Bacon and Butter - Sacramento, CA

I don't know if brunch is a trend, if it's something you get into as you get older, or just the idea of a late breakfast on a weekend morning is appealing.  Maybe it's the latter: you sleep in a bit, you're hungry and can't wait until lunch, so brunch it is.

Whatever the case, I'm a fan of the meal.  In Sacramento, there are more than enough choices: Tower Cafe, The Porch, Fox and Goose, 33rd Street Bistro... and being someone that is always on the lookout for a great place to eat, and always game to try something new, a friend and I decided to try a place I'd never visited but she'd been to before...

...and had been rather disappointed.

I wasn't sure what to think about Bacon and Butter, a brunch and lunch place on 21st in Midtown Sacramento.  My friend was disappointed with her last visit, but I'd also heard claims of deliciousness from others.  I'd also heard negative comments about their service; a couple friends ended up walking out because no one had visited their table once they'd been seated.

I would now find out for myself.

It was starting to get busy when we arrived.  The dining area is pretty sizable and includes a dining counter.  It's a hip little joint that kind of reminds me of what you'd find in a trendy diner in the Bay Area.  I guess this means that the decor and vibe of Bacon and Butter are pretty contemporary.  It's an inviting and casual enough place.

The menu is pretty simple, which I like.  Too many choices makes me take forever to decide what to eat.  I decided to order the Steak and Fries, which comes with two eggs (ordered over medium), and "smashed" fries, with French onion gravy on the steak.

Whenever someone asks how I want my beef cooked I always check to see if the server knows where the beef is from.  This accomplishes a few things: 1) I'm just curious, so I want to know, 2) I get to see how informed the servers are about the food they serve, and 3) if the beef is from a reliable source (ie. a known name ranch, from which I can assume the quality of the meat will be top-notch) I will order it medium rare.  The server didn't know but did assure me they served quality beef, so I ordered medium rare.  After taking our order, he took it upon himself to go ask where beef was from and upon his return informed me that it was from a ranch in Iowa (I forget the name.  Bad, Phillip).  He very quickly ran through a short list of why they chose the ranch they use - something about a low carbon footprint - and I accepted his answer.

Which leads me to this: Bacon and Butter makes a point of saying they rely heavily on locally sourced and sustainable ingredients, very California farm-to-table.  I have no doubt that this is true for much of their product.  But I also have no problem with eating non-local foods.  Sometimes you gotta do what you gotta do.  I don't think you always have to eat local foods, depending on what you want to eat (that's a whole other discussion).  And I know that Bacon and Butter never said they only use ingredients from California.  But perhaps if they're going promote and make a big deal of their use of California-sourced ingredients, they should also be transparent about the other ingredients they use, especially a main ingredient like beef.  After all, there are plenty of high-quality cattle ranches in California, which they did not choose.

I figure this: You're proud to use local ingredients and be farm-to-fork, and that's great. Shouldn't you then be proud of all of your food sources?  Hell, you want to get beef from Iowa because you really, really, really believe in what a particular ranch is doing and you love the quality of their product?  Great!  Awesome!  But to leave that out and only promote your use of California-grown foods is just marketing and not transparency about your food to your customers.

But I digress.

Everything was delicious.  Well-seasoned, sizable portions.  The "smashed fries" were just fingerling potatoes that looked to be, well, fried.  And they were some of the best fingerling potatoes I've had for breakfast: crispy and not overcooked (you know how it is, getting potatoes cooked to the point where the flesh is too soft and mealy).  The French onion gravy was slightly sweet and was a nice counterpoint to the salty meat and fries.

That said, I do have a few nitpicky negatives.

First, they cut my steak.  My first thought was a joke/comment one of my culinary school teachers made: "I'm not a child.  I want to cut my own steak."  Yes, that's a preference.  But more importantly, cutting my steak before serving means means the slices cool faster.  This was verified by my first bite: a single slice had already cooled.  Luckily, the rest was very warm, thanks to the eggs sitting on top.  Speaking of eggs, I had to cut my slices of beef anyway so I could eat them with eggs, so why slice it for me?

Second, the steak was cooked to slightly over medium rare to the point where there was no pink.  Now, this in no way made the beef tough to eat.  It was still very tender and it was damn delicious.

Third, the eggs were cooked over easy, not over medium.  Again, it didn't detract from my enjoyment of the meal.  The eggs were tasty.

So why even mention these negatives if they didn't detract from my enjoyment of the food?  Aside from writing from a standpoint of delivering a well-rounded assessment?

