Tim's Dining Report

Pizza Rock

2011-03-16T12:49:00.000-07:00

Lunch-Dinner-Late Night
1020 K Street
Sacramento, CA 95814
916-737-5777
www.pizzarocksacramento.com

This is a fantastic addition to K street and is almost directly across the street from the Crest Theatre. The quality of the pizza is very good and there is a vast variety to choose from, if you are not a pizza eater they do have other entree and salad options. The have pizzas cooked in four different types of ovens, depending on the pizza you order. The restaurant is open and can be a pretty fun environment with the bar on the right side of the room stretching almost the entire length of the restaurant, with a big rig truck hanging out of the wall over the bar, the ceiling is painted with a very cool scene that you will have to see for yourself. The prices are very reasonable for the quality of the ingredients and the quality of the pizza, I would recommend trying the Cal Italia pizza which was the gold medal winner on the Food Network Pizza Champions Challenge. Depending on the day and time you come in, there is a guy that tosses dough in the dining room which can be very entertaining. If you want to get a bite to eat later in the evening, they do stay open pretty late and Thursday through Saturday they are open until 3 A.M.

Kilt Pub

2011-03-16T12:29:00.000-07:00

Lunch-Dinner
4235 Arden Way
Sacramento, CA 95864
916-487-4979
http://www.kilt-pub.com/

This is a new addition to the Arden Park area and it is a fantastic addition at that. They are still making changes continuously because it is a new restaurant, but the food is very good with items like shepherd's pie and fish & chips. The owner John is there most of the time and he wants his customers to enjoy their time in his establishment, the staff is friendly and helpful. The beer and wine selections are very good and the prices are very reasonable. They offer steel tip darts in the side room and children are welcomed in this new Scottish pub, they have added a pretty good children's menu. Try some items such as the black and white pudding or the cheese and pickle sandwich, they are different but very good and you might be surprised to find one of your new favorites. I would recommend to get at least a cup of the soup of the day each time you go in, the soup is always changing and I have had about eight very good soups.

Danielle's Creperie

2011-03-16T12:09:00.000-07:00

Breakfast-Lunch-Dinner
3535 Fair Oaks Blvd.
916-972-1911
www.daniellescreperie.com

This is a fantastic french inspired restaurant that serves a huge variety of crepes for breakfast, lunch, and dinner. Every crepe I have had over the years has been fantastic, with my all time favorite crepe being the Crepe Normande which has shrimp and scallops in a St. Jacques sauce, I could eat this crepe for any meal. They serve other breakfast items like waffles and pancakes, but their soups, salads, and sandwiches are very good as well. Don't forget to try some appetizers such as the escargot or the pork liver pate. I recommend during nice weather going over for brunch and sitting outside, they do bottomless champagne or mimosas if you want to sit back and enjoy yourself. The staff is very friendly and can make some good recommendations if you are not sure what to get, but I would suggest trying the daily specials because I have found a few gems such as the tomato soup.

Pita Kitchen

2011-03-16T11:33:00.000-07:00

Mediterranean Cuisine
Halal
2989 Arden Way
Sacramento, CA 95825
916-480-0560

This is a medium sized restaurant that can accommodate some larger groups. The food is fantastic and authentic, it is very healthy and is made from scratch. For the quality of the food that you get this restaurant is very cheap, you can eat lunch here for five dollars and get one of the best pita sandwiches that you will ever have. The staff is very friendly and for the most part with a couple exceptions are part of the family run restaurant. For vegans or vegetarians this restaurant is a great find because they offer twenty six items on their menu that are vegan but since I was a vegan myself for about a year I have noticed that a few of these items are only vegetarian not vegan. They also offer some refrigerated items and grocery items at the front of the restaurant which is great if you want to eat some of these foods at home. I would recommend to try this restaurant and you will go back frequently.

The Kitchen

2011-03-16T11:16:00.000-07:00

Dinner
2225 Hurley Way
Sacramento, CA 95825
916-568-7171
http://www.thekitchenrestaurant.com/

This restaurant is more than just great food, it is a great experience. It may not be a restaurant that everyone can afford to go to on a regular basis or even a monthly basis, but i do recommend that if you are on a tight budget to save for a few months and treat yourself and maybe a person you love to this fine restaurant experience. Reservations are a must and it is likely that you might not get a reservation for a month or two depending on when you want to go. The dinner will be a six course meal in a very small restaurant that sits around the kitchen where you watch them prepare every course, if there is any course that you really enjoy, just ask for more and enjoy yourself. If you like wine they have a great wine list, if you are unsure about how to pair wines with your food then they can make great recommendations. I recommend checking to see what the menu is going to be before you go because for the price you are paying you should like the kind of food that is being prepared for you, and it is a pre-set menu that changes monthly. If you have certain food preferences such as being vegetarian, let them know in advance and they can make some changes for you.

Chandos Tacos

2011-03-16T11:01:00.000-07:00

Taco Stand
863 Arden Way
Sacramento, CA 95815
916-641-8226
www.chandostacos.com

This small taco stand has tables to sit at outside and they also have a tent in the back with enclosed seating with heaters. This is the best, most authentic meats I have had since I spent time in Mexico. The menu is small but very good, they have tacos, tortas, burritos, and mulitas (kind of like a quesadilla). The meats for these items are the best part, they have adobada cooked on the tropo (marinated pork cooked on an upright rotisserie), they have buche and lengua as well which make some of the best tacos I have ever had. For those of you who are not sure about these types of meats, they also have the normal stuff like chicken, carnitas, and carne asada. I do suggest either getting there early for lunch of going very late for lunch because the line does get very long, I have not had any real problems with a long line for dinner but they are not open very late so go for an early dinner.

