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.

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.

Les Baux, a bakery/bistro in East Sac, is run by the owner of the ubiquitious La Bou chain. But is it just a rebranding of the same food you can get at two dozen other places, or is it actually good? Sac Bee restaurant critic Blair Anthony Robertson gives his 2 cents.

It's eclectic. It's good. It's easy. It's fun. It's relaxing. It's getting better, growing slowly. And it has the potential to be very, very good, pretty darn cool and extraordinarily interesting.

The breads, which are baked out in the open in a sophisticated and super-expensive setup, are excellent, including masterful, picture-perfect, crisp and chewy baguettes, along with a country white loaf made in the style and tradition of a French levain. The latter bread is also used for the French toast at breakfast, which is easily the best French toast in the city (yes, better than the famous French toast at that place next to the movie theater on Broadway, where all those trinkets on the walls continue to traumatize me).

The pastries, including savory tarts with wonderfully flaky and tender crusts, may be even better than the breads. The croissants? Some of the best I've ever had – subtle and sophisticated, tender, light and tasty.

Robertson also marvels at their surprisingly good steak frites, which Les Baux manages to have on their menu for only $10.

Read the entire review in the Sac Bee.

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Sacramento Bacon Fest Jan. 20-27 - Dedicated to this delicious meaty treat in all of its salty, finger-licking goodness, this annual pork-packed affair returns to the capital city January 20 to 27, bringing another round of bacon-themed events and activities to over 30 local eateries like Red Rabbit Kitchen & Bar, The Golden Bear and Grange. The hog-heavy extravaganza features local chefs who wiil be slicing, curing, smoking and frying up the event’s namesake ingredient in custom-created dishes all week long, beginning Sunday night at 5 p.m. at midtown’s Hook & Ladder Manufacturing Co. with a kick-off party featuring handmade, bacon-tinged cocktails. Stephanie Towne in Sactown Mag.

Dine Downtown 2013 Impressions : Mulvaney's and Red Rabbit - Usually after dining at Mulvaney's, I like to retire to their cozy little bar for an after dinner cocktail but not after this dinner. The meal completely fell short of our expectations. I figured we should cut our losses and finish up our evening elsewhere...Red Rabbit embraced the idea of what Dine Downtown is all about and I was impressed with what they put out. In fact, it's only been two days since I've dined there but I've already told several people to go in and try them out for meals and/or drinks. Ally Gaffan on A Girl & Her Fork.

River Rock Tap House closed last week, and their twitter account said it was due to bankruptcy.

The tweet was signed by "Scotty B" who I surmised at that time ran their social media. Scotty B posted additional information over on the Yelp forums. Here are some exercpts:

River Rock is currently closed due to filing Chapter 11...

I was directed by River Rock's owner, Mike to post on their FB page and Twitter to let people know what was going on. A day before their FB was taken down, Mike told me he would make the statement on the FB page.  However, before he did the Trustee in the case had him pull the page down.  I posted on Twitter the night the page went down that they were closed due to bankruptcy and also said "I have no other info at this time".  Which I didn't.  I got a text from Mike the following evening telling me that he hopes to re-open sometime in August but it doesn't look likely.  Just to be clear, the Twitter post was under direction from Mike...

As for the bankruptcy documents, you can look them up down at the Federal Courthouse downtown as I did yesterday or sign up for the PACE service on their website. 

Read te entire post on Yelp.

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Peddling a little summer - The artisan ice creams created by Rachel Sprinkle-Strong take their inspiration from Sacramento's farmers markets and from Johnson's Real Ice Cream, 2728 E. Main St., in Bexley, Ohio. Sprinkle-Strong worked there in her youth, and when she took a severance package and left her communications job at Verizon, she decided to return to a trade she'd learned from "Mr. Johnson." Popcycle Creamery, popcyclecreamery.com, launched six weeks ago, after 18 months of planning. Cathie Anderson in the Sac Bee.

Les Baux: La Bou's Big Sister - If you’ve ever inhaled one of La Bou’s heavensent croissants, you already know why owner Trong Nguyen is one of Sacramento’s most successful restaurateurs. With the opening of his newest venue, Les Baux Bakery & Cafe, Nguyen is taking things to the next level. Open, airy and full of light, with lovely oak floors and a dazzling pastry case, the elegant East Sac bakery/ bistro could be described as La Bou’s older, more worldly sister. On the menu: the same high-quality breads you’ll find at La Bou, but with the addition of more sophisticated fare. Coffee gets the world-class treatment with a unique cup-at-a-time brewing system. In addition to breakfast and lunch, plans are in place to start including lateafternoon/ evening fare such as oysters, steamed mussels, wine and beer. (It already may be happening by the time you read this.) Cathy Cassinos-Carr in Sac Mag.

Sac Bee restaurant critic Blair Anthony Robertson had a decidedly mixed visit to Firestone Public House. But from reading his First Impression column, it was better than my first visit.

Fortunately, there is plenty to like about this place. The energy is wonderful, the employees are friendly, the food seems promising and the prices are reasonable.