Well, some people really care about this stuff to the point of sending the plate back (I did not).  Also, I figure, with this caliber of a restaurant the price of $15.50 for steak and eggs kind of make the small technical things like these stick out.  Everyone makes mistakes, and I'm okay with that.  And cooking is hard.  Cooking on the line is hard.  I know this first hand.  The cooks are doing their best to put out high quality food at a rapid rate to get their tickets done.  So it's easy for me to sit at my table and notice these small things.  But it's also easy for the price of a meal to make me notice these small things.

Oh, and the bed of arugula upon which our side of bacon sat?  Unnecessary.  It didn't make the plate look any better and it was kind of a waste of food (yeah, we could've eaten the dry, undressed arugula, but it just didn't belong as part of the meal).

Lastly, there was a small problem with the check; they almost over-charged me by 50 cents.  Yes, 50 cents.  A minuscule amount, to be sure, but it shows a lack of attention to detail.

Again, these are nitpicky things.  That said, I'm going to end this review on a positive note:

The food was freaking delicious.

You should absolutely eat here.  I didn't experience any customer service problems, so perhaps I was lucky in that regard.  Our server was friendly and helpful and made us feel welcome.  What he didn't know he went to find out.  The food came relatively quickly for how full the dining room was.  The ingredients were top-notch, prepared well, seasoned well, and I enjoyed the hell out of my brunch.  Whatever teeny, tiny mistakes were made were overshadowed by the fact that I had a delicious meal.

	I will go nowhere else for brunch.
	This makes the shortlist.
	Better than "hm... not bad," worse than "ermahgerd nom nom."
	Meh.  Just... meh.
	Why did I eat here?

Let's give Bacon and Butter 4 stars for now.  I will return.  Hopefully I will have the same service experience and taste the same delightful food as during my first visit.  As long as they take great ingredients and focus on preparing them in a mouth-watering manner, I'll be back.

Bacon and Butter

1119 21st St.

Sacramento, CA 95816

916-346-4445

www.baconandbuttersac.com

My Fascination With Sushi, And What's Wrong With America

Those that know me know I love sushi.

Sushi is a fascinating food.  The concept of sushi is such a complex one built on top of a food that is so simple.  It is about beauty, precision, and extracting flavors out a few ingredients that have been treated with love and respect towards the best ingredients.

And this is why I'm so disappointed with much of how we do things in America.

(To be fair, I've never lived in Japan, so I can't tell you what's wrong with Japan).

Proper sushi takes time to learn.  It requires dedication to perfection.  Merely getting the job done isn't good enough, and yet I've seen it happen in so many sushi restaurants that it becomes more difficult to be polite:

"Oh, you want to go there?"

*apprehensive look*

"This other place is better."

*apprehensive look*

"Mmmmmmmmokay.  I guess so."

It has nothing to do with snobbery.  It's about standards.  It's about respect.  It's about love for the craft.

It can take years to learn how to make proper sushi rice.  Celebrity chef Ming Tsai spent a year in Japan just learning sushi rice (su-meshi).  It's about the proper texture; the right stickiness; the right balance of vinegar to sugar to salt in the seasoning; the right way to cool the rice; the best way to keep the rice at serving temperature.  And this is just about the rice, mind you; I haven't even touched on the skill it takes to make maki (rolls) or nigiri, or the skills and knowledge required to properly prep the individual ingredients.  How do you prepare octopus?  How do you cook the eggs?  How do you season the fish?  How can you tell the quality of the fish simply by looking, smelling, and touching?

All of these things go into making sushi.  The lower the skill, the lesser the knowledge, the lesser the quality of ingredients, and the sushi becomes less.

I recently visited a Mikuni here in Sacramento.  I hadn't been to a Mikuni in years.  When I was younger I used to love the restaurant because of all the crazy rolls, the quality of the fish (they do use quality fish), the mix of ingredients, and those sushi boats... oh, those sushi boats.  Those huge platforms of sushi, lined up in mouth-watering rows like those poor, poor rowmen in the days of old.

But during my recent visit all I saw was poor, poor execution.

Quality ingredients are just a part of good sushi.  The other parts are good preparation and good execution.  So while their fish is good, the execution, at least from the chef we were seated before, was sloppy.  I'll admit, he knew how to slice fish.  Roll construction, however, was subpar.  Layering ingredients over the top must look good before you shape.  Slicing rolls haphazardly, resulting in different sizes, is not beautiful.  Loads and loads of creamed avocado underneath slices of salmon is a waste and appears gluttonous.  And, though most likely not his fault, the rice was average.  Very average.

