part of the "dynamic duo" Valarie Crow, of Bay Area Sales for Berryessa Gap

Photo: One of the beautiful paellas served: mussels, clams, peppers, prawns and rice, cooked with squid ink (which is what makes it black). It had a beautiful shellfish flavor, but the rice was slightly undercooked.

Photo: One of the more traditional paellas, this one was full of saffron, peppers, mussels, clams, scallops and roasted chicken legs.

And the winner is...harder to discern than I originally thought, because the tasting was blind, and when the winners were announced, we didn't know if it was our first, second or third choice.
But the first-place winner was Gloria, the most traditional and savory of the bunch – her paella team cooked a dish with perfectly cooked scallops, mussels, clams, prawns, peppers and Chorizo sausage, and it was all well-seasoned with saffron and garlic – but she wouldn't tell us more (secret recipe!)

Photo: After all the fanfare was done and the pans put away, the cast and crew that made the whole night possible sat down and shared a bottle (or a couple) of wonderful wine and celebrated the evening's success.

From Anderson's ability to talk about all the nuances of winemaking, Crow's wealth of insider Sacramento food and wine knowledge, getting a chance to meet new faces and personalities, and drink with old friends, this was a huge success and makes a wine that I've always been a supporter of (local, approachable and great tasting), even more valuable to me as I now know the story of how it's made and the people involved who make it great.

All the wine has been drunk, and the night is over – signing off!

The Press, Falls Short Under Pressure!

2010-10-22T02:15:06Z

It's always interesting to see people's reactions to their coveted restaurants, and there are few things I speak to others about lately (politics aside) that get such strong and adverse reactions.

One example is Sacramento's newest bistro, The Press, in the Panhandle on 19th Street and Capitol Avenue.

On two occasions I had a chance to go and patronize this restaurant, and I can see why the reactions are so varied – the experience is far from consistent. Here's an account of my two experiences, and you be the judge on which was closer to your take.

First Experience:

I walked in at 4 p.m. during the Second Saturday Art Walk, and it was still early enough that there was no one in the restaurant.

This is my favorite time to be in a restaurant – when no one is there, when the wait staff is still preparing for the evening, the bartenders have only woken up a couple of hours before and people are putting just a little more attention into the details of the dish when you show enthusiasm about food.

I like to sit at the bar for more interaction with the staff (plus usually faster service), and start talking to the bartender about the special drinks they do.

When we went to The Press, we got a Creole – with buffalo trace, ouzo, cointreau, bitters, lemon (my only comment would be the ouzo overpowered the flavor of the wonderful bourbon), and a salt and pepper – with gin, grapefruit, lemon, bitters and rosemary. This was a take on a rosemary salty dog, which is one of my favorite drinks when made correctly, and this one was.

As we started ordering food, we got a glimpse at David English (executive chef and owner), and he was working the kitchen, executing dishes, making sure all business was in order. I was surprised when, as the only patrons in the restaurant, he didn't come over and say "Hi," but some chefs aren't into that.

So we jumped into the food. The whole reasons I was excited about this place was the tapas. I'm all about tapas, and they have an impressive selection: potato croquettes, fried meatballs with garlic yogurt sauce, garlic dip with grilled pita, watermelon salad with feta and mint, and a few others.

The coolest part about it was they were priced at three for $10, and well-proportioned, so you got a good deal for a good price. The potato croquettes were crispy and creamy, the meatballs were reminiscent of gyros, the garlic dip was wonderful as it was VERY sharp with a ton of raw garlic, and the watermelon salad was bright and refreshing.

We tried some other dishes, including crispy pork belly with grilled peaches and prosciutto with ambrosia melon. The pork belly was outstanding. It was crispy and luscious, and the peaches were the perfect hint of sweetness.

The prosciutto was less exciting, but the bartender was very passionate about the way they received the pork loin in the restaurant and cut their own instead of having it pre-cut and dried out.

