RailBridge Cellars & Co., to be located on the ground floor at the Elks Tower at 11th & J, is scheduled to open on Feb. 10 (Updated on Feb. 2 - RailBridge will now open on Feb. 8), it announced via a Craigslist jobs post.

According to the post, RailBridge Cellars "be a full service restaurant that features Nouveau California Cuisine, craft beer, retail wine, gourmet coffee's along with a Manhattan and Martini bar. Counter service during the day, converting to table service after 2 p.m...We anticipate RBC&CO to be an extremely fast paced environment, thus we are looking for team members that can think quick on their feet, with attention to detail and a passion in serving the community."

Here's what the owners told the Sac Bee's Bob Shallit back in October:

The goal is to create a 1920s-era vibe, with vintage fixtures, exposed brick and antique marble.

“You’re going to walk in and think you took a step back in time,” said Michael Gelber, president of Alexis Ventures..

Perhaps the most arresting feature will be windows allowing diners to gaze down into what was once the Elks’ basement swimming “tank.” Over the past year, Gelber has converted that area into a lounge where groups gather for meals while seated in the former pool. “VIP” seating is available in two hot tubs that were added to the room in the 1960s...

At that time, they expected the restaurant to open around Thanksgiving. Obviously, it took longer than they thought.

RailBridge Cellars is owned by Alexis Ventures, which also operates Railbridge Cellars, Railbridge Cellars Penthouse Lounge, Underground Lounge, Alexis Catering, Libations by Alexis, The Elks Tower Ballroom and Strings Urban Kitchen. Strings Urban Kitchen, located at Capitol Towers at 7th & O streets, was recently named to the Sac Bee's ‘best-of’ in casual dining for 2015.

For those interested in getting a job at the restaurant, drop off your resume between 10 a.m. and 3 p.m. through Thursday this week.

RailBridge Cellars & Co. will be located at 921 11th Street and can be found online at http://www.railbridgecellarsandcompany.com/.

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Stream it: Netflix and Chill, Shady Lady Saloon - The past four years, there's been a holiday hot toddy bartender competition at the Golden Bear. And Travis Kavanaugh has lost. But this year the Shady Lady bartender took the big prize, $800, with his traditional hot toddy. Nick Miller in Sac News & Review.

Icing on your day: Local cupcake business opens new store - Icing on the Cupcake is once again a multi-store operation. The locally owned business has opened a new location in Folsom. The location at 2379 Iron Point Road puts the once-struggling cupcake chain back in expansion mode. Icing on the Cupcake still plans to add a midtown Sacramento store, which is expected to open in January. Sonya Sorich in Sac Biz Journal.

Greek Food Imports - This new Greek deli and market is set to open in Arden-Arcade by the end of January. Owned by Sacramento-raised Kostas Panayotakopoulos, the rustic shop, which will be lined with dark wooden tables, will feature Greek-imported goods like Dodoni feta cheese and Attiki honey, with an emphasis on organic products. In Sactown Magazine. (Second item.)

Public House Theater re-opens, Tahoe Park neighbors celebrate - Talk about a dream deferred. After busting around getting the Public House Theater, the pub theater in Tahoe Park, open about a year ago, owner Jackie Nadile experienced some unfortunate news that her newly renovated venue wasn’t compliant to the Americans with Disabilities Act. The place was bopping when it was open. Neighbors found the local spot as a great hangout. But after inspections, Jackie was told she needed ADA parking and that the bar was not ADA compliant – that it needed to be rebuilt in order to make way for a lower ADA bar. “We had no trouble with our liquor license. It was all permits,” she said. Monica Stark in Valley Community Newspapers.

Dish to try: Spicy garlic shrimp at the Mandarin - Kay Lee brought the restaurant’s recipes with her from Taiwan, and continues to make the from-scratch sauces herself. We were there for one of the best dishes in town, “spicy garlic shrimp in wine sauce” ($18). The dish arrived – a bowl filled with crispy shrimp in a luscious not-too-sweet, not-to-hot sauce speckled with minced garlic. Whole garlic cloves sat on top. We spooned all of it onto mounds of steamed white rice and didn’t talk for awhile. Allen Pierleoni in the Sac Bee.

Brasserie Capitale, by the family who owns the much loved Aioli Bodega Espanola, is expected to open to the public on Monday, May 11, Cowtown Eats has learned.

Construction has been progressing quickly over the last several months, and even with the windows covered with paper, it's apparent that the interior has been fully transformed.

