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/