Although he was quite passionate, it was a bit 1980s supper club/catering in flavor: nice, but less creative than the rest of the menu.

As we were about to be on our way for the rest of the evening, we passed on the entrees, and my conclusion was this was a smart and savvy place with great architecture and a wonderful menu with a passionate staff. So when I ran into a friend and she gave a very opposing critique of this restaurant, I was almost defensive, as it was such a great experience, so I decided I had to go again and prove her wrong, right?

Second Experience:

Being such a proponent of this restaurant, I wanted to take some of my other foodie friends to check it out, as I wanted to start getting this place more good press.

I should have held my tongue.

As we walked into the Panhandle area, there was a huge concert playing and the outside was like a free show, so upon walking into the crowded restaurant we requested to sit outside.

Then a horrible stench hit the air. Of sewage. I have no idea where it was coming from or why more people didn't seem to care. I began to feel ashamed on my original hubris. As we were led to our table outside, we realized that the music had ended and the Spanish comedian had started. This would be perfect if I spoke fluent Spanish, or if the sound guy kept the static at bay.

Oh well, those were environmental concerns that the restaurant could not control. But when we ordered the drinks I had enjoyed so much before and the same appetizers, I was expecting the same results.

This time around we ordered a ginger julep (Woodford Bourbon, ginger simple syrup, domaine de canton, mint), and the simple syrup was so strong you couldn't taste the bourbon (that's a lot of sugar), and we ordered salt and pepper (gin, grapefruit, lemon, bitters, rosemary) again.

It tasted as if the bartender had accidentally had a problem with the normally salted rim and had dumped a cup of salt right into the drink. Normally at this juncture I would have sent the drink back – that is, if I could find our waiter, who was in short supply.

The appetizers that I had been so proud of as a customer to eat were cold, the pita bread hard, the meatballs crispy, and there was none of the exceptional seasoning that had made them so great before.

After a poor showing, my foodie friends didn't have the heart to continue with the meal and wanted to go where we knew the food is always good, just a couple blocks away.

So after waiting a surprising amount of time for the check, we headed out, and on the way I was surprised to see Executive Chef David English taking orders and bring food to tables.

Conclusion:

I'm absolutely mixed on this one, and disappointed that all these great new-hope-for-Sacramento restaurants seem to be having no small amount of hiccups all over the place.

Was it a bad night? Were they short staffed?

The only thing I could infer from my two experiences was they have a smart and tasty product in a great location, but when they get too busy, the food and drinks take a dive.

It's very difficult to maintain a welcoming, comfortable and enjoyable experience when the place gets really busy, and usually this leadership and cool collected-ness comes from the top – but where English didn't even say "Hi" when there was no one around, he was waiting tables when it was busy. This screams that delegation is needed.

For all the commentary that could be said about Randall Selland, he is a Sacramento powerhouse of culinary prowess and knows when to cook and when to glad-hand the patrons. Coming from Randall's kitchen at Ella, I thought I would see more of this from English, but have from many accounts seen and heard that there is an inverse relationship between quantity and quality at The Press Bistro.

Dinner on the Farm, A Triumphant Success!

2010-10-13T03:14:41Z

"It’s about a wood-burning oven, which will make so much more than pizzas," claimed Mary Kimball, executive director of the Center for Land-Based Learning at Sunday's inaugural Dinner on the Farm.

The Center for Land-Based Learning aims to inspire and motivate people of all ages, especially youth, to promote a healthy interplay between agriculture, nature, and society through their actions and as leaders in their communities. They do this through engaging elementary- and high-school children about agriculture and cooking in a farm setting.

When invited to this dinner, I originally thought I was looking at another form of urban agriculture project, but this seems to be going far beyond that. In a grove of walnut trees, a group of about 70 people was hosted to a wonderful cocktail hour and formal sit-down dinner in thanks for contributions to getting that wood-burning oven.