When I asked where he'd learned sushi, he said that after spending a year as a dishwasher he was asked if he wanted to learn sushi.  He spent some time learning prep and then was thrown on the line.

In America, at least, getting "thrown in the fire" to force cooks to learn fast is how things are done.  From what I've experienced, seen, and read, it's that way in most restaurants where they use the "French hierarchy system", though there are always exceptions.  It's understandable.  It's a long-standing practice.  The restaurant business is very high cost/low returns so restaurateurs rely on volume of sales to turn a profit.  There is just no time to waste time on taking time.  I experienced this first hand during my short-lived time as a line cook.  It's a demanding job.  And yet the best of them turn out tasty, well-crafted food.  The system does work.

I've experienced learning sushi basics in a very good restaurant run in this very manner; it was fast and hard.  It was my lack of experience and probably an internal perspective on food I may have not let surface that made it difficult to pick up learning as quickly as I wanted.  I felt out of place.  I didn't feel right.  I wanted to be as good as the chef, but I just wasn't fast enough.

When I saw Jiro Dreams Of Sushi, I saw something different.  The kitchen during prep was not chaotic.  It was not hurried.  It was calm but still had a sense of intent and purpose.  Everyone was doing a job and was set on doing their job correctly.  There are stages of learning and the next stage isn't begun until the previous stage is complete.  The focus is on the skill and the perfection of skill rather than the expedience of learning - not to say that these cooks are slow to learn.  There is an obvious work ethic.  These cooks  - at least the ones that stay and commit - train intensely for 10 years before they move on.

While I can't tell you where, for example, the cooks at Akebono on Freeport Blvd. here in Sacramento trained, it's obvious that the restaurant as a whole has a standard.  A high standard.  There are knowledgeable people making your sushi.  When you look at their sushi, it is well-crafted.  It is simple, appetizing, and made with care.  There is craftsmanship behind the sushi bar.  And they're still doing it quickly, getting plates of food out as fast as they can to western diners, all without sacrificing quality.  This is the opposite of what I experienced at Mikuni.

I'm not suggesting that American kitchens run their establishments differently.  The standard system works, but it works in context; in a high cost/low return business, volume is necessary, and with high volume comes the need for speed.  I get that.  And there's plenty of good, well-crafted food that gets delivered under this system.

But not everything needs to be like that.  It's about context.  There's a difference between slamming product out like a machine and taking the time to properly study the craft in order to hone the skills.  These are examples of two different approaches to any single subject.  And it's not just in food.  In much of our everyday life we see the former but not the latter.

Customers want their stuff now, now, now.  They want to pay less for something despite the fact that a lower price might mean lower quality.  Convenience takes precedence over craftsmanship.  It's quantity over quality.

Our lives are fast-paced.  General standards are low.  How often do we accept horribly constructed music, badly crafted film, sloppy hamburgers, cheaply made products... all because that's what is available or because the price is low?  Or both?

Sushi is simple, yet so much work goes into proper preparation and execution.  It's about love of the parts and assembling the whole with the same kind of love.  It takes knowledge, dedication, precision, and time.  It cannot be mastered in mere months.  You might be able to assemble a roll, but is it perfect?  Or is it sloppy?  Is it appetizing?  Or will it suffice because it's done?  How many things in your life suffice just because it's done, whether by you or someone else?

Sushi done properly is better.  It doesn't just look better.  It feels better.  It tastes better.  It's a better experience.  Why anyone would deface such a food with shoddy craftsmanship is astonishing to me, even though, on a rational level, I know that the real motivation behind slam-bam-here's-your-sushi is money.

And that saddens me.  It saddens me that the chefs who make such sushi don't demand more of their customers, that they don't care more about what their customers are experiencing.  It's a shame that customers don't demand more of their food, more of their chefs.

It's a shame that this line of acceptance is prevalent in so many other areas of life.  On the whole, we don't demand higher standards; we're too eager to accept what we're being given.  And what it comes down to isn't necessarily a matter of taste; I appreciate low-brow comedy, grungy garage rock, and fast food (yes I do).  But there's a difference between a low-brow comedy that was thrown together and badly acted and one that was well-crafted and well played.  There's a difference between musicians that can't play their instruments and musicians that play well and hard but choose simplicity.  There's a difference between a crappy hamburger patty slapped in between two buns and a burger that was carefully constructed yet done so in under a minute.

