There is a segment of the food and hospitality industry not touched on as much the rest. An area not recognized nearly as much as it should be, one where the experience comes to you. I had the pleasure of spending time diving deep into the world of Betsy Hite, Chef and Owner of Elegant and Easy Gourmet. The company specializes in catered events. After spending several days with Betsy it became clear she takes catering to a whole new level entirely. A humble and hardworking woman who created her business from scratch and puts her soul into her work. In addition to her catering, Hite also teaches cooking classes and has written a recipe book. My journey began at the Hite Ranch, a 5 acre pr

On Thursday June 7th 2012 the Sactown Dining Collective held their kick-off event at Plates Cafe & Catering. Plates works with the St. Johns Shelter for Women and Children, an organization helping formerly homeless women get back on track. The program at Plates encourages a strong work ethic and shows women how to succeed using the skills they have learned working at the cafe. In collaboration with a group of local sponsors the SDC chefs gave us a peek at the tremendous culinary talents Sacramento has to offer. The evening began with passed appetizers and samplings of beer and wine. Ruhstaller was on hand with their Red Ale and Black IPA, two very aromatic and food friendly beers and Lagu

Recently there have been many restaurants closing in Sacramento for different reasons, most due to the down economy. Somewhat new to the scene is Blue Prynt Restaurant and Bar located at 815 11th street in the downtown area of Sacramento. Blue Prynt occupies the space formerly known as Sofia, one of the culinary casualties of our area. While this restaurant has its own entrance it is unfortunately connected to a Best Western Motel. Upon entering I was excited to see the grand transformation that had taken place. I noticed new paint, furniture and light fixtures. The carpets seemed the same but I could be mistaken. I don’t judge restaurants by how beautiful or tacky they look (not 100% any

In search of a place to watch some of the last championship NFL games, the wife and I set out to Bisla’s Sports Lounge. It was incredible that I wanted to leave the house at all knowing The Steeler’s weren’t in the championships but I suppose life goes on. We have frequented Bisla’s on days when the bar has been less busy which seems to be the case when there is not a professional sporting event taking place. Bisla’s was empty when we arrived for the first game but as we suspected, the crowd poured in as the day went on.  Sports bars are generally known for having rowdy crowds, mediocre food and nonexistent service. I am happy to say this does not describe Bisla’s. This is a conclusion re

Several days ago I gave in to my curiosity about the restaurant I always drive by, Espanol Italian Dinners. I have always wondered why a restaurant with a name like Espanol would serve Italian food but, tis not mine to judge. When you walk into Espanol which has been at its current location for over 40 years you can quite literally feel the transformation from modern day to yesteryear. The furniture, artwork and cash register which oddly resembles a slot machine appear as they would in an old gangster film. As we looked around the crowd was mature and tame. It seemed clear that this concept was brought to life in an era when dining out meant something very different. While we at no point