"We made it. We made enough so it can be built," Kimball said. From the labor involved in creating the oven to the famous San Francisco chefs devoting their time, this was a labor of love for all involved and who are working tirelessly to make sustainable agriculture approachable for all ages.

Our dinner started out with appetizers and a fully stocked bar of wines donated by Crew Wine Company, Marr Cellars, Putah Creek Winery, Turkovich Family Winery, Yocha DeHe Farm and Ranch and a bartender making a wonderful selection of bourbon cocktails.

The Butternut squash shooter with nutmeg spiced cream was still warm in the shot glass as it was served, and it was beautiful in flavor. A particular favorite was the golden beet Napoleon with herbed goat cheese in a layered fashion. The lamb merquez meatballs with cucumber and mint yogurt were savory and reminiscent of a gyro.

After the initial cocktail hour and mingling among some of the sustainable/environmental/agricultural people who work in Sacramento along with a huge San Francisco presence, we headed over to the formal table lit by twinkling lights.

The other guests were as enjoyable as the food. From meeting a scholar of sustainable agriculture curriculum at the graduate level, a wealth of very devoted foodies, photographers and silicon valley techies, this was an eclectic cast of characters and the perfect representation of people who are excited about food, sustainability and a good time.

Our first course included a melon salad with arugula, crispy prosciutto, pickled watermelon rind and olive salt – the crispy prosciutto was the perfect saltiness countering the sweetness of the melon. But the true highlight of the meal for me was the roasted delicata squash salad with lardo, chicories, hazelnuts, pecorino and fried sage – from the creamy hazelnut purée to the perfectly cooked squash, it was a table-wide hit.

The main course included beef sausage with fresh shelling beans, tomatoes, mustard greens and pepperonata. The sausage was perfectly seasoned, and although it was supposed to include charred padrone peppers, it turned out that they were picked too mature (larger pepper, much more spicy), so these were served separately to those who wanted to try them.

This part of the meal turned into a wonderful fear factor-like drama to see who was up to the task. All parties at the table made it only a half-bite through before the tearing-up started. (These peppers had a heat equivalent twice that of habaneros). This first dish was followed by roasted lamb truncetta with sweet potato purée, braised dino kale and rosemary jus – the lamb was perfectly tender, and the rosemary jus was my favorite part, as it made the dish.

As the light grew low and the sun was setting, we partook in scrumptious desserts including chocolate and walnut torte with nocino chantilly and reduction, and fig tart with goat cheese while the farm owner, a very charming Clint Eastwood lookalike named Craig McNamara, made sure we were enjoying all festivities.

Craig McNamara was not only very hospitable but a revolutionary in the sustainable agriculture movement with the likes of Michael Pollen and Alice Waters (who were also guests of his farm), making agriculture approachable at all ages. He and his family are strong supporters of the FARMS Program (FARMS stands for Farming, Agriculture and Resource Management for Sustainability).

The meal was a triumph, and it made me very much look forward to what these people will get together and do in the future.

Mini Review: Kupros Still Getting Settled In?

2010-10-04T23:05:39Z

What is one to expect when going to a place called a gastropub?

Typically, a gastropub concentrates on quality food while still providing a pub-like atmosphere, but critics say it takes away from the traditional pub feel.

This is a larger concept to brand your restaurant with, and when John Gurnee came to town, that's what he was looking to create.

A recent post by Girls on the Grid depicting how wonderful the Kupros Bistro is created a far different image in my mind than what I experienced.

I sat down at the bar with my food friends, including an experienced fromager, drinkers and a sous chef at one of the Sacramento area’s leading restaurants. We found a quiet neighborhood bar with a beautiful glass ceiling reminiscent of the one in the TV show “Cheers” and a middle-priced bar menu.

This place has a really homey feel with lots of dark wood, and anyone who remembers the costume shop that once stood where the bar now is will be awed.

On the third Saturday in September, we were greeted by a gaggle of beautiful hostesses. There were literally three or four of them in addition to five to seven wait staff members and what looked to be two or three front-of-the-house managers all milling around waiting to be of service.

