Mulvaney’s B&L

Dining News: BBQ Tips from Sacramento Chefs

IMG_1785

Grilling seems like it should be easy. Light your coals on fire, add raw meat, and out comes a delicious meal. But for anybody who's tried it knows that it's not that simple. That's doubly true for anybody who's tried low and slow BBQ.

The Sac Bee recently had a great series where they interviewed great Sacramento chefs on what they do to make a successful BBQ. Here's an excerpt of the interview the Bee's Blair Anthony Robertson did with Tako Korean BBQ chef Yoon Hee Cho.

How would you prepare the meat?

For the short ribs, I buy them at the Korean grocery market. We have two different kinds of short ribs – thin slices and thick. For barbecuing outside, I usually get thin slices. If I get thick, I usually have to trim it. I usually shop at Smile Food Market (2948 Bradshaw Road, Sacramento). I call ahead and order, and they will pre-cut it for me. They also have good sticky rice.

What's the most unconventional item you like to grill?

Sometimes we like to do noodles – the Korean style noodles called japchae. It's a very popular Korean dish. It's noodles made with sweet potatoes. You boil them, then prepare the other ingredients like sliced carrots, onions, egg, garlic and mushrooms.

Do you prefer a charcoal or gas grill?

I like charcoal. It has more flavor, especially charcoal made with wood. It's a little bit harder to control, but the fire is stronger.

Read the entire interview in the Sac Bee.

The Bee also interviewed T&R Taste of Texas chef Rodney Ray and Blackbird Kitchen + Bar chef Carina Lee Lampkin.

Coincidentally, I went to a party on Saturday evening where the food was catered by T&R Taste of Texas. It was absolutely scrumptious. The ribs were tender. The hot links were perfectly spicy, and they had some sort of sweet potato pie tater tots that I can't wait to eat a proper meal at the restaurant.

More News:

Savoring Seasonal Fare at Mulvaney's B&L - You can always count on Mulvaney’s B&L for a prettily composed, fresh-from-the-farm repast. I stopped by the popular midtown restaurant recently for a quick lunch and hit the jackpot with the kitchen’s frisee and arugula salad, whose greens were sourced from West Sacramento’s Del Rio Botanical  – a farm well-respected by both local chefs and Sacramento foodies (it happens to offer one of the most interesting and exciting CSA boxes in the region). Kira O'Donnell in Sac Mag.

It's All About Cheese at The Rind - Other treats we savored at The Rind included a fabulous salad featuring locally-grown greens and beets, enlivened with a dash of lemon zest; and the best grilled cheese sandwich I have ever tasted, showcasing Modesto’s Fiscalini “clothbound” cheddar cheese and tangy sourdough bread. Kira O'Donnell in Sac Mag.

Continue reading "Dining News: BBQ Tips from Sacramento Chefs" »


Dining News: How Arab Investors Found Krush Burger

IMG_0179

Krush Burger (then Mini Burger Truck) was the first gourmet Sacramento food truck to hit the streets. And a couple weeks ago, they were the first food truck to only expand internationally.

But I've never seen them talk about how it was that Krush Burger skipped opening an outlet in Elk Grove and went straight to Dubai.

In a great piece about the mobile food business, Douglas Curley brings us the details, in Comstock's Mag.

But the biggest announcement has already been made public: Construction is underway on an international franchise location in Dubai. A second is planned for Abu Dhabi.

“This all came about because there was a group of Arab investors looking to bring a unique U.S. burger concept to their homeland,” Vculek explains. “They didn’t want another McDonald’s or Burger King. They wanted a different experience.”

The investors actually found Krush Burger with a Google search. “That was really the basis of their research,” Vculek says. They came for a visit, spent a couple weeks checking out the business model and the deal was done.

Do yourself a favor and read the entire pice in Comstocks Mag.

Click here for more posts featuring Krush Burger.

More News:

What — ANOTHER midtown Starbucks? - The folks at Starbucks Corp. must have noticed all the company’s cafes in and around midtown and downtown Sacramento -- all 16 of them -- are really busy. The central city apparently is not yet caffeinated enough, because Starbucks is adding another store at 16th and K streets. Mark Anderson in the Sac Biz Journal.

