(Okay, okay, that's a cheesy title. I couldn't resist)
As much as I love food and dining out in Sacramento, I inevitably get stumped on the "where should we go to eat?" question. It's not as though there aren't a lot of places to go, but for some reason it's awfully hard to decide sometimes. Carmen and I went to look at a friend's art exhibit yesterday and wanted to get a bite to eat afterwards. She drove (a little below the speed limit and in at least one circle) through midtown as we tried to decide. I ran through about 10 suggestions, but nothing stuck. Finally Carmen said she'd always wanted to try that "Czech-Italian place next to the pub in East Sac." That place is La Trattoria Bohemia on J Street.
The place has a real neighborhood feel. We were only the second table when we sat down, but the restaurant started to fill up by the time we paid our bill. The menu offers Czech specialties like Goulash and Chicken Paprikash, as well as Italian staples like pasta & pizza. Carmen ordered the Spinach Ravioli with Pesto ($13.50). I opted for a bowl of the Chicken & Dumpling soup ($4.50) & a Spinach Pizza ($11 for baby spinach, artichokes, chicken, feta cheese, mozzarella cheese and olive oil). The soup was piping hot with big pieces of chicken, veggies and delicious dumplings. My pizza had a doughy crust and was loaded with fresh spinach and piles of cheese. The 8" personal size is enough for last night's dinner and today's lunch. Carmen really enjoyed her pasta and remarked on the freshness of the spinach in her homemade pasta.
Surprisingly, we both had a glass of wine. She chose the Castello d'Albola Chianti ($7.50) and I went for the Hey Mambo! red ($6.75), just because it had a fun name. The desserts looked good too (apple struedel, tiramisu) but I already had my heart set on Big Spoon across the street (http://sachappyhour.blogspot.com/2007/10/fro-yo-faceoff.html).
La Trattoria Bohemia is a great, little place with a warm atmosphere. Next time you can't make up your mind, it's definitely worth a stop.
Monday, December 10, 2007
Thursday, December 6, 2007
I guess you could call us wine-os...
I know you all have missed our postings, but with the end of the semester upon me, and the end of year and the holiday season on everyone else (I haven't gotten that far yet) we just haven't had that much time to go out to eat. However, Jennifer and I have had plenty of time to drink (shocking)and I just thought you'd like to know what we've been up to lately.
Unless it's been a really bad day, our drink of choice is wine, and we've made two rather surprising discoveries lately. As much as I love 58 Degrees and other bars around town, I'm just tired of the scene lately. Sometimes I just want a good glass of wine and some nice company. My favorite for the quiet nights is the The Grand on L and 16th. If you haven't been to this little hole-in-the-wall wine bar yet, you have to give it a try. It's a literal hole-in-the-wall, in what was intended to be a parking lot kiosk. But the owners of Aioli took over and reinvented it into a great little space. Check out the amazing decor and the feeling of spaciousness. They have a relatively small list of wines that cover all parts of the world, but you can tell the wines are intentionally chosen for those who love wine. The Grand has also started serving tapas, soup, and panini from Aioli. I haven't had a chance to try them yet, but they look fantastic. I'll be sure to report back when I have.
Our other favorite place lately is Sweetwater on J in East Sac. This is mostly for location reasons, it's on both my and Jennifer's way home (sort of). The wine list is good, but not fantastic, but they do pour you a pretty good sized glass. What they lack for in selection they make up in quality; the Holly's Hill Grenache is a great choice. The service is rather hit or miss, one of our first times there our bartender was fantastic, and last night the service was rather disappointing. But the bartenders are friendly, the clientele is mostly regulars, and the ambiance is great. Check out the rotating artwork. All I've eaten here was calamari, which was delicious and had bits of friend red pepper, jalapenos, and onions.
I recommend both The Grand and Sweetwater if you're looking for a smaller, quieter place to grab a glass of wine. Definitely check out The Grand if you're downtown, and even if not, it's worth the drive.
Unless it's been a really bad day, our drink of choice is wine, and we've made two rather surprising discoveries lately. As much as I love 58 Degrees and other bars around town, I'm just tired of the scene lately. Sometimes I just want a good glass of wine and some nice company. My favorite for the quiet nights is the The Grand on L and 16th. If you haven't been to this little hole-in-the-wall wine bar yet, you have to give it a try. It's a literal hole-in-the-wall, in what was intended to be a parking lot kiosk. But the owners of Aioli took over and reinvented it into a great little space. Check out the amazing decor and the feeling of spaciousness. They have a relatively small list of wines that cover all parts of the world, but you can tell the wines are intentionally chosen for those who love wine. The Grand has also started serving tapas, soup, and panini from Aioli. I haven't had a chance to try them yet, but they look fantastic. I'll be sure to report back when I have.
Our other favorite place lately is Sweetwater on J in East Sac. This is mostly for location reasons, it's on both my and Jennifer's way home (sort of). The wine list is good, but not fantastic, but they do pour you a pretty good sized glass. What they lack for in selection they make up in quality; the Holly's Hill Grenache is a great choice. The service is rather hit or miss, one of our first times there our bartender was fantastic, and last night the service was rather disappointing. But the bartenders are friendly, the clientele is mostly regulars, and the ambiance is great. Check out the rotating artwork. All I've eaten here was calamari, which was delicious and had bits of friend red pepper, jalapenos, and onions.
I recommend both The Grand and Sweetwater if you're looking for a smaller, quieter place to grab a glass of wine. Definitely check out The Grand if you're downtown, and even if not, it's worth the drive.
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