Farm to Fork got a boost this month as Sacramento's regional identity when The Grange was featured in Southwest The Magazine, the free publication that Southwest Airlines puts in the seat back pocket.

Sacramento is an agricultural hub, and chefs are starting to take note. There's a lot of creativity coming in, and a lot of camaraderie. At Grange, we're all about locality and sustainability. Living in this bountiful area, it's not hard to do, because even in the winter we've got an abundance of local produce.

The magazine featured a recipe by Grange Executive Chef Oliver Ridgeway for braised roots.

Read the article in Southwest The Magazine.

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Boba blast - Whatever the case, boba seems to be picking up popularity in South Sacramento and Elk Grove with a host of new shops recently opening. Among the best of the new spots are Cool Tea Bar (5555 Sky Parkway, Suite 207; www.coolteabar.com), Snowbee Tea Station (6905 Stockton Boulevard, Suite 250) and Moo Moo (8698 Elk Grove Boulevard, Suite 2B in Elk Grove). Jonathan Mendick in Sac News & Review.

Let's eat: Three places to check out for lunch - Looking for somewhere different for lunch? Our three places to try this week include a place with vegan and raw foods, a place to get ramen in Davis and a Southeast Asian restaurant in Loomis. Andrea Thompson in Sac Biz Journal.

Sactown Union Brewery proposes full tasting room in East Sacramento - A new craft brewery has applied to open a full tasting and sales location in an industrial building in East Sacramento. According to an application with the city of Sacramento, Sactown Union Brewery would be established in 7,200 square feet of a 24,700-square-foot building at 1210 66th St. Ben van der Meer in Sac Biz Journal.

Try It: Ju Hachi - When I’m craving Japanese cuisine but want to avoid noisy crowds, I head to quiet, peaceful little Ju Hachi in midtown. This friendly spot offers a more laid-back, personalized dining experience than many other options in town, and it also warmly welcomes my kids. Kira O'Donnell in Sac Mag.

At Sacramento’s Pancake Circus, clowns are all around - With a name like “Pancake Circus,” there must be clowns. And there are – a small gallery’s worth. The vintage restaurant is part of Sacramento’s cultural landscape, and its collection of clown art and memorabilia is a niche repository reflecting a rarefied form of community involvement. Allen Pierleoni in the Sac Bee.

Everybody loves a good steak, but ordering them at a restaurant can be pricey. Sac Mag's Cathy Cassinos-Carr finds some good steaks at great prices.

SPOT: LES BAUX 5090 Folsom Blvd.
STEAK: Midsize bistro steak served with creamy brandy peppercorn sauce
SIDES: Frites (french fries)
VERDICT: Lean, tender, mediumthick steak, and the sauce added a lively twist; divine fries
COST: $10
OTHER GOODIES: All wines are $6 per glass, and the bread (served with dinner) is to die for. This is one of the city’s nicest bistro/bakeries, and it’s popular, so time your visit accordingly.

Also featured in the piece is Dad's Kitchen, Brookfields Restaurant and Bert's Diner in Elk Grove.

Read the entire story in Sac Mag.

You can also read the Sac Bee's review of Les Baux.

Click here to see more posts about Les Baux.

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Insight Coffee Roasters to add second location - Before Insight Coffee Roasters opened its doors at 8th and S streets nearly 17 months ago, there were plans to open other locations.  So when the Southside roastery announced its plans to extend its caffeinated reach to 16 Powerhouse, a building that has yet to be erected. Karen Wilkinson in Sac Press.

Ciao, Bella! Twenty years later, an Italy-inspired cafe business still thrives - When Liz Mishler says she strives for a “casual luxurious” atmosphere at Bella Bru Cafe and Catering, the beloved bakery-restaurant she founded in 1993, you can see exactly what she means. The colorful, comfy décor of each of her three outposts—Bella Bru boasts locations in Carmichael, El Dorado Hills and Natomas—puts you immediately at ease. And while you might be tempted to shout “Let them eat cake!” amid the delectable desserts on display in glass cases, Mishler herself would never deign to channel Marie Antoinette. “Every time people have asked me for something, I’ve done it,” Mishler says. “We’ve expanded with the needs of the community.” Jessica Laskey in Inside Pub.

Red Rabbit, named after the ginormous sculpture at the new airport terminal, is now (soft) open and will have its grand opening on Friday, Feb. 10, reports Brandon Darnell in Sac Press.

The restaurant and bar aims to bring affordable food and drinks with an international flair to the block and see the same successes that other businesses – Harlow’s, BarWest Burgers & Wings and Centro Cocina Mexicana – have seen, said co-owners Matt Nurge and John Bays.

“We’re going with the globally inspired concept,” said Bays, who is the restaurant’s chef. “We’ve got a little Vietnamese, a little American – a lot of braising going on, and we’ve got some Hawaiian.”

Red Rabbit fills the space formerly occupied by Red Lotus.

Read the entire story in Sac Press.

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Saigon Bay serves savory stamina by the plate - Bob and Bing can take the road to Mandalay, but I’ll take Dorothy Lamour and Saigon Bay. This venerable Vietnamese eatery may not have the precise mix of star anise, coriander and cardamom in its pho for the just-so ephemeral epicurean exclamation mark or the town’s truly tip-top tripe, but it’s steady and reliable throughout its long menu. Greg Lucas in Sac News & Review. 

Selland’s Market-Cafe Opens in El Dorado Hills - I had the opportunity to check out the brand-new Selland’s Market-Cafe in El Dorado Hills Town Center before it opened earlier this week. For those of you not familiar with Selland’s, it’s an upscale cafe offering a selection of hot and cold entrees: everything from stick-to-your ribs meatloaf to a light and healthy couscous salad, as well as made-to-order sandwiches, pizzas and any number of sides (such as the decadent macaroni and cheese topped with bread crumbs). Elena M. Macaluso in Sac Mag.

Bella Bru Cafe (Natomas)
4680 Natomas Blvd
Sacramento, CA 95835
(916) 928-1770

Web Site: http://www.bellabrucafe.com/natomas.html

Yelp: http://www.yelp.com/biz/bella-bru-cafe-sacramento

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