It's hot to grow hops - Anyone who has had a beer in the last two years knows that hoppy beers are at the top of the market, but what’s all this about growing hops? It seems like everywhere you look nowadays people are growing hops, picking hops or searching for hops. There are a few reasons for this new trend, and one of them is the Farm to Fork movement that’s happening right here in Sacramento. Farm to bottle? Well, it’s clear that now is the time. Patricia Willers in Sac Press.

Continue reading "Dining News: How Arab Investors Found Krush Burger" »


Sac County Report: Data 'Strongly Suggest' Ill Food Handlers at Mulvaney's Were Nexus of Norovirus Outbreak

 

Mulvaneys
Based on hundreds of interviews and "the isolation of GI Norovirus (rare strain) in at least one patron and two restaurant employees,...data strongly suggests that ill food handlers who prepared, served or plated food" at Mulvaney's "may have contaminated the food," says a Sacramento County Public Health Division obtained first by Cowtown Eats.

Among the highlights of the report:

  • Between Feb. 22 and Feb. 26, 2013, there were 138 reported cases of illnesses after eating at Mulvaney's B&L.
  • The most common symptoms were nausea (91% of cases), fatigue (83%), diarrhea (76%) and vomiting (74%).
  • Two separate employees of Mulvaney's tested positive, but investigators were unable to find an "index case," or the person who was the source of the infection.
  • Mulvaney's was very responsible and self reported this outbreak to Sacramento county authorities.

The outbreak was first reported by the Sacramento Bee in March.

Continue reading "Sac County Report: Data 'Strongly Suggest' Ill Food Handlers at Mulvaney's Were Nexus of Norovirus Outbreak" »


Dining News: Jamie's on Broadway 'Might Become Your Favorite Little Joint'

Jamies
Jaime's on Broadway is one of those places that you just hear about. Friends rave about it. You've heard it's been on TV, but when you drive by, you're not sure if you're at the right place.

Sac Bee restaurant critic Blair Anthony Robert assures you that you are.

Jamie's is about the food, the clientele, the friendly but unfussy service and a jovial, hearty spirit that isn't trendy and doesn't go out of style. Jamie's isn't fancy, but neither is it cheap. Pay attention to the specials, scribbled in bright marker on a small board. Some, like the massive smoked prime rib and the barbecue platter on Fridays, cost $29.95 and $25.95, respectively.

So why are we here? And why are we reviewing a place that is already too beloved and too famous to accommodate all its admirers? We simply want to see how this old-school joint stacks up against some of the area's best newcomers. Is Jamie's burger, for instance, as good as the burgers at Bacon and Butter, Juno's or Formoli's? Not quite. Can its much-lauded clam chowder hold its own with the smoky, rather amazing chowder at Blackbird downtown? Again, no.

But pound for pound, year after year, there may not be another restaurant that does more great cooking, is more sincere and less showy about it than Jamie's on Broadway.

Read the entire reivew in the Sac Bee.

Find Jamie's online at JamiesonBroadwayGrille.com.

More News:

Enotria's new GM: Looking to bring stability, maintain excellence - Earlier this month, Enotria hired a new general manager, Jenny Yun, whose assignment will be to bring the right balance of excellence and casual fun to the dining room while providing a sense of stability and cohesiveness to what may be Sacramento's most exciting restaurant. "I think it was meant to be that I was to meet Chef (Bruich) and come to Sacramento," Yun said. "We're both focused, we're passionate and we love what we do." Blair Anthony Robertson in the Sac Bee.

A Week of Great Eats: Three Memorable Dining Moments - Yes, it’s true: food writers have the Best. Job. Ever. I reveled in a number of interesting, tasty dishes last week, but three (well, four) were real standouts. Featuring OneSpeed, Kathmandu Kitchen & Cupcake A La Mode. Kira O'Donnell in Sac Mag.

Continue reading "Dining News: Jamie's on Broadway 'Might Become Your Favorite Little Joint'" »


Dining News: Mulvaney's Norovirus Outbreak Info, Corrected Below

CORECTION: I initially misread the blog post by the Sac Bee's Chris Macias. That blog post is in reference to a separate norovirus outbreak. Thanks to an eagle eyed reader for pointing this out. Corrected info below.

