Cowtown Eats - Sacramento's Happy Hours

Daily Dining Deal: Iron Steaks & Weekly Roundup

I hope you're checking Cowtown Eats daily to get the latest dining deals as they pop up. Today's deals are:

• $25 for a $50 gift certificate to Iron Steaks (Happy Hour Info)

Active deals:

$25 for a $50 gift certificates

• Cattlebaron's Cafe in Penryn
• Faces
• Ginger's Restaurant in Roseville
• Kupros Bistro
• Serritella's Italian Food & Pizza in Carmichael

$12.50 for a $25 gift certificates

• Laylina Restaurant
• Mermaid's Seafood & Grill in Davis
• River City Saloon in Old Sac
• Straw Hat Pizza in Natomas & Roseville (Happy Hour Info)
• Yager's Pub in Folsom

Weekly Sacramento Restaurant Reviews & News Recap

Restaurant Reviews

Dining: Pine Tree House the delicious, exotic real deal of Korean cooking - If you are a product of mainstream America and came of age eating only those cuts of meat everyone else was eating, the Pine Tree House just might freak you out. If, on the other hand, you believe food can be a cultural gateway to expand your palate and perceptions, you will be inspired by this understated, often bustling and very Korean little restaurant next to a doughnut shop in a Rancho Cordova strip mall. Blair Anthony Robinson in the Sac Bee.

Heat Shabu Baru: What's the Password? - Persistently, the suspicion nags at Heat Shabu Baru that any moment now the music will swell and cages will descend from the ceiling with dancers in sunglasses, lime-green miniskirts and white go-go boots. Is this suspicion fueled by the stylized, pumpkin-orange apple-peel chandeliers? The pink walls? The brightly lit red “bricks” of the bar? Perhaps the white leather chairs, most likely made of the same material as the soon-to-be-seen go-go boots? These are proximate causes, for sure, but it’s more an overarching vibe that causes this smallish space on 18th Street off Broadway to feel like someone’s private club. As though there ought to be a slot in the front door and someone asking for the evening’s password. Maybe that’s why “baru”—Japanese for bar—is part of the title. Greg Lucas in Sac News & Review.

Dining Out: Marrakech Moroccan Restaurant - We went about this all wrong. We stopped by Marrakech on a whim recently, hungry after shopping. Basically, we were looking for a quick bite to eat. What were we thinking? Marrakech is a good dinner or party spot, but a meal there is an undertaking. There were many courses and much ritual. Our quick little bite turned into 90 minutes, and that was with us rushing and taking most of our food to go. Malcolm Maclachlan in Capitol Weekly.

Need an Attitude Adjustment? Try Kathmandu Kitchen - When I’m feeling gloomy, grouchy or bored, I often seek out boldly-flavored food to lift my spirits. Such was the case recently, when I called friendly Kathmandu Kitchen and ordered up the restaurant’s creamy chicken tikka masala...Kira O'Donnell in Sac Mag.

Restaurant News

Eclectic mix planned for Splash Bar - Ai "Al" Pham, who co-owns Azukar, and partners are opening the new bar to replace Avalon at the corner of 15th and H streets. Originally a veterans hall, the address has become a troubled spot that spelled the end for two nightclubs. Suzanne Hurt in Sac Press.

Bob Shallit: A dad inspired new restaurant Hads -  A bit of the Fireside Restaurant and bar lives on in midtown Sacramento – at the newly opened Hads Steak and Seafood. Fifth-generation Sacramentan Julia Hadley recently bought the former Taki sushi house at 1925 J St. and turned it into a place with some elements from the Fireside, a place she visited often with her dad growing up. Bob Shallit in the Sac Bee.

RIP The Hot Pastrami on Auburn Blvd near Watt, reports a thread over at Chowhound.

Do you like the weekly news recaps or do you like the food news daily? Let me know what you think in the comments below or at cowtowneats@gmail.com.

Weekly Sacramento Restaurant Reviews & News Recap

Restaurant Reviews

Dining review: Sacramento's Buggy Whip a restaurant anachronism with a loyal fan base - In 1959, Bozo the Clown premiered on television, Charles de Gaulle became president of France, Buddy Holly and Billie Holiday left us too soon, Ford stopped production on the Edsel none too soon, and in the fall of that relatively slow news year, the Buggy Whip opened for business in Sacramento. Blair Anthony Robertson in the Sac Bee.