Matteos Pizza & Bistro

2011-03-16T10:46:00.000-07:00

Lunch and Dinner
5132 Arden Way
Carmichael, CA 95608
916-779-0727
http://www.pizzamatteo.com/

Matteos is a really good restaurant that has food that ranges from soups and salads to brick oven pizzas that are all very good, my personal favorite is "The New Yorker" pizza which is made with ricotta, fresh mozzarella, garlic cream, and caramelized onions. This medium sized restaurant also offers a nice selection of pastas and entrees such as ziti made with basil pesto, parmesan, and sun dried tomatoes. The prices are very reasonable with the most expensive item on the menu being a sesame seared ahi tuna that is $16.95. They are family friendly here but I do recommend getting there early or trying to make reservations because the restaurant does seem to get a lot of business.

Flaming Grill Cafe

2009-11-04T17:22:00.000-08:00

2319 El Camino Avenue
Phone: (916)359-0840 Fax: (916)359-0930
www.flaminggrillcafe.com

The Flaming Grill Cafe is a small cafe style restaurant that serves very good hamburgers as well as other food such as sandwiches, appetizers, and salads. They specialize in different kinds of meats that they use to make some very good burgers. Right now they have meats such as the usual like angus and sirloin hamburger but also things as far away from hamburger as you can get. They currently carry elk,yak,wild boar,kangaroo, lamma and the most recent addition of alligator. They currently are carrying over 75 beers and you can also get some dynamite milkshakes as well as some really good dessert items. Most of the seating will be outside so if you are afraid of the cold or the heat pick your times very carefully and come prepared for being outside on covered patios. The food is excellent so give it a try.

Uptown Cafe

2009-09-18T16:02:00.001-07:00

Breakfast and Lunch
1121 Del Paso Blvd.
(916)649-2233

I have been going into this restaurant for a couple years now, and even though it is out of my way, I still find my way over there. There is seating indoors or outdoors, on the patio or porch area. The staff is very friendly and always make you feel like you are welcome. The food is GREAT, the portions are large and delicious and very reasonably priced. Any item that has a sauce on it such as biscuits and gravy or any of the benedicts, are so good. If you love food, or just eat to stay alive, this restaurant will fulfill your needs. Make your way over there and you will be back the next day to try something else.

Maalouf's Taste of Lebanon

2009-09-17T18:51:00.000-07:00

Lebanese Cuisine
1433 Fulton Avenue, STE G
(916)972-8768

Maalouf's serves very good Lebanese food from this small location. The staff is very friendly and they do a great job of making you feel welcome and at home. The location is small and often busy, but I have never had a problem getting in. The menu is good for dinner or lunch, you will receive pretty large portions of food. They have some great sauces that they put on their meats and the food is wonderful. If you have not had Lebanese food before you should stop by and try this restaurant out.

Nagato Sukiyaki

2009-09-17T16:27:00.000-07:00

Japanese Cuisine
2874 Fulton Avenue
(916)489-8230
www.nagatosukiyaki.com

Nagato Sukiyaki is Sacramento's oldest Japanese restaurant, it has been open since 1970 and has always been Japanese owned and operated. The staff is warm and welcoming and make you feel like part of the family. The restaurant is small and can get very busy. If there is a wait, it is well worth it to stay. I have never had to wait, usually there is a spot available. There food from the kitchen is great and the quality of the fish that sushi chef Don serves is superb. Their menu is loaded with good food and I always say "If you like really good Japanese food Nagato Sukiyaki is the best."

Mamma Susanna's Ristorante

2009-09-17T14:27:00.000-07:00

Italian Cuisine
5487 Carlson Drive
(916)452-7465
www.mammasusannas.com

Mamma Susanna's is a small Italian restaurant near Sacramento State College. The staff are very friendly and will make you feel like family. You can make reservations and there are nights when they can be full and there may be a wait. The wait is worth the food you are going to receive. The menu is pretty big and has great Italian dishes as well as pizzas,sandwiches, and calzones. There is no dress code and the prices are reasonable. If you are looking for great Italian food or a quiet night out, you need to go to this restaurant.

Green Jade Restaurant

2009-09-17T14:14:00.001-07:00

Szechuan - Mandarin Cuisine
2436 Mission Avenue
(916)481-8780

Green Jade is a great place to get Chinese food. This is a smaller restaurant but there is usually a spot available if you want to eat there. Their food is very good and very cheap for the amount of food that you get, very large portions. The staff is very friendly and makes you feel at home. If you want Chinese food make a stop by this restaurant.

Don Quixote's Mexican Grill

2009-09-17T13:57:00.000-07:00

Mexican Cuisine
2648 Watt Avenue (corner of Watt and Kings way)
(916)481-3000
http://www.thedon.net/

Don Quixote's is a nice Mexican Grill that is set up similar to Chipotle. You go up and order your food the same way and tell them what you would like in your order. There is a much larger menu to choose from though, and the food is great.They have soups, burritos, burrito bowls, tacos, tostadas, enchiladas, nachos, and more. You can choose from different meat selections such as adobada, carnitas, carne asada, pollo, and chile verde. Also there is an ample amount of room to sit down and eat there if you choose to. Great spot to eat at a reasonable price.