Hook & Ladder, by the owners of the Golden Bear, opened earlier this month to high hopes. But on their first weekend open, they still had many of the kinks in service endemic to new restaurants to work out, reports Sac Bee restaurant critic Blair Anthony Robertson.

Sure, there was an element of excitement to Hook & Ladder, what with so many folks clamoring to come in for a dinner, drinks or some combination. But the major timing issues with the kitchen bogged down the evening.

The setting, the vibe, the concept, the menu, the feel of the place, the service, the prices – these elements have to mesh just the right way for Hook & Ladder to distinguish itself from the competition...

The target audience is somewhere in between: people who like a bar scene with creative cocktails in a setting that's full of energy, and folks who appreciate – and are willing to pay for – high-caliber cooking and good service but without being stuffy and stiff and predictable.

Were they going to nail the concept and the execution already? Not completely. Were they going to confuse people? Of course.

Read the entire story in the Sac Bee.

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