Good Eats: Kinda sorta - Good Eats is aptly named. Its fare isn’t bad. It’s not great. And “Kinda Good Eats,” “Sorta Good Eats” or “Mediocre Eats” ain’t gonna fill the tables. To paraphrase David Crosby, Good Eats has been a long time coming with the potential to be a soon time gone. Greg Lucas in the Sac News & Review.

Night Life: Early birds, night owls flock to Kasbah Lounge's happy hours -  Kasbah Lounge transports you into another land the moment you step through the door. The exotic restaurant favors "barely there" overhead lighting, accented by candles, creating an almost sleepy space ideal for dates or small groups. Casey Mar in the Sac Bee.

A Tasty Reason to Drive Over the Causeway: Fat Face Pop + Food Shop - Last week I had a fantastic cola-braised pork sandwich, adorned with avocado salsa and queso fresco, at a very curious and endearing shop (if you can call it that) in Davis. Kira O'Donnell in Sac Mag.

Sac Foodies Review: Sienna Restaurant: El Dorado Hills - I rarely make it up the hill to El Dorado Hills, but I’d heard from a number of different people that I needed to venture out and try Sienna, a newish, beautiful restaurant in El Dorado Hills. Recently, I did just that. We hosted a baby shower in the Coriander Room of Sienna – a beautiful glass-enclosed room that seats about 10 comfortably, and enjoyed their delicious and varied menu. Maria Chacon Kniestedt in Sac Foodies.

Golden Bear, Midtown - If you haven’t noticed from past posts, we’re big fans of The Food Network’s Diners, Drive-ins and Dives .  I must admit that I live vicariously through Guy Fieri and his ventures to the nation’s lesser-known restaurant gems.  So, when I heard that Guy would be making a visit to Midtown’s very own Golden Bear   I knew I had to scope out the menu.  After all, it was news to me that the fare at this popular Midtown spot spanned beyond your typical bar food! Cecily Fuller in Sac Foodies.

Restaurant News

Danielle's Creperie closes one location - Danielle's Creperie at 901 K St., in downtown Sacramento recently closed its doors. Mark Glover in the Sac Bee.

Changes at Kupros Bistro - John Gurnee is out as chef at Kupros Bistro, a 21st Street gastropub that opened in August. The reason? Gurnee and owner Stephen Tokuhama didn’t see eye to eye on the food or the restaurant’s direction. Marybeth Bizjak in Sac Mag.

Foodies use social media to share their meals virtually - And in this latest Twitter update, Kris Vera-Phillips is having a "city roll" with spicy tuna and unagi from Miso on Broadway. The next day it's a huge lunch at Jamie's with @suzannephan: Lamb stew in a breadbowl. Chris Macias in the Sac Bee.

La Bou shuts four stores, opens two new ones -  Sacramento coffee-and-croissant chain La Bou has closed four locations, including its original J Street site downtown, and is opening two new stores in West Sacramento and El Dorado Hills. Darrell Smith in the Sac Bee.

Squeezing the competition - Sacramento's most famous burger joint is in growth mode. The owner of Squeeze Inn reports he is looking at possible new locations in midtown Sacramento and West Sac. Bob Shallit iin the Sac Bee.

Giovanni's Pizzeria Closing - NATOMAS BUZZ reader Deb wrote to tell us Giovanni's Pizzeria, located in the Town Center Shopping Center, will close its doors permanently Nov. 21. In Natomas Buzz.

Pause Lounge & Kitchen coming to Roseville - Apart from Hawks in Granite Bay, you're not going to find much in the way of "slow food" around the Roseville 'burbs. But a new Roseville restaurant called Pause Lounge & Kitchen is expected to open by the end of November, emphasizing farm-to-table and locally sourced foods. Lucas and Leyland Jacob Elia, the brotherly team behind Bloom Coffee & Tea, have joined forces again to open Pause. Look for such menu items as seared foie gras, beef marrow bones, duck breast and house cured olives. Chris Macias in the Sac Bee.

