Adamo's Kitchen

Adamo’s is a small eatery on P St. in Midtown Sacramento that specializes mostly in Italian-American fare. They have a small menu that has a wide appeal, featuring plenty of pastas and sandwiches, with a few non-Italian inspired dishes here and there. Because it’s a casual bistro, these non-Italian items - burgers, chicken and waffles, pulled pork sandwich - don’t seem out of place but instead comfortably fit right in.

I've had take-out from Adamo's twice now, once for a burger and once for the grilled chicken pesto sandwich. The worst thing I have to say about the place is that it's overpriced by a dollar or two in terms of portion but pretty spot on in terms of quality.

But that really is the worst thing I have to say. So let's get the portion value out of the way, first.

The burger is listed at $10 for a 1/3 lb patty. At Nationwide Freezer Meats, you can get a double French ground steak cheeseburger - two 1/3 lb patties - for about the same price, give or take (I forget the actual current price. Sorry, folks). Comparatively, at Burger's And Brew, the 1/2 lb cheeseburger is about $7.50 while the double (1 lb!) is $9.95. Adamo's burger comes with fries - as do all sandwiches (unless you want a salad),, so there's slightly added portion value, except that potatoes are cheap. However, these fries are quite excellently prepared... but more on that later. At Nationwide, you do have to spring for a side separately, so you're spending more in that regard. Fries come with the burger at Burgers And Brew. So, if the burger is your main objective, Adamo's is on the more expensive side, pound for pound.

One look at the grilled chicken pesto sandwich and you’ll think, "Well… that's small." It looked the size of a La Bou sandwich made on a baguette: fairly short and narrow. And this thing is $10.50. Specialty sandwiches at La Bou are significantly cheaper. This isn’t to say it didn't look delicious, but its small size is one of the very first things I noticed.

Now, keep in mind that all of the above pertains to price value of the portion size. I do NOT think food is all about portion. But, it is something to keep in mind because you always want to feel like you've eaten just enough and that you've paid accordingly.

That said, I now move on to the quality of the food. How is it?

Pretty damn tasty. The expense is definitely for the quality.

It's been a while since I had that burger, but I recall a soft, tasty, warm burger. It wasn't hearty like a Nationwide burger. It was more of a gourmet burger that was crafted rather than stacked together, which isn’t a bad thing at all. Different styles of burgers, like any other food, fit different types of moods. I don't remember thinking that it was that fun to eat, but that’s probably because I was most likely not in the mood for that particular style of burger; it’s well-crafted style is more subtle than robust. That certainly wouldn't stop me from ordering it again.

I just recently had the grilled chicken sandwich, and boy... it's great. The combination of the pesto with the bruschetta-style tomatoes, and that chewy, firm bread... delicious. The sliced chicken breast was cooked all the way through without being too dry. In fact, it was quite tender and enjoyable to eat, unlike some chicken breast that's cooked so dry you might as well be eating bricks of desert sand. The sandwich, overall, was salty and bright at the same time.

My first bite into the sandwich, I thought, "I'll be finishing each half of this in like 5 bites each." Nope. It took longer to eat than expected. Of course, the accompanying fries did help slow me down, but the sandwich itself is deceptive in its portion. It was so tasty I actually wanted to take slightly smaller bites just so I could make it last longer. I have since craved it and have been tempted to return for it more often than I should.

Oh, and those fries. Those great French fries. I'm a shoestring fry type of guy. Anything larger, like a thick cut fry, had better be super crispy on the outside. And Adamo's did not disappoint. One look at them upon opening my to-go box and I could tell they were going to be good. They were a nice, dark golden brown. Inside was warm and soft, not mushy. They did these fries right. Not heavy on the salt, but maybe could have used a pinch more. After all, they are thick cut fries and something's got to counter the potato blandness of the insides, right? Well, the side of aioli helped a lot. A hint of garlic without being over-powering, creamy without being heavy... There wasn't enough of it. Adamo’s gives you quite a good amount of fries, and perhaps a less indulgent person could have made the aioli last, but I was left with a few fries that would have to be eaten solo, sans aioli.

While I haven't eaten in yet, Adamo's features a small, cozy bar and dining area, and a warm ambience and decor that contrasts its outside surroundings - a laundromat, liquor mart, tattoo parlor... Stepping inside transports you to a nice, comfortable, inviting place to sit, eat, and have a drink. Customer service has always been very friendly and conversational.

The verdict?

	I only eat here. Only here.
	Must... control... spending... money...
	I gotta be a regular here.
	Maybe if there's nowhere else to go.
	I'd rather eat at the quick mart a couple doors over.

Adamo’s earns 4 out of 5 stars for me. I do wish the prices were a little lower, but the quality of the food is good enough where I really can’t complain about them. I just need to be more choosy about when I go, lest I become broke as a result of giving in to my food cravings. I'm looking forward to making time to eat in, enjoy the place, and even have a drink.

Adamo's Kitchen

2107 P Street

Sacramento, CA 95816 

916-440-9611

http://www.adamoskitchen.com/