Per an article last summer in Sactown Mag:

Led by proprietor Aziz Bellarbi-Salah (who also owns midtown’s Aioli and The Grand wine bar) and classically trained French chef Christophe Cornet (the former private chef to the Maloof family), the brasserie will replace its predecessor’s dark booths and shadowy corners with sweeping drapes, bright red accents, a cast-metal bar and striking light fixtures, thanks to the “great vision,” says Bellarbi-Salah, of San Francisco-based designer Sherman Warren.

“We are going as bright and light as we can,” says Bellarbi-Salah. “There will be some drama to the place—it’s meant to approach elegance, but still be funky so it can be comfortable. We are trying to [become] a regular, everyday French restaurant, kind of like what you’d find on a corner in Paris.”

Click here to read the entire article.

Brasserie Capitale was first announced in March 2014, and at that time, they expected to open Summer 2014. Nearly a year later, they are on the cusp of opening.

I work nearby and can't wait for another quality option for lunch and dinner in the area.

When it opens Brasserie Capitale will be located at 1201 K Street.

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Old school balls: Meatball sandwich, Italian Importing Company - But for an old-school comfort classic, you've got to try the meatball sandwich ($6.75) from the Italian Importing Company. The place is so vintage, it's practically a time warp, and the meatballs are traditionally made. Ann Martin Rolke in Sac News & Review.

Sacramento latte art tournament returns, expands - Latte foam will be the source of artistic expression, competition and judgment during SPLAT, the second annual Sacramento Public Latte Art Tournament. On the last Thursday of the month through September, the best baristas in the region will showcase their pouring abilities in head-to-head knockouts, round by round, tournament by tournament. Janelle Bitker in Sac News & Review.

Five business openings to put on your calendar - If you're updating your list of upcoming Sacramento region business openings, don't overlook these highlights. Here's an update on some new additions. Featuring Finnegan's Public House, Coin-Op Game Room and Krush Burger. Sonya Sorich in Sac Biz Journal.

A new Gold Rush-inspired brewery and taproom is set to open this summer - Come summer, there will be new brew kid on the block. Argonaut Brewing Company is set to open (with a taproom) in Rancho Cordova in August. Nicole Yi in Sactown Mag.

Food truck Wicked 'Wich's initial claim to fame was it's Pittsburgh/Primanti Brothers-style sandwiches, which is basically a regular sandwich served with fries and cole slaw.

Unfortunately, when it opened its brick and mortar location at the West Sac Community Center last week, its trademark sandwiches were nowhere to be found, which led to a little grousing by fans, like these comments on Reddit.

Co-owner Matt Chong explained the change, via e-mail. "We don’t have the ability to install a deep fryer, so that’s what prompted the menu shift," wrote Chong. "Unfortunately, we won’t be selling the old-school Primanti-style sandwiches - but there are some seriously delicious options in their place."

Mystery solved. It's just a limitation of the space they were given. Chong did fill in come other details about the new cafe, again via e-mail:

• Open Mon-Fri, 7a-5p.
• We’re serving coffee/espresso, breakfast items (house steel cut oats, breakfast panini, pastries), sandwiches (panini style, regular. Some have Latin American influences), salads, snacks and natural sugar bottled sodas.
• We hope to be a catalyst for people to come out and not only eat with us, but check out the great facilities that are nearby:
• West Sac Library
• Black Box Theater- a very cool 300 person theater inside the Comm Center
• Event Space / Dance Rehearsal room (perfect for gatherings, meetings, dance practices)
• The experience has been great so far. There has been a HUGE amount of West Sac folks stopping by to support us, including so many who work for the city. The people inside the building are amazing to work with as well.

If you're in West Sac and you're looking for a meal, I'd encourage you to give the new Wicked 'Wich cafe, located at 1075 West Capitol Avenue, a try.

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At table with Sacramento news anchor Edie Lambert - Restaurant-wise, two of her local go-to’s are Mulvaney’s B&L (916-441-6022, www.mulvaneysbl.com ) and, for more casual dining, Formoli’s Bistro (916-448-5699, www.formolisbistro.com). Then there’s Edie’s comfort-food favorite, the bread pudding at Les Baux Bakery (916-739-1348, www.lesbauxbakery.com). “If everything is going wrong in my world, that bread pudding will dig me out,” she said. Allen Pierleoni in the Sac Bee.