It isn't just consumers, either.  Think about our current television culture.  M*A*S*H didn't do very well at the start but started to pick up popularity in reruns.  Seinfeld do didn't well in the beginning, either, but had a good time slot and was allowed to develop.  M*A*S*H went on to be one of TV's greatest shows.  Seinfeld is now a seminal part of modern American pop culture and is a large contributor to our lexicon.  Both shows were given a chance despite slow beginnings.  They were given a chance to develop and find an audience.  Both had runs that lasted many years.

Today - and for the past, what, ten years - if it isn't an instant success, a television show has a much lower chance of staying on the air, no matter how good it is.  Recent examples from the last 10 years or so: Wonderfalls, Firefly, Go On... all shows that were well-received, either critically or by their audiences (big or small) at the time, but then cancelled either mid-season or after one season.  They weren't allowed to develop or grow an audience save for a single season or less.

Then there's the case of The Tonight Show With Conan O-Brien, where Conan was let go before he completed a full season.  There was a ratings drop after he took over for Jay Leno.  To make a long story short, NBC gave The Tonight Show back to Leno and released Conan from his contract.  Nevermind that Conan O'Brien was a completely different type of host than Leno, catered to a much different audience, and therefore needed time to grow into the new role and build his audience, something he wasn't allowed to do.

Times have changed.  Results are expected to come faster.  Patience is a rare commodity in both consumerism and business.  Companies try to schedule releases of products to beat other, similar products released by other companies.  Sony's Playstation and Microsoft's XBox are examples of this.  Both companies know that, with consumer impatience, the first to be released will have a greater chance of being adopted early.  While early Playstation 3 machines did have a few bugs, as is normal with first releases, the XBox 360 machines were riddled with way more problems.

The thing is, time, craft, and context is lost on much of America.  Few people want to take the time to learn anything or to wait for anything.  We want more and more and want it faster and faster.  A fast accomplishment is seen as a positive trait in business but patient, methodical action with fantastic results is just seen as too slow.  Multitasking is the order of the day whereas focusing on the task at hand is seen as negative because you're neglecting something else.

Context plays a huge part in this.  It is certainly possible to accomplish something relatively quickly with great results.  But does quick need to be applied to everything?  There are some things that need more time than others.  Sometimes more emphasis should be put on learning skills and technique rather than the speed at which something can be done.  It's about context: What are the goals?  What are you trying to do?

Are you trying to put out crappy sushi?  Because if so, your goal should be to breeze through learning basic knife skills, haphazardly apply them to your ingredients, and quickly stick the food on a plate.  In that context, you will certainly accomplish your goals.

Elaine Corn Is Cool And Knows Some Things

Elaine Corn used to be a neighbor of mine.  She's kooky, funny, and - oh yeah - she's an authoritative local food writer in Sacramento.

Recently, she posted this commentary on some food business annoyances that I thought were good points, ranging from the ridiculous volume levels in restaurants, grocery store layouts and merchandising, the stupid gluten-free trend, organic farming being the original conventional farming, and Michael Pollan.

It's a good read.  You should read it, too.

Why Biba Restaurant Is Out Of Date, And Why It's Wonderful

Whenever my friend and I walk into Biba, a high-end Italian restaurant in Sacramento, we feel like a couple of the youngest - if not the youngest - people in the place.  And we often feel a whole lot less, uh, "economically fortunate".  We dress nicely, as most of the diners do here, but it's easy to tell that money isn't as much of a problem for many of the guests here, even among some of the younger folks - again, of which there are only few.

But that feeling of having saved up just to eat here quickly subsides as everyone in the restaurant welcomes you.

The decor is less than trendy.  It's not trendy at all.  There's a live piano player in the lobby/bar area that looks like a cocktail lounge from a movie.  The main dining room is bright with a few cushioned benches in the middle with vertically-striped upholstery, wall-to-wall decorative carpet, and a ceiling rife with molded beams.  It is certainly no time machine; I've been in places that have a much older vibe, but one step into Biba and you can tell that it is a place of class that isn't really found much anymore.

Biba's main dining room.

Most higher-end restaurants have a streamlined look; the hardwood floors, an emphasis on simple-yet-stylish furniture, maybe something just a little odd, like in the case of Ella's window shutter ceiling - something that is just a little unexpected that contrasts with the otherwise clean look.  The lighting is often a little dim - "mood lighting", I believe it's called, yes?