This would be nothing worth remarking on if it hadn't taken so long to get a water refill and if our $26 cheese plate had been served by a person who knew what the cheeses were.

A cheese plate seems to be a luxury (given the price) instead of a set part of a menu in Sacramento – so when one is ordered – and at a high price by many cities’ standards – you would expect the person who serves it to you to be able to tell you what you’re getting.

"Here is a variety of cheeses, some nuts and a little honey," said the well-intentioned woman. When I asked what they were, she said, "I'm not sure, I'll ask," and then sent over the bartender, who told us the animals they were from with a lot of unsureness in her voice.

Regrettably, most of the cheeses were unremarkable, even with their lauded "honey and nut combo," but there was a wonderful gouda in the mix that had honey crystals in it. It was Holland's Family Farm’s Aged farmstead Gouda cheese from Thorp, Wisc. – Marieke Gouda Foenegreek – and is absolutely worth checking out.

Otherwise, we had a creative take on a Ruben sandwich, with duck instead of the normal pastrami or corned beef.

My only comment was that the duck was a little dry on the breast. This was helped by the wetness of the Russian dressing, but not much. Still, this is the first truly original take on a Ruben I've ever seen.

As for the bar list . . . I'm all about getting an exceptional drink for a ridiculously low price. I don't think this is a rarity in these frugal days. Gone is the time where how much you spend shows as a status symbol (hopefully), and now those people are looked at as chumps.

Why would I spend $9.50 on a classic cocktail made with medium-grade alcohol when I could walk four blocks and have the famous Chris Tucker make me a mind-blowing creation for about $8? I never want to be in a bar and think that I would prefer to be another place, which is both cheaper and better, which leads me to ask, why would I want to come back here?

There are a lot of good elements at Kupros, but the restaurant is pricing itself out of the market.

Gurnee is a great chef, and the establishment is beautiful, but as in many a place that's been opening of late, I feel there's a rush to get out there. The mentality is to OPEN, OPEN, OPEN, even if you’re not ready.

Kupros has a great cracking sample menu on its website, and then when you go in the restaurant, there is a more lackluster menu, with a $2 increase on EVERY price.

Where are the peanuts roasted in duck fat and sea salt and the lauded fried pickles? They are deep-fried pickle spears instead of the traditional deep-fried bread and butter pickles (where you get a little bit of sweet and salty).

I think with some price adjustment, increasing the bourbon selection (for me and every other classic cocktailer out there right now) and bringing back a knockout small-portion menu would snap this right into place, and as it's in walking distance from my house, have me frequenting it more than my pocketbook would like.

But I might be presumptuous. There was an official grand opening a couple of days ago, and there seemed to be a smart turnout, so maybe the tide is turning.

Oh, What a Beautiful "Day In the Country!"

2010-09-13T20:26:26Z

From the beautiful day to the scrumptious food, this was an event not to be missed. It was new to me, and I was introduced to it by local wine personality/super salesmen Clint Crow from Berryessa Gap.

"You just Have to check this out," he said. And after going and finding out not only the talent involved, but the cause they support, it makes me want to tell all foodies, sustainability kids and farmers alike.

Yolo Land Trust has a long history of helping landowners preserve the landscape. The local networks of farmland, rangeland, stream corridors, wetlands and oak woodlands weave together to drive the economy, support wildlife and help make Yolo County a wonderful place to live and work.

With the focus on protecting the farm, open space and habitat lands in Yolo County, Yolo Land Trust offers long-term solutions to difficult land preservation issues. Yolo County lands are wedged between the ever-expanding Bay Area and Sacramento. At risk are prime agricultural soils, pure water, quiet country roads and rural atmosphere.

To date, Yolo Land Trust has helped landowners place conservation easements for almost 9,000 acres, permanently protecting land for future generations. Still, there is so much more we can do. Yolo Land Trust understands that the landscapes we love – that give us a sense of place, nurturing and sustaining our bodies and spirits with fertile soils and open vistas – depend on the success of local farming.