Your Guide: Restaurants get busy as days shorten -  Weather affects restaurant business. So do the seasons. So do events in the city and the world. So does, it sometimes seems, pretty much everything. Which means, as we hit November, and the weather turns cold and often wet, and as night comes earlier – by the way, daylight saving ends this weekend – that is when the restaurant world, of course, turns really, really busy. Rick Kushman in the Sac Bee.

Do you like the weekly news recaps or do you like the food news daily? Let me know what you think in the comments below or at cowtowneats@gmail.com.

Weekly Sacramento Restaurant Reviews & News Recap

Restaurant Reviews

Pho Xe Lua: Ride the pho train - The only two words in Vietnamese required at a Vietnamese restaurant are dac biet. It’s swell to know bo is “beef” and heo is “pork,” and that ga is “chicken” or “poultry.” But the Rosetta Stone is dac biet, which means “special.” And like any restaurant, the best chance of waddling out happy is to go for the house’s signature dish. Greg Lucas in the Sac News & Review.

Night Life: Feel the love at east Sacramento's Clubhouse 56 Sports Lounge - Clubhouse 56 Sports Lounge turns the stereotypical idea of a sports bar on its head, a pleasant surprise given the less-than-exciting impression the bar's exterior offers. Casey Mar in the Sac Bee.

Counter Culture: Eat with your fingers at Sacramento's Boiling Crab - Two lunch pals and I put our digits to work last week at the month-old Boiling Crab. We wanted a mound of blue crabs, but none was available. So we started with a pound each of steamed clams in the shell and steamed heads-on prawns, both swimming in sauces we'd ordered "XXX" for heat. Allen Pierleoni in the Sac Bee.

Review: Kupros Bistro - I’m sure there are many ways to begin a review of Kupros Bistro, midtown’s hot new gastropub, but mine involves an epiphany—a beer epiphany, to be exact. It started when I took a long, greedy gulp of Mendocino Eye of the Hawk Select Ale while sitting at Kupros’ stunning mahogany bar. The draft ale offered a bracing, complex punch of big flavor that rocked my world. In that moment, I was transformed from a beer liker to a beer lover. Kira O'Donnell in Sac Mag.

Dining Out: Cafe Roma - Okay, time to stop complaining: We finally have an Italian eatery downtown within a five-minute walk from my office, and it’s about time. If I eat any more Thai, I‘ll scream. John Howard in Capitol Weekly.

Hidden Gem: Chando's Tacos - I hit the jackpot recently when I visited Chando's Tacos on Arden Way, a teeny family-owned establishment that's creating quite a buzz amongst local foodies. Kira O'Donnell in Sac Mag.

Try It: Zoo Food - My son and I visited the Sacramento Zoo recently to check out Jingga, the new Sumatran tiger cub, and ended up at the zoo’s Kampala Café for a snack. This attractive, airy space, whose glass walls allow visitors to gaze out on the animals as they dine, serves up some surprisingly varied and delicious fare. Kira O'Donnell in Sac Mag.

Restaurant News

Zagat: Sacramento second-worst city for tipping - Sacramento diners pinch their pennies extra tight when it comes to restaurant tipping. That tidbit comes courtesy of Wednesday's 2011 America's Top Restaurants Survey by Zagat, which polled more than 153,000 consumers around the country. Chris Macias in the Sac Bee.

The Dollar-Wise Gourmet: Happy Birthday - Every February when my birthday rolls around, I head to Frank Fat’s with The Boyfriend. There, we curl up in a booth, drink martinis, and eat pot stickers, honey walnut prawns and Mongolian beef. We love Fat’s, but that’s not the only reason we do the annual L Street shuffle. What really sucks us in is that Fat’s offers a free slice of its famous banana cream pie on your birthday. Now that’s one sweet deal. This got me to thinking: What other birthday dining deals are out there? Here’s what I found...Cathy Cassinos-Carr in Sac Mag.

Belgian for Beginners - Belgian beer is having a moment. As the region’s restaurants showcase ever more beers from Belgium, patrons and proprietors are lapping them up. Jan Ferris-Heenan in Sac Mag.

Sac Mag's 2010 Best of Sacramento List - At Sacramento magazine, we’re all about showcasing the very best the Sacramento region has to offer. So it’s no wonder “Best of Sacramento” is our favorite feature of the year. In the following pages, you’ll not only find out who our subscribers say are the “best” in 58 categories; you’ll also discover 75 of our own editors’ picks, including some familiar faces and places plus others that might be new to you but that we think are pretty darn special. So sit back, relax and join us in celebrating what makes the Sacramento region simply the best. In Sac Mag.