Sacramento was atwitter Wednesday over the possibility that the upscale Mulvaney's was the source of a norovirus outbreak earlier this month. Norovirus is a highly contagious virus, usually spread through contaminated water or food, that causes vomiting, digestive issues, etc.

Per the Sac Bee's Chris Macias:

According to Dr. Olivia Kasirye, county public health officer, two people connected to the restaurant have tested positive for norovirus. Mulvaney said one was an employee and the other a diner. The name and nature of the employee's work is confidential, and the final investigation results, including the possible number of infected people, are expected within two weeks.

Given that no further incidents have been reported at the restaurant at 1215 19th St. since late February, Mulvaney's B&L remains open. The restaurant passed its most recent county inspection on Feb. 13 and has continued to operate during the norovirus investigation.

"We don't usually shut (a restaurant) down unless we feel there's an ongoing risk to the public," Kasirye said. "We have not received any reports of illnesses since then."

Read the entire article in the Sac Bee, or watch Tuesday's KCRA report above.

However, after more investigation, Sacramento county health officials have cleared Mulvaney's and found the real culprit, identified the source of a separate outbreak in 2012, the Elks Lodge on Riverside Bivd. Again, from the Bee's Macias.

It turns out the outbreak didn't occur at a restaurant, but Sacramento Elks Lodge No. 6 on Riverside Boulevard near Florin Road. The lodge hosted an event in September of 2012 in which dozens of people were sickened. The lodge did not use an outside caterer, but provided food service themselves, said Kasirye. A county investigation interviewed 93 individuals, and confirmed 57 illnesses due to norovirus.

Read the entire story in the Sac Bee.

I'm glad that one of Sacramento's finest restaurants wasn't involved in this. We can again eat there without worry.

Whatever the source, it appears that Mulvaney's is trying its best to take care of the affected customers. One of my coworkers dined there during that time period and got sick. Mulvaney's later comped that meal and gave him an additional free dinner.

Click here for more posts about Mulvaney's B&L.

More News:

Hank Shaw nominated for 3rd James Beard Award; Frank Fat's nominated as an American classic - Sacramento-area food blogger Hank Shaw has been nominated a third time for a prestigious James Beard Award and, in something of a surprise, venerable Sacramento restaurant Frank Fat's has received a nomination in a special category, "America's Classics." Shaw, 42, a longtime newspaper journalist who parlayed a well-received blog into a new and successful writing career, says he is happy to be recognized once again by the James Beard Foundation - and he's not yet ready to think of himself as the Susan Lucci of the food-writing set. Blair Anthony Robertson in the Sac Bee.

First Impressions: Sloughhouse Inn returns - The hamlet of Sloughhouse is known for its sweet summer corn, but now its main attraction is once again the Sloughhouse Inn restaurant. The venerable building, situated just off the Jackson Highway, went up as an inn and stagecoach stop in 1850, catering to travelers for more than a century. The place burned down and was rebuilt more than once, but looks fit as a country fiddle today. It has traditionally been the focal point of the small community. A plaque out front commemorates it as a registered historic landmark. The restaurant closed in 2006, and new owners George and Leah Lee reopened the space in February. Once again, it's a magnet for locals and a welcome stop for day-trippers on the way to the foothills wine country or the nearby Davis Ranch Farmers Market. It's a respite that's "more family style than fine dining," said George Lee. Allen Pierleoni in the Sac Bee.

Continue reading "Dining News: Mulvaney's Norovirus Outbreak Info, Corrected Below" »


Dining News: Mama Kim's a 'Really Good, Potentially Great' Restaurant

Mama Kim's first hit my radar when I tasted their catering business when I was looking for a wedding caterer. I didn't end up choosing them, but it wasn't because we didn't like their food. Since then, I've also tried and loved her food truck.

Now, Mama Kim has a new venture on Del Paso Blvd, and Sac Bee restaurant critic Blair Anthony Robertson takes a look.

The rack of lamb ($29), cooked perfectly medium-rare, was plated atop a delicious sweet potato hash, pairing something comforting and casual with a cut of meat that personifies fine dining. It's the priciest item on the menu, but it works as a kind of New Southern sensibility that Scott is masterminding here.