But I'm okay with Biba not being a trendy-looking place.  And it's not just because the food is outstanding (it is.  Never had a bad meal there, and worth every penny).  Something about the look, the vibe, is just very... pleasant.

When you walk up, it looks like a German tavern.  That's because it used to be one.  Biba is housed in the Old Tavern Building, and they never changed the exterior.

And then you enter.

In the hubbub of our frantic, action-oriented, noisy life, it's nice to be able to go to a restaurant that isn't frantic, action-oriented, and noisy.  Not that Biba is a library, but the atmosphere is much more relaxed, much more formal, and therefore has a much quieter environment than many of the more trendy places to eat.  When you enter Biba, you exit real life and step into an environment where you seem... elevated.  Important.  Catered to.  It would be pampering if they gave you foot rubs in rose water (not in a restaurant, please).  I mean, they crumb your table with spoons.  Who does that anymore?  It seems like a luxury to be there.  That's the type of environment it is.

I like that.  I like that the place isn't really contemporary.  If Biba Restaurant became more trendy, it just wouldn't feel different from the rest.  It wouldn't feel special.  There's a dated charm that comes with the restaurant, but in a good way.

I'm not sure when Biba last had an interior makeover, or even a freshening-up.  But it is one of the few restaurants where class meets quiet and upscale meets happiness.

Now if only people wouldn't show up in printed T-shirts, it'd be even better.

Biba Restaurant

2801 Capitol Avenue

Sacramento, CA 95816

916-455-0542

www.biba-restaurant.com

Tapa The World - Sacramento, CA

I'm 36 years old, have lived in Sacramento all my life thus far, and had never been to Tapa The World.

Until recently.

I had no expectations, thanks to the bipolarity of the opinions of some people I know; some like the place very much, some think it's overrated.  The only things I did know is that I'd never been, I wanted a drink, and I wanted small portions of food.  For the uninitiated, tapas are basically Spanish small plates - small portions of food that is shared at the table.  Thus, Tapa The World met my food criteria.  Oh, and there's a bar, too.  Drink criteria: met.

For those in my position, it's a very cozy place.  It's dim and festive with a relative small number of tables inside.  And the tables for two are... small.  To put it nicely.  With a glass of water each for my dining companion and me, a basket of bread, two menus, and a drink list, the table was already out of space for our incoming glasses of wine and eventual dishes.

Our server was nice.  Bonus points to her for recommending a very, very enjoyable glass of white wine based on my tastes (a verdot)... I know nothing about Spanish wines.

Then the food came, which meant less room on the table.  We ordered one plate at a time, which was a wise decision, although I did end up ordering the dipping sauce for the bread - extra-virgin olive oil, balsamic vinegar, and garlic - because while the bread was decent, it was missing... pizzazz.  Good texture but definitely meant to be dipped.  I will note that this is the first I've experienced where such a basic dipping sauce needed to be ordered.  Still, it made my bread happy.

I noticed that, for a restaurant the specializes in tapas (I mean, it's in the name), the tapas menu itself is small.  The tapas themselves make up just under half of the menu.  Everything else consists of salads and entrees.  On one hand, that was a little disappointing.  On the other hand, more tapas means larger menu which means making it harder on kitchen.  On the whole, there were plenty of tapas to choose from... kind of.  My dining companion for the evening did not want to eat certain things, so, wanting to share, I did not order any shellfish.  I'll return for those at a later day.

First, the Croquetas del Dia, that night made with beef and kalamata olives.  Creamy.  "How's that, you say?"  Yeah, I know.  Looking at the ground beef filling, you'd never guess that it had a creamy texture, but it did.  There was no visual sign of kalamata olives, nor a real presence in the flavor; I can only imagine that a very fine mine or puree was used.  In any case, with the aioli, these Croquetas were delicious.

I was tempted to order more, but next we'd decided on the Pinchos Morunos - skewered Kurobuta pork seasoned with cumin, pimenton, chilies, drizzled with garlic aioli.  Dark and flavorful on the outside, the first bite is at once pleasant and confusing, until you realize there's no reason to be confused.  The meat seemed dry at first but it really wasn't.  It was tender.  Tender, delicious, and delicious.

Finally, the Calamares Fritos - essentially, fried calamari.  I had hoped for something more than just breaded, fried rings, but that's what was on the plate.  Upon first glance I was disappointed.  I unjustly wanted fried calamari prepared in a way I'd not had before, but at it's most fundamental, fried and breaded calamari is simply fried and breaded calamari.  The rest is the seasoning and accompanying sauce.