Sacramento tech team creates ‘Requested’ app for restaurant discounts - An ambitious smartphone app released this week promises to bring dynamic pricing to the dining industry, allowing restaurants to fill seats on slow days while giving customers the chance to negotiate discounted meals. Called Requested, the free app for Android and iPhone is the creation of a team that includes Sonny Mayugba, co-owner of The Red Rabbit Kitchen & Bar, who spent 12 weeks living and working in San Francisco as part of a startup incubator project. Blair Anthony Robertson in the Sac Bee.

M. Shahrzad Serves Up Terrific Persian Cuisine - I had a knockout dinner this past weekend at M. Shahrzad Fine Persian Cuisine in Rancho Cordova. The restaurant was packed with families and large groups when we arrived, tucking happily into the restaurant’s toothsome skewered meats, robust Persian stews and colorful appetizers. Kira O'Donnell in Sac Mag.

Mother’s Beer Week Event Spectacular - “Mother’s Beer Week Event Spactacular” – That’s a big title to live up to – but if there’s one thing that Mother excels at, it’s living up to the hype. The small, veggie-centric restaurant on K St has certainly become a mainstay for the downtown lunch crowd, but you haven’t truly experienced Mother until you’ve attended one of their special events. I was lucky enough to snag tickets to their beer week event, and it did not disappoint. Brianna Nathan on Girls on the Grid.

Can ‘fast-casual’ burger chains overcome the merely fast? - As one of the region’s growing “better burger” chains, Krush Burger is on a roll. Part of a national trend, it’s biting into the traditional burger market long dominated by big chains like McDonald’s, Wendy’s and Burger King. In the last few years, America’s relish for the basic burger has shifted from the fast, low-priced products touted by the golden arches to higher-quality meals produced quickly, the so-called fast-casual better burger. Ellen Garrison in the Sac Bee.

Status of restaurant on Monday afternoon in January.

Paragary's Bar & Oven has delayed its reopening until April, reports the Sac Biz Journal's Mark Anderson.

Paragary's Bar and Oven, the namesake restaurant in restaurateur Randy Paragary's local culinary empire, is just starting to be put together again as a new restaurant. A remodel of the old building at 28th and N streets in midtown Sacramento was supposed to go down to the studs...

Paragary, who has opened and remodeled restaurants for years, says it will be open in April for dinner service. A couple weeks later it will start serving lunch and Sunday brunch.

Read the entire story in the Sac Biz Journal.

It's not unusual for restaurant construction (or really any construction) to face delays. In mid-January, the Paragarys team told Cowtown Eats that the expected to reopen the restaurant in March. Before that, they had hoped to be open in January 2015. The original plan when they closed in February 2014 was to be closed 2 months.

Whenever Paragary's does finally reopen, I look forward to paying their remodeled digs a visit.

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Pangaea raises its game to stay among city’s best pubs - The addition of Venditti nearly a year ago, just as the competition was starting to gain on Pangaea, has made this charming neighborhood beer destination something exciting and special all over again. It’s still a tremendous place to enjoy craft beer, even if the acoustics can make meaningful conversation a challenge at times. But now it’s a real restaurant, with a menu that will appeal to all kinds of folks, from foodies to fussy eaters. Blair Anthony Robertson in the Sac Bee.

Dragas Brewing prepares to open in Rocklin - A new microbrewery in Rocklin wants to separate itself from the traditional bar scene -- so much, in fact, that it includes purse hooks for its female guests. "We wanted to make something that was women-friendly," said Dan Acuff, chief operations officer for Dragas Brewing Industries Inc. Sonya Sorich in Sac Biz Journal.

California Craft Beer Summit & Brewers Showcase - Sacramento will welcome craft beer enthusiasts and beer masters from across the state at the California Craft Beer Summit and Brewers Showcase on September 11 and 12, during Farm-to-Fork week. This first-of-a-kind event will provide a chance for brewery owners, beer lovers and home brewers to experience a hands-on education on the craft brewing process, from farm to glass. Leia Ostermann on Girls on the Grid.

10 Sacramento restaurants that keep their eyes on the fries - My fellow restaurant reviewer Blair Anthony Robertson and I see a whole lot of fries in our travels. We consulted to come up with a few we find most intriguing. We rated them on appearance, texture and flavor, with a possible 10 points in each category for a possible total of 30 points. Allen Pierleoni & Blair Anthony Robertson in the Sac Bee.

Krush Burger plans Rocklin restaurant - Krush Burger is expanding its reach with an upcoming Rocklin location, which will be the company's fourth restaurant in the Sacramento region. The new restaurant will cover 2,500 square feet in Rocklin's Blue Oaks Marketplace on Lonetree Boulevard, according to Krush Burger co-owner Davin Vculek . It's expected to open by late April. Sonya Sorich in Sac Biz Journal.