Showing their unanimous support for Yolo Land Trust, a wealth of restaurants from Yolo, Davis, Sacramento and San Francisco converged to create the best food and wine event in the Sacramento area to date – and I would know: I go to a lot of these.

From pork sliders to pickeld vegetables this was an outstanding event. The wine was flowing, the kids were playing and it was a geniunely beautiful day in the country.

Photos

The beautifully seasonal figs, goat cheese, prosciutto, and honey drizzle.

Bogle Wines

Buckhorn Steak & Roundhouse was taking a break from its original tri-tip and making some brick-oven pizzas with wonderful crust, and that's the big brick oven in the picture

Grange's Michael Tuohy was putting out a pulled-pork slider, a spicy pickle and spiced/pickled vegetables – Ok, I know this sounds weird, but the veggies were better than the slider they were so good.

L Wine Lounge and Urban Kitchen's Ame Harrington was cooking up a crostini with a puree of butternut squash and grilled vegetables.

Cool watermelon soup

Rick Mann's The Waterboy - Sacramento was putting out a variety of goodies, including a crostini of tuna, mustard, pork and tomato. I feel horrible that I can't remember exactly what was in it, because it was one of the best things at the party.

There was an outstanding selection of deserts from Konditorei - Davis – from Glazed Fig buns to a peach marzipan tart, fresh chocolate crepes, plum tart and apple strudel. It was super-crowded the entire time!

Fun stuff was happening at the Berryessa Gap's table – entirely grown from grapes in the Yolo county area, this is one of my favorite labels – so price-approachable, palette-friendly and a great varietal selection.

Giving me an insider's drink of FederWeissen – it tasted like lemonade with a kick, wonderful on this beautiful day!

Hailing all Pork Lovers! Attention! Get Excited! Porchetta Sandwiches! Wasn't that beautiful? I know! I was so hungry posting these pictures that I forgot to take a picture of my sandwich. But the beautiful meat was put out out by Osteria Fasulo - Davis. I couldn't believe what pork talent was in Davis, and I didn't even know. Total treasure.

Another real treat, and a feat of culinary prowess when made under a walnut tree – seared pork belly with a fig compote by Masa's Restaurant – San Francisco

Mulvaney's B&L (my personal favorite) was serving up a Blesdoe pulled-pork tacos with pickled red onion and shredded cheese.

Tucos Wine Market & Cafe – Davis brought old-fashioned shaved ice (by hand) with house-made sauces of fig, peach and pomegranate.

The newest addition to the thriving event was a kids' corner that had activities going keeping the smaller supporters occupied.

Sheraton Grand - Sacramento's Russell Michel put out a complex trio of crostini from heirloom tomato to New York strip steak and a peppery arugula with goat cheese.

The silent auction and photography of Kenny Calhoun Photography.

A bounty of vegetables that are given to the guests and patrons at the end of the event – sharing the bounty of the Yolo harvest.

What Yolo Land Trust is working to protect.

Good Eats FINALLY Opens In Sacramento! But Maybe They Should Held off for a Couple of Weeks?

2010-09-02T06:08:11Z

Good Eats has finally opened, and after a whole lotta hoopla I was raring to get over there and try what had caused so much excitement for over two years in developments. Good Eats is attempting to be a coffee shop, prepared foods outlet, and restaurant dining experience. A lot to take on right? That's what I thought too.

“Our Good Eats Kitchen is going to be a celebration of good food,” stated Michael Ashker, co-founder and CEO of Good Eats.

About two years ago when the location for Good Eats was up in the air, they were looking at the Corti Brothers spot on Folsom Bvld. This was met with public outcry, and a debate over whether the right to keep a Sacramento institution should be overturned as their lease was up, and the owner was looking at other ventures, no longer at Corti Brothers. This was such a huge deal that it was covered in an article by the Sacramento Bee, found here.