It was the most tender fried calamari I can remember having.  Soft, with very little bite, each fried ring begat a need for another bite.

There were some odd things on the menu, most notably the day's empanadas with curried beef.  That's not Spanish.  Of course, the menu does say they feature traditional Spanish tapas along with chef creations, which use ingredients from around the world.  On some level, I like that.  There's nothing wrong with fusing other cuisines with a base cuisine.  On the other hand, I really just wanted Spanish food.  Tapas.  I don't get tapas very often, and there are only a couple of restaurants in Sacramento that feature tapas as a main attraction.  When I want tapas, I want Spanish food.  But, it's not necessary to take marks off for that.

	I was transported to Spain.
	I wanted to keep eating, but the table was too small.
	Damn good... but if it weren't for this and that...
	It was alright.  I mean, yeah... it was alright.
	I still don't know what tapas are, and this place didn't help.

I think Tapa The World is worth 4 stars.  There's no denying that the food is delicious and the ambience is quite nice.  The service is friendly and prompt.  But I was admittedly surprised by how large the menu was overall but how little space the tapas occupied.  Plus, those are some pretty small tables for two.  No matter.  I shall return for the quality of the food.

Tapa The World

2115 J St.

Sacramento, CA 95816

916-442-4353

www.tapatheworld.com

The Rind - Sacramento, CA - Opening Day (5-23-2013)

I feel like there was a big hype around The Rind.  I also feel like I'm wrong about that.

You see, a friend of mine told about this place, that it was opening up soon.  After checking it out on Yelp, I found out that it specializes in wine, beer, and cheese.  Awesome, I thought... we need a place for cheese lovers here in Sacramento.

Located in Midtown Sacramento on L St., where it occupies the old L Wine Bar spot, The Rind is a small place with a small menu serving small samples of cheese.  It's a nice little place; the decor doesn't really leave a huge impression, but it's bright, inviting, and seems like a fun place to sit, hang out, have a glass of wine or two or six, and sample some cheese.

Their wine list was unexpectedly small.  They also have a selection of craft beers, both bottled and draft - the kind you'd find only at places that specialize in carrying premium beers, like gastropubs or bars such as The Shack, Kupros, or, in this case, The Rind.

It was fairly warm on opening day.  While I usually default to reds, I decided to go with a white wine.  Based on our first cheese board's pairing suggestions (which I didn't want) and my tastes, our server pointed to a dry riesling, which was damn good.

Speaking of service, it is nice enough and they've obviously been briefed about the food they're serving.  Being opening day they did seem a little scattered.  It got relatively busy and I can only imagine how close to a dress rehearsal the day must have seemed like.

There are three prix fixe cheese boards, the cheeses being grouped by a common trait.  The night's cheese menu features a sheep's milk board, a "macho" cheese board that consisted of Chimay cheese and a gouda, and a soft cheese board.  Each cheese board comes with different accompaniments, such as fruit, nuts, honey... the usual stuff.

We started with the board of soft cheeses, the "Purgatory Board".  The wine paired very well, the dryness complimenting the stronger flavors of the cheese in a way that makes you go, "Oh... that's nice."  I ordered a second glass of the same wine before we'd decided to get a second board - sheep's milk cheese - which was comprised of semi-soft cheese.  These had subtler, nuttier, mellower flavors.  My "accidental" wine pairing wasn't bad, but didn't give me that, "Oh!" pronouncement of flavor.

They offer a fourth board built of cheese of your choice, so you basically have twelve cheeses to choose from.  Their cheese menu is subject to change, which I think is a good thing as it keeps the offerings fresh.

There are other things on the menu - salads and soups - but the main attraction, other than the cheese boards, are the mac-n-cheese and the grilled cheese sandwiches.  While we didn't partake of these dishes, I'd say those are smart things to have on the menu.  It gives the cheese a cooked application in a manner that is familiar but with some liberties.

During our visit, I did wish there was a charcuterie plate.  Lo and behold, their website shows they're supposed to have one.  Perhaps they were just limiting their menu for opening day.  However, I would have spent more money if it had been offered.

Prices are very, very resonable for a place that serves fine cheese.  $12 for a prix fixe cheese board while the choose-your-own ("The Diving Board") is $14, if I remember correctly.  They do sell some wine by the glass.  Between four glasses of wine and two cheese boards, we got out of there for around $65 before tip.