 

It's official! Krush Burger Rocklin Opening Soon! Across from Blue Oaks Century Theater -#krushrocklin #rocklinca #rocklin #roseville #krushburger #burgers

A photo posted by Davin Vculek (@krush_davin) on Jan 8, 2015 at 5:24pm PST

Krush Burger has come a long way since its days as the pioneering Mini Burger Truck.

Krush Burger's Davin Vculek announced on Insta that Krush Burger will be opening its latest location in Rocklin.

This marks the fourth Sacramento brick and mortar location for the slider-based chain, with the other locations in Sacramento, Davis and Roseville. Krush Burger also has a location in Dubai.

Krush Burger started as Mini Burger Truck in early 2011. For trademark-related reasons, they changed their name to Krush Burger in April 2012, and opened their first brick and mortar location in January 2013.

Krush Burger can be found online at http://www.krushburger.com/.

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Dining review: Lola’s Lounge in Elk Grove needs consistency, spark - While the room has plenty of style, and the vibe is often lively at the bar, Lola’s for now is an exciting new spot for Elk Grove with plenty of potential. But as a destination for diners from elsewhere, it is still too ordinary – and the competition is too good elsewhere – to be worth the drive. Blair Anthony Robertson in the Sac Bee.

Restaurants give back to the land through ReSoil Sacramento - It’s farm to fork to farm. That describes the loop that is near and dear to Sacramentan David Baker, co-founder of ReSoil Sacramento, a local effort to use bikes to pick up food scraps at area restaurants and deliver them to local farms and gardens. Baker and ReSoil program director Scott Thompson have designed it is a zero-emission endeavor – all of it is pedal-powered, and intensely local. Edward Ortiz in the Sac Bee.

Bacon & Butter: Billy Zoellin brings his midtown breakfast joint to the far reaches of Tahoe Park - Bacon & Butter has been mobbed since opening day. No surprise: The food is good and creative, the atmosphere warm and comfortable. Bacon & Butter fills a real need in an underserved neighborhood. I believe this is one restaurant that will stay popular long after the “just opened” frenzy that most brand-new places experience. Zoellin has created something unique, and he now has the room he needs to spread his wings in Tahoe Park, in the process claiming the neighborhood as his own playground. Kira O'Donnell in Sac Mag.

Bloody Murder: Preservation & Co. Destroys the Competition with its famous hair of the dog recipe - Preservation and Co., an LLC operated by Jason Poole, is a specialty foods, small-batch production facility and retail space on 19th Street across from Safeway. It all started with his renowned Bloody Mary recipe that he served at Pour House when he worked there as general manager. Using his Bloody Mary Mix, lemon pepper vodka and Sriracha salt (with the usual assortment of pickled vegetables and lemon), he created a recipe that earned him first place in the state for the Absolut Bloody Mary Contest, then later second place at the national contest in New York. I cruised by Poole’s retail shop and warehouse to chat him up about Preservation and Co.’s backstory, the space, his product offerings and his goals for his company. Niki Kangas in Submerge Mag.

Big changes are coming for Kru owner Billy Ngo, scoops the Sac Bee's Blair Anthony Robertson.

Already considered one of the most innovative chefs in town, Ngo is looking for a larger building to move Kru. Though he would not provide specifics and said a lease has not been signed, it appears he is close to sealing a deal.

When Kru moves, Ngo explained, he will keep the current location (2516 J St.) and renovate it in preparation for a new sushi-only concept that is intended to showcase the craft at the very highest levels. This new restaurant will be given a new name, yet to be made public.

Further, Ngo is in line to open a new “grab-and-go” sushi eatery in the artist lofts building under construction on R Street (at 11th Street). He expects that project to open by the end of the year. It will feature hand-crafted sushi made in advance and packaged for take-out. The restaurant will be called Fish Face.

Yap, who has already started at Kru, has ambitious plans of his own to work in conjunction with Ngo to bring Kru to a new level with sushi. That is saying plenty. Kru earned four stars (out of four) in The Bee and is widely considered one of the best and most exciting food experiences around.

Read the entire story in the Sac Bee.

Robertson also reports that Ngo has hired a new chef for Kru, Ricky Yap, who left San Francisco's Akiko's Restaurant in July. Akiko's has been named one of the San Francisco's Chronicle's Top 100 Bay Area Restaurants.