We really liked the traditional take on fish and chips ($14.95) and the thick, tender pork chop ($18.95) with ultra-creamy mashed potatoes, grilled asparagus with cherry tomatoes, sautéed and sweet, scattered atop the slab of meat.

How could we describe the pulled pork nachos? Big and bland and in need of a do-over. As for the pizzas, it's too soon for a verdict, but so far, we're talking about a poor man's version of California Pizza Kitchen. If you're going to succeed as a chain pizzeria, you have to offer better pizza – or no pizza. Inheriting a pizza oven is not a good enough reason to impose so-so pizza on your customers.

Anecdotally, I've heard they're getting better. I've had friends rave about their lobster pizza and gigantic pretzel. I may wait another couple weeks and give them another shot.

Robertson also gives his first impression of Les Baux, the new restaurant by the owner of La Bou ("I wonder if the person who helped develop the sandwiches here has the same aversion to lively flavors as the creator of the pulled pork nachos above.") and Zindagi Indian Bistro in Davis ("Every once in awhile, I get to visit a new spot, taste the food and immediately realize I'm onto something special.").

Read his entire review in the Sac Bee.

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1950s-styled food truck to debut in July - Look for some 1950s flavor to be served with a food truck that's set to debut in July. Papa Dale's Drivin' Diner will take on a rockabilly and hot rod kind of vibe, while serving such comfort foods as Santa Maria tri-tip, meatloaf, mac 'n' cheese, griddled breads and more. Expect menu items to cost $8 to $10. Chris Macias in the Sac Bee.

Where are the Ethnic Food Trucks? - Sacramento has a lot of cultural diversity. We have large Russian, Filipino, and Hmong populations as well as many, many others. So I have to ask - why haven't we gotten more ethnic food trucks in Sacramento yet? Catherine Enfield on Munchie Musings.

I've been a fan of Red Rabbit since their February opening. In addition to their official grand opening events this week (produced by the awesome team at Event Marketing Creative), they've been getting a lot of love for their amazing bar program. (Click here for happy hour info.)

First, Becky Grunewald in Sac News & Review:

Matt Nurge, barman and co-owner of the new Red Rabbit Kitchen & Bar, says that in the two-plus months since Red Rabbit opened, the restaurant’s featured upwards of “60 completely different batches of punch.” In fact, he says, “The possibilities are endless.” Nurge mixes up a mess o’ punch every morning so that when it gets crowded, a patron can get that first, loosening cocktail without waiting 10 (or more) minutes.

Read her entire story in Sac News & Review.

Sac Mag's Catherine Warmerdam also shows Red Rabbit some love:

From a cocktail drinker’s perspective, there’s a lot to love at The Red Rabbit, starting with a dozen craft drinks on a menu smartly organized by flavor profile—bright and tart; bitter; juicy; rich. The approach takes the guesswork out of what to order. “Sometimes people just want to order a drink; they don’t want to have a lecture” on bartending, explains coowner Matt Nurge. “I wanted to make it easy.”

Read the entire story in Sac Mag.

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Track 7 Brewing Company - Meet Track 7 Brewing Company. Located in a small strip-mall-style warehouse space in a Curtis Park neighborhood off of Sutterville Road, Track 7 embodies everything meant by the word “handcrafted.” Upon walking through the rolled-up garage door entrance to the tap room, visitors not only see all of the brewing action, but feel as if they’ve become part of a family. Jenna Buhagiar in Sac Foodies.

Top 5 Places to Eat/Drink on the Sacramento River - In my book, there’s nothing better then dining on the Sacramento River. We are so very lucky to have that murky yet entrancing waterway flowing through our city. Sure, I wouldn’t swim in it – nor does it remind me of Venice – but hey, it’s still nice to look at right?! Featuring Swabbies, Pearl on the River, Freeport Bar and Grille, Rio City Cafe and Al the Wop's. Jamee Sims on Girls on the Grid.

 

After receiving an avalanche of negative feedback, Assemblymember Bill Monning (D-Carmel) caved and dropped his bill that would have effectively ended food trucks in many cities across California. With that, Sac Bee's Chris Macias tries to figure out what's next.

So does that mean the Sacramento City Council is ready to hold hearings about food trucks? A recent hearing before the city's Law and Legislation committee was cancelled until the fate of AB 1678 was decided. That was the third time that mobile food vending issues were to be heard, and third time in a row they were taken off the books. We'll see what city leaders have to say now.

Read his entire post in the Sac Bee.

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Food trucks possible to return to Sac State campus - After a long absence, food trucks could be coming back this fall to Sacramento State to give students an alternative to current restaurants on campus. Sean Keister in the State Hornet.

Hot City Pizza - Baseball season is officially in full swing, which means T-ball games on Friday nights for the Hurley household and many other East Sac families. After our first game last week, we took our little sluggers to Hot City Pizza for some amazing pizza featuring their signature wheat crust and pies with names like The Angry Pig and Triple Garlic Happiness.  The beer selection (for the parents of course!) is equally as impressive. Kris Caputo Hurley on Sac Foodies.