I'm not quite sure how I'd rate The Rind just yet, or if I should rate it at all right now.  It was the first day and there will be some kinks to work out and probably even some changes.  While I am the type of person that wants to see the A-game right out of the gate, I know that's not how things always work.  I would be inclined to rate the place 3.5 stars if you were ask me right now, but not because it's an average place.  For what it's trying to do - bringing artisan cheeses to restaurant-going cheese lovers - it is unique.  There are some places in Sacramento that offer cheese plates but nowhere that is cheese-centric like The Rind (not counting fondue).  The wine and beer list, while good, are pretty small for a restaurant whose slogan is "Cheese. Wine.  Beer."  But perhaps my expectations were too high.  For example, when I go to a place that is supposed to specialize in wine, I expect an extensive list.

Then again, maybe they're being very selective, catering their drink selection to the cheeses they're currently serving.  And that would be very reasonable.  And smart.  And interesting.  And educational.  All things I can support.  If that's the case, they might do well to make mention of that on their menu so that customers know the proprietors want to present specific food and drink selections they know to work well together and that is what is going to enhance the eating experience of each diner that visitsThe Rind.

But, if that's not the case, then really the place becomes a little cafe that centers around cheese.

No matter the case, Sacramento now has a place for cheese lovers.  I'm not going to give The Rind an official rating just yet.  I'm going to go back.  I'm going to drink and I'm going to eat.  Until then, I say: if you love cheese, wine, and beer, give this nice little place a shot.

1801 L Street

Suite 40

Sacramento, CA 95811

www.therindsacramento.com

Mighty Kong Cafe - Sacramento, CA... CLOSED!

On May 2, 2013, Mighty Kong Cafe closed.

I think that's pretty sad.

The breakfast/lunch place was located on Stockton Blvd. here in Sacramento, right at the edge of Oak Park where it transitions into Tahoe Park.  Think Luigi's Pizza, right off 14th Ave., and you've got the spot.  Not the greatest area in terms of upkeep, but not the worst, either.

I had never seen the place empty when I'd go in to eat.  Granted, I had only been twice, but I could tell just from walking into the place that this was an establishment people liked to visit and have good comfort food - food that was very well-prepared and had just enough class to make each dish seem more elevated than it really was... but in a good way.

The prices were very reasonable, the portions were filling, the food was tasty, the service was pleasant... on my first visit, the owner went to each table asking if the diners wanted a complimentary mimosa and some free muffins.  He talked to everyone, but not in an invasive way that disturbed the meal.  The guy just wanted it known: this was his house and you are very welcome in it.

There's good food in that area if you look, but it was nice to see the Mighty Kong Cafe try to "spruce things up" a bit by doing something other than the quick eats, the cheap eats, the everyday eats.  In the surrounding joints you'll find pizza, burgers, taquerias, Chinese/Vietnamese, fast food... all places in which you can sit down to eat, but you still know where you are when you do: Stockon Blvd. in between Oak Park and Tahoe Park.

But in the Mighty Kong Cafe, you were in a completely different environment.  Inside was a place that did not match the outside.  It was dim, cozy, comfortable, well-maintained, and had a vibe that countered its location in such a way where you might be a little surprised at first, but then you welcomed it immediately.

I'm sorry to see you close, Mighty Kong.  At least, for the fans of your muffins, you will continue to live on somehow.  As a restaurant, however, I wish you'd lived longer.  It was nice having a place like you in that area.

Kupros Bistro - Sacramento, CA

I've been to Kupros several times.  Many times.

Okay, I'm a bit of a regular.  Semi-regular, but a regular nonetheless.  I've become a familiar with a couple of the waitresses and bartenders, and those I've become familiar with know my name.  I've had many beers and sampled much of the food.

And in the time I've been going to Kupros my opinion hasn't really changed, but, in fact, has become reinforced by multiple visits.

I really, really like the place, but it's actually just a pretty good place to visit.

Let's start with the service.  It's the first thing you notice when you walk in and take a seat at the bar.  When a bar is busy, you don't expect to be acknowledged right away.  You need to wait until the bartender gets to you.  It's the nature of a busy bar.  But when a bar isn't busy, when there are plenty of open seats, you - I - expect to be acknowledged, either with a, "Be right with you," or a nod, or... something.