Your Guide: Cooking for a community cause - Earlier this month, Kelly McCown, the executive chef at Ella Dining Room & Bar, put out a call on his Facebook page to "all chefs and cooks in Sacramento. Time to unite," the post said. "Want to do a multi-course dinner … and celebrate what we can do?" Rick Kushman in the Sac Bee.

Looking for more restaurant news and reviews? Find previous roundups at http://www.cowtowneats.com/happy_hour/weekly-news-roundup/

Weekly Sacramento Restaurant Reviews & News Recap

Restaurant Reviews

Dining review: Sacramento's Golden Bear: Adventurous cooking in modest surroundings - We can't take credit for discovering Billy Zoellin, the executive chef at a very appealing midtown place called the Golden Bear. Sure, we've sized up his cooking and, after several visits to an eatery once considered a dive bar, we've tasted nearly everything on a menu in which the most expensive dish is $11. Blair Anthony Robertson in the Sac Bee.

Kupros Bistro: Any number of delights - Kudos to Kupros Bistro for kreativity. Fried pickles? House-cured, no less. Kompared to the koncept of fried pickles, a tartar sauce accompaniment seems almost mundane. Apparently, this is one of those gastropubs folks are yakking about that aim to ratchet up bar food a notch or nine. Whatever Kupros is—it’s Greek for “copper”—a tip of the hat to executive chef, Sacramento native John Gurnee, formerly of Mason’s Restaurant. Greg Lucas in the Sac News & Review.

Night Life: Happy hour at Sacramento's 33rd Street Bistro -  Walk into the 33rd Street Bistro in east Sacramento at happy hour and the words "snug" and "cozy" will immediately pop into your mind. Casey Mar in the Sac Bee.

Craving Pizza? Head to Tuli Bistro - A great admirer of Tuli Bistro's pasta and seafood dishes, I often forget that this friendly neighborhood establishment also cranks out excellent wood oven-baked pizzas.Kira O'Donnell in Sac Mag.

Sacramento Bee's Dining Scouts report back from the food frontier - The Bee's Dining Scouts are Marlene Chernev and Amber Turner of Fair Oaks, and Miki Vohryzek-Bolden of Sacramento. They're experienced, enthusiastic and discerning diners who report about once a month on their experiences with Sacramento's dining world. In the Sac Bee.

Restaurant News

Sacramento's Old Soul will serve hot java at new airport terminal - Initially left off the list, Sacramento's Old Soul Co. coffeehouse chain has belatedly won a coveted retail spot in the new Sacramento International Airport terminal due to open late next year. Tony Bizjak in the Sac Bee. Mariel Tagg in the Sac Press.

Starbucks plans to sell wine and beer. Crazy or inspired? - It’s either a sign of desperation or a stroke of genius. Starbucks, that ubiquitous chain of overpriced latte lounges, has announced it will try selling beer and wine at selected locations. Paul Hodgins in the Orange County Register.

Food at Kings games expands to include local, seasonal options - Sacramento Kings fans will have a wider array of dining options at games this season thanks to a retooled menu offering everything from carved turkey sandwiches with cranberry aeoli to fresh, seasonal fruits and vegetables. Niesha Lofing in the Sac Bee.

K Street entertainment complex eyes New Year's Eve opening -  A Halloween opening is definitely out. Ditto Thanksgiving. Now George Karpaty is looking to New Year's Eve as a "probable" opening date for his much-anticipated, three-venue entertainment mecca at 10th and K streets in downtown Sacramento. Bob Shallit in the Sac Bee.

Looking for more restaurant news and reviews? Find previous roundups at http://www.cowtowneats.com/happy_hour/weekly-news-roundup/

Weekly Sacramento Restaurant Reviews & News Recap

Restaurant Reviews

Dining review: Hokkaido noodle house a home for Asian comfort food -  Every so often, we take a break from the world of fine dining to put our elbows on the table and look for something more casual. We seek value, embrace simplicity, discover good food and save a bunch of money. Anyone can drop $200 and find quality cooking in a room with clean tables and soft lighting. But how about $7.55? Blair Anthony Robertson in the Sac Bee.