I wish Ngo good luck, but he has a spotty track record when it comes to additional ventures beyond Kru. He opened Red Lotus in 2010 in the spot now successfully occupied by Red Rabbit, only to have Red Lotus shut down in Sept. 2011.

He and Aimal Formoli's jointly opened Pork Belly Grub Shack in Nov. 2011, only to sell the restaurant in 2012.

Ngo is one of the nicest chefs I've ever encountered both at his restaurant and at food events around town. Hopefully things are different this time. The economy's better now than it was when he opened his last two ventures and he's hired a new chef for Kru so he can spend more time on his new venture.

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Ella bartender wins blue ribbon at Midtown Cocktail Week competition - Chris Dooley of Ella Dining Room & Bar (pictured above) emerged from Midtown Cocktail Week’s cocktail competition $1,000 richer on Tuesday night at Harlow’s. His drink, an elaborately presented “Bloomsbury Bramble” which was surrounded by orchids and looked like a scene from “Fantasy Island,” topped all contendors. The eight bartenders duking it out cocktail style were actually the finalists from a pool of 24 hopefuls who competed in a preliminary round on Aug. 11. All hopefuls were required to use Tanqueray No. TEN gin in their drink. I helped determine the winner Tuesday night in a judging panel that included Jayson Wilde, a Shady Lady alum and current general manager of Bourbon and Branch in San Francisco, Rick Dobbs (owner of The Last Word in Livermore) and Tanqueray national brand ambassador (and former Sacramentan) Rachel Ford. Chris Macias in the Sac Bee.

Hot idea: Chicken wing festival coming to Sacramento - Bone-in or boneless? That might be the question of the day on Aug. 23, when Sacramento hosts its first-ever chicken wing festival at Fremont Park. Sactown Wings will combine music, games, beer and, of course, chicken wings. Sonya Sorich in Sac Biz Journal.

Krush Burger opened in Roseville - If you're looking to change your dining routine this week, you're in luck. On Monday, Krush Burger opened its newest location at the Westfield Galleria at Roseville. The restaurant is located between Ruth's Chris Steak House and Brooks Brothers in the Galleria's Promenade area. It's the third California location for Krush Burger, which has restaurants in Davis and Sacramento. Krush Burger also has a Dubai restaurant. Sonya Sorich in Sac Biz Journal.

Rick's Dessert Diner will say farewell to its K street location and move to a larger spot a block away on J street next week, reports Jamie Slater in Sactown Mag.

The new location at 2401 J St. will nearly double the diner’s size to 3,600 square feet, accommodating 100 customers indoors and up to 40 on the patio (currently, only 40 people can fit inside the space) while allowing for a wider range of the delectable desserts for which Rick’s is famous...

Eita says that in addition to continuing to offer Rick’s favorites like Coconut Pineapple and Death by Chocolate cakes, he intends to reintroduce macaroons, homemade biscotti, Rick’s classic peach cobbler and a Coca Cola Cake (which Eita made on Good Day Sacramento last May) on a more regular basis.

In addition to the expanded space, Rick's dessert diner also has plans to offer beer and wine.

Read the entire story in Sactown Mag.

Rick's Dessert Diner is currently located at 2322 K St, and can be found online at http://ricksdessertdiner.com/.

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33rd Street Bistro remains solid but staid - In 1996, my predecessor, Mike Dunne, gave the food three out of four stars, emphasizing the quality and value and noting that a couple could enjoy dinner for about $30. In 1998, the rating had climbed to three-and-a-half stars, identifying 33rd Street Bistro as one of the best restaurants in its category. And then something happened. No, 33rd Street Bistro didn’t change much. But Sacramento sure did. What once seemed new and enterprising now feels safe and sometimes dated. Blair Anthony Robertson in the Sac Bee.

Krush Burger always on the move with new locations - Thankfully, business is steady despite the out-of-the-way location. Lunch is the biggest business, and Saturdays are the busiest. “That turned out to be a shocker,” says Davin Vculek, who co-owns the company with Joseph Blanton. Since customers came mostly at lunch, he explains, “We had to trim back some of the evening hours, but that may change since there’s a lot of development going on in the river district and Township Nine.” Andrea Thompson in Sac Biz Journal.

San Diego Favorite, Sammy's, Arrives Locally - Overall the food we had was excellent and I was very impressed.  I'm a bit dismayed at the location, but hope that it does well there. Catherine Enfield on Munchie Musings.