Customer acknowledgement is iffy at Kupros.  Some of the bartenders will acknowledge you.  Especially if they know you.  Other times, you can sit down at an empty bar but you'll be waiting five to ten minutes while the bartender is off in their own world.  Possibly at the cash register.  Okay, he/she is working.  Or they're talking to another co-worker.  Okay, he/she is wor- oh, nope, they're laughing and just hanging out.  I've found it's not a big deal; when you go to a bar, you're there to relax, so there's no rush to have someone come and serve you, but I do find it odd that when the bar is near empty the service isn't more immediate.

Now, despite the deficiency in greeting, the service itself - the actual service - is very, very friendly.  Most of the people I've met there are really nice, make conversation, and make you feel welcome once they've acknowledged you.  When there's time, expect to make small talk with one of the bartenders or a server that is in between tables.  When I'm there, I don't feel like I'm just another number out for alcohol.  I feel relaxed, invited, and befriended.  It can be hard to just leave after paying the tab without saying goodbye and thank you to the person who has served you.

The service is befitting the environment, because it really is a good-looking house. Literally.  It's a house that's been beautifully remodeled.  It really is a comfortable place to go and have a drink and a bite to eat.  It's replete with semi-dark wood but not in a gaudy way.  The stained glass above the bar adds a splash of color in an otherwise brown room, which give the room a bit of life.  The bar is smack dab in the middle with tables lining the perimeter and there's seating upstairs for a more private, quieter time.

Now, let's get to the food.

When a small plate listing is titled "Mixed Greens" and described as being a plate of mixed, seasonal vegetables, and what is served is just a spring-mix salad with a vinaigrette, one does feel a large sense of disappointment.  And psychology does have a great affect on how one perceives their meal.  So, as you can imagine, when I received my plate of the so-called "Mixed Greens", I wondered why I got the smallest salad in the world.

Kupros serves a variety of fries, from regular to garlic, from sweet to poutine, the Canadian staple of fries, gravy, and cheese curds.  Fries, in my opinion, should be crispy on the outside.  I'm pretty sure that the opinion of the majority of French fry lovers.  And for good reason.  Soggy fries and just not fun to eat.  A crispy fry provides a contrast of textures in a single bite: the crisp crunch of the golden, brown, and delicious outside, and the soft, mealy inside.

I have not once had a crispy French fry at Kupros.

The fries at Kupros are pretty one-dimensional in texture.  When they arrive, they appear brown and tasty, but they're flimsy and floppy, no matter how thick they are.  You can see the oil glistening in the ambient lighting, but when you bite into one you may as well be biting into a roasted potato stick.  There could be any number of reasons for such a soft French fry: perhaps they don't blanch them beforehand, prepping them to be finished off in hot, hot oil; maybe they sit in the window too long before they're run to the table; maybe the oil isn't hot enough.  In any case, a soggy fry is an unappetizing fry, even when covered in gravy and cheese curds.

(And yes, there's a difference between a soft fry and a fry that's crisp but softened by gravy)

There are other deficiencies in the food, but to get to the point, the best food you can order at Kupros is the hearty comfort food.  The mac-and-cheese is good.  The pappardelle with puttanesca is a favorite of mine, when it's on the menu.  The chicken piccata is light and simple yet very enjoyable.  The burger, while note quite worth $11, is quite good - too much cheese, though, and reminiscent of a Squeeze Inn-style burger but without the actual fried cheese skirt.  But, decent enough.  Filling, tasty, and featuring good ingredients.

When you've got a little bit of money but want a decent amount of food, they do offer a 3-small-plates-for-$10 deal, which gives you a good sampling and is enough for a small, shared meal for two.

And let's not forget about the liquor.  They have a good collection of whiskey and Scotch, a small wine list, and plenty of beer.  They have good draft selection and as well as a premium bottled selection.  They even have domestic swill on hand for those that like to drink beer-flavored soda water on the cheap.

So, why do I like the place so much?  Comfort.  It's such a comfortable place to go and have a drink, get some enjoyable food, and sit.  I feel welcome there.  I like the environment.  I feel sociable, even when I'm not in a social mood.  It's just... nice.  It's really, really nice.  It's such an easy place to become a regular at that I've become a regular.  And I enjoy it.

The verdict?

	I would never go to another bar.
	I frequent this place like I frequent my own refrigerator.
	As comfortable as a good lounge chair.
	It'll do in a pinch.
	Why bother?

I give Kupros 3.5 stars.  I feel comfortable and invited every time I come here, and I do come here often enough to be considered a regular customer.  It's not the greatest place you can go to for food and drink, but it's still quite good.

Kupros Bistro

1217 21st Street

Sacramento, CA 95811

(916) 440-0401
www.kuprosbistro.com