After many a protest and article around the city, Michael Ashker decided to find a new spot for their idea, and they landed on the long-time closed Andiamo Italian restaurant.

So after breaking ground Michael Ashker was in construction starts and stops for a year and a half! Many complications no doubt came in to play, such as the recession, potential partners pulling out (unconfirmed), and such.

But on August 23rd they finally opened their huge double doors, abet with a hanging banner sign for their name and logo. This is supposedly their soft opening, even though a waiter told me there wasn't going to be a grand opening, and it was open to the public? So I call this a Hard Open, and it was.

Inside it is HUGE, there is a huge prepared food selection, along with bread, hot food, cold case, dessert selection, and coffee bar - quite a lot going on, but there is signage everywhere to lead you around.

The service through the prepared food side was up and down, from being warmly greeted and offered samples in the front entrance, to the abrupt hostess asking,"Are you dining in?" on first approach.

We opted for the bar, as you can always take in more of the industry scene from this angle, and it was a pretty view. The bar is entirely granite with a huge mirror display above the not yet stocked bar area.

The two servers that were behind the bar were charming despite their lack of knowledge of the menu items. And although there was a decent wine option (no list) from Bogle for about $5 a glass, there were as yet no taps, no beer, and although they were claiming to have a full bar it was coming in that night?

This was four days post the opening, but I know these things can sometimes take time. But to give you an insight to the lack of prep there was a coca-cola man installing their fountain station (plumber style crack and all) at the time. Keep in mind four days later. Made for an interesting meal and a show!

On to the food, again this is where I would have held off. This is where I would have stood back and looked at what I was preparing, and wondered how it stacked up to its competition.

There is a great and thriving food culture in Sacramento right now, so to put out anything less than a smart and awesome product out would easily put you on the bread lines.

Think about it; we have Corti Brothers, Sellands, Taylors, Whole Foods, Ettore's, and at one time David Berkeley, all in the prepared food isle. In proximity we have OneSpeed, 33rd Street Bistro, and Formoli's bistro all within a mile!

This competition is stiff, so you better bring your A-Game!

Good Eats was not. The menu prepares many of the foods that they create for quick take home, so I tried to take this into account when looking at what I'm eating, but it still doesn't add up.

Mediocre is mediocre.

We asked the server what was a not to be missed on the menu, and he said the mushrooms and the sliders. So we tried both, as I was taking pictures and asking many a question (should have been a hint of interest maybe?) - well the mushrooms were stuffed portabellas with sauteed onions, tomatoes and "flavored cheeses" as eloquently quoted on the menu.It tasted about as good as the description; limp, soggy, and bland.

The other items we got were the buffalo-style sliders, and the baby spinach salad. Chefs, please take heed: if your slider bun is coated in char but seems slightly OK to you DON'T send it out! You only get ONE chance to make a first impression, and this was a bad one.

The char flavor was so strong that it overwhelmed the taste of the slider, the server saw this as he placed it on the table and said nothing. In tasting the other, non-chared slider, it wasn't much better.

The salad we tried was not their signature salad, as all the components of that signature salad are found in the Trader Joe's bag mix for $4.99 - so I wasn't really interested, and the one we did try was nice, but definitely not worth $11 (not when I can get a superior lemon-chicken salad at Magpie for $9.50).

So I know this is no doubt coming off as pretty harsh, and I'm not seeking a bitch-fest, this was disappointing for me too!

I was looking forward to a great dining experience, a place to go get quick take home dinners! But there are obviously some bumps to get past.

There is quite a lot of time and money put into this venture, so I think that the owners can take the time and attention to demand better from their service and food quality.

I mean I saw Rick Kushman (food writer for the SacramentoBee) also being shuffled around by the abrupt hostess! SOO much potential, but so many things that need to be addressed before they lose their first impression goodness, and all the customers that come with the first gasp of newness!

Sacramento has stepped it up culinary in massive ways in the last 10 years, there's no room for inferior quality if success is desired.