The fried chicken ($19) with greens and cheddar mashed potatoes had that same DNA. Tender and juicy on the inside, crisp and crunchy and golden-brown on the outside, the chicken is a recipe passed down, I'm told, from Rayburn's grandmother.

The grits were pretty amazing – smooth and creamy without being goopy, brimming with fresh flavor – and really are a must if you want to embrace the ethos that is Mama Kim Eats. I've lived in the Deep South and can't remember any grits that good in Alabama or Georgia. Scott tells me she sources them from Nevada County, of all places.

The brunch menu is so compelling that I wondered if I would create a commotion by ordering one of everything. Perhaps Rayburn could distract the patrons with his lovely rendition of "(Sittin' on) The Dock of the Bay" and super-smooth "L.O.V.E."

Read the entire review in the Sac Bee.

More News:

Sacramento chef Adam Pechal advances on ABC's 'The Taste' - After two episodes and nearly three hours of prime time TV, the anticipation is over. Congrats all around to Sacramento's Adam Pechal, who not only passed the audition phase on ABC's "The Taste" on Tuesday night, but wowed the entire judging panel. This new cooking show, which features such culinary luminaries as Anthony Bourdain and Nigella Lawson as judges/mentors, debuted on Jan. 22 but with about zero air time for Pechal that first week. But that all changed Tuesday, when in the last 10 minutes of the show, Pechal whipped up some seared scallops with sweet corn hash and props went all around for the chef and co-owner of Tuli Bistro and Restaurant Thir13en. Pechal, who's already known around Sacramento as a veritable quote machine, also delivered the most memorable line of the night: "If food's your drug of choice, you have to figure out a way to become the dealer." Chris Macias in the Sac Bee.

Dine Downtown Week: Dinner at Mulvaney's - As we finished our meal, the bill came in a vintage book that we were invited to sign. The comments left by other diners were charming remnants of pleasant dinner conversation, good company, and excellent meals. Ours: "Thanks for a memorable meal, Mulvaney's! Can't wait to come back." Stacy Grow on In Search Of The Finer Things.

Continue reading "Dining News: Mama Kim's a 'Really Good, Potentially Great' Restaurant" »


Dining News: Magpie Cafe's Chef Sweeps Sac Bacon Fest Awards

Magpie
You know an event is big when a scalper greets arriving guests looking to buy and sell extra tickets.

That's what happened at the Second Annual Sac Bacon Fest Chef's Competition event on Sunday. As part of the closing festivities, local chefs from Magpie Cafe, Bacon & Butter, Grange Restaurant, Hook & Ladder, Mulvaney's B&L, Formoli's Bistro and others competed to determine whose pork cuisine reigned supreme. Sac Bee's Chris Macias has the results.

But once all digesting was done and votes were tabulated, one local eatery swept the competition. That would be Magpie Cafe which won a bacon-flavored triple crown: the audience award and both "critics picks" in which each chef was judged both on a strip of bacon and bacon-infused dish. Kelly Hogge, pictured above in a photo from Ryan Donahue, wowed the panel and audience alike with miso cured bacon paired with kimchee and kumquat and a wonderful pastrami bacon. Congrats to chef Kelly and all others for a fine showing.

Read the entire recap in the Sac Bee.

More News:

Bacon Fest & Sassy Cocktails at Shady Lady Saloon - Originally dropping in with friends just for the cocktailing, I couldn’t resist ordering up a plate of the chef’s deviled eggs, containing salty bits of house-cured bacon, a tangy dash of Dijon mustard, capers and crunchy celery. They were fabulous – perhaps the best deviled eggs I have ever tasted – and they were the perfect complement to the expertly-crafted Gin Daisies and martinis we were relishing at the bar. Kira O'Donnell in Sac Mag.

VIDEO: Golden Bear -  Nina Hajian visits the Golden Bear's Bacon Fest Brunch over the weekend. On Good Day Sac.

VIDEO: Annual Festival Draws Bacon Lovers To Midtown Restaurants - Bacon lovers are in hog heaven pigging out on pork during midtown Sacramento's annual Bacon Fest. On KCRA.

Continue reading "Dining News: Magpie Cafe's Chef Sweeps Sac Bacon Fest Awards" »