Bulls Bar & Restaurant: Cowboy up - At Bulls, the server/bartender gamely restrains her mirth at a request for club soda. With a lime. Probably rules out foie gras or timpano. Entering Bulls, only an all-world dunderhead would broach fizzy water—with or without a lime. Greg Lucas in the Sac News & Review.

Night Life: Midtown's Azul Mexican Food the place to be on Tuesdays - Delicious Mexican food paired with great beers and handcrafted margaritas always translates to a good time. And when customers can do it on the cheap, everybody wins. Azul Mexican Food and Tequila Bar is happy to oblige. The local favorite, found smack-dab in the middle of midtown on 20th Street between J and K, is offering up plenty of happy-hour bargains. Casey Mar in the Sac Bee.

Restaurant News

Yard House chain to open restaurant in Roseville's Fountains -  Yard House, an upscale casual restaurant known for its big menu selection and even bigger array of draft beer, will be taking over the 13,000-square-foot building formerly occupied by garden retailer Smith & Hawken, according to a Fountains news release. Niesha Lofing in the Sac Bee.

New restaurant to offer local flavor -  Julia Hadley has never owned a restaurant before, but she said she looks forward to opening Hads Steak and Seafood at 19th and J streets and molding it to her image of what a neighborhood favorite should be. Brandon Darnell in Sac Press.

Jim-Denny's for sale -  Sacramento landmark Jim-Denny’s went up for sale Monday. The Lane family has decided to sell the historic white and red diner after five years so Patsy Lane, the heart and soul behind the counter, can retire to Montana. Suzanne Hurt in Sac Press.

Looking for more restaurant news and reviews? Find previous roundups at http://www.cowtowneats.com/happy_hour/weekly-news-roundup/

Weekly Sacramento Restaurant Reviews & News Recap

Restaurant Reviews

Dining: Sutter Street Steakhouse a solid hit, could be a home run -  Folsom's Sutter Street Steakhouse is a breath of fresh air in a restaurant category filled with hot air. But before reaching that conclusion, I had to realign my expectations, to re-examine my biases. Blair Anthony Robertson in the Sac Bee.

The Press: Run the table - David English, formerly of Ella Dining Room and Bar and now the power behind The Press, spends a lot of time out front instead of in back. Sometimes the lanky chef is near the front door of what used to be Dragonfly on Capitol Avenue near 18th Street. Or he’s moving from table to table, hobnobbing with the dinner hoi polloi, who are sufficient in number to make the rustic interior, with its exposed brick and rough-hewn latticework of ceiling beams, busy but not frenzied. Greg Lucas in the Sac News & Review.

Counter Culture: Five Guys Burgers arrives in Sacramento -  The chain Five Guys Burgers and Fries apparently believes in the power of the press – and in potatoes, loud music and red-and-white checkerboard tiles. Allen Pierleoni in the Sac Bee.

Restaurant News

Arden Fair mall snags a BJ's Restaurant -  Arden Fair mall is getting a new "destination" tenant. BJ's Restaurants, the Huntington Beach-based company with four Sacramento-area sites, has just signed a lease for space vacated earlier this year by California Cafe. Bob Shallit in the Sac Bee.

Your Guide: Why competing restaurateurs are nice to each other -  Patrick Mulvaney needed a tux. It was a Saturday afternoon, and he was headed to a fundraiser for the Crocker Art Museum. But like so many working stiffs, he forgot to pick up his cleaning. His tuxedo was locked inside a place that was closed for the weekend. Rick Kushman in the Sac Bee.

Inspectors in Rearview as Food Trucks Rule Road - This is the place where food trucks really first took to the streets, catering to fanatical customers who relished — along with the food — the renegade and slightly outlaw nature of the whole business. Those frontier days may be about to end. Marybeth Bizjak in Sac Mag. Adam Nagourney in the NY Times.

Tex Mex opens, Texas Mexican closes - Tex Mex Bar and Grill has opened in Midtown, while a continued loss of business led the long-time original to close downtown. Suzanne Hurt in Sac Press.

Looking for more restaurant news and reviews? Find previous roundups at http://www.cowtowneats.com/happy_hour/weekly-news-roundup/