Malt & Mash and El Rey by Bob Simpson and Trevor Shults, will open in March, they announced in a help wanted ad on Craigslist.

Specifically:

El Rey, opening early­ March, will feature a high­ energy, cocktail driven dining experience with tacos anchoring the menu.

Malt & Mash, opening mid­ March, will be an intimate Irish pub that pays tribute to the building's historic past

The hiring fair will be from Wednesday, Feb. 10 to Friday, Feb. 12 starting at 10 a.m. each day at The Assembly at 10th & K.

Click here for more information.

Back in September 2015, the venues were expected to open in November, but as we know, restaurants almost never open on time.

When they open, Malt & Mash and El Rey will be located at 715 K Street.

Photo via Facebook.

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Fieldwork Brewing Co. to open Midtown taproom - Get ready for more craft beer, Midtowners. Fieldwork Brewing Co. is coming to the Handle District. It’ll be the Berkeley bewery’s first additional taproom, taking over the skinny, 1,436 square foot space between the Press Bistro and Zocalo at 1805 Capitol Avenue. Co-founder Barry Braden said they’re shooting for a summer opening. Janelle Bitker in Sac News & Review.

Sacramento Bacon Fest 2016 - Sacramento Bacon Fest 2016 closed out a week of bacon-covered goodness with its 5th Annual Chef’s Competition. Twelve of Sacramento’s favorite chefs donned their aprons, gathered their knives and headed to Mulvaney’s B&L to battle it out for the coveted title of Bacon Fest Champion. Of course, on the other side of the kitchen, Sacramento feasted on some of the best bites in the city. We gathered. We ate. We conquered. Bacon Fest, we miss you already. Jose Barajas in City Scout Mag.

There’s still time (maybe) to book a perfect Valentine’s meal - People who truly care about Valentine’s Day made their plans before the clock struck 12:01 a.m. Jan. 1. The rest of you are unmotivated or simply don’t love enough. But we’re here to guide, not judge. So we have rounded up remaining dining – and entertainment and lodging – options for Feb. 14 and the Long Weekend of Love, or what single people call Presidents Day weekend. Carla Meyer in the Sac Bee.

National Tater Tot Day taken seriously at Tank House - National Tater Tot Day was Tuesday, Feb. 2, and there are a few things you should know, including this: We eat 70 million pounds of them every year….In observance of Tot Day, he and his crew have added six more variations, to be sold only on Tot Day. All eight will be $6 per serving. Allen Pierleoni in the Sac Bee.

Wine Symposium brings crowds, expense accounts to downtown mix - If you ambled into your favorite downtown restaurant Wednesday for lunch, you probably walked away moments later with your tail tucked between your legs, suddenly aware that 14,000-plus wine industry folks were all at lunch simultaneously. Restaurants large and small were packed on P Street, jammed on J and crowded on K like no other day on the calendar. All because of the 22nd annual Unified Wine & Grape Symposium, an event that attracts delegates with lanyards on their necks and expense accounts at the ready. Blair Anthony Robertson in the Sac Bee.

After fire closed Crepe Escape in Land Park in 2013, Meet & Eat, by the owners of Cafe Dantorels in Curtis Park, will fill the space, reports Bob Shallit in the Sac Bee.

Turns out it’s going to be called Meet and Eat and will have a mix of locally sourced menu options. The opening date? That’s still not certain. And a beer and wine license application for the place is still pending...

One employee, who asked not to be identified, said the new place will have a “European” feel with a smaller menu than Dantorels and will provide full service at dinner as opposed to the counter service offered at the Curtis Park location.

Read the entire story in the Sac Bee.

If you've never been to Cafe Dantorels, here's what then-Sac Bee dining critic Blair Anthony Robertson said in May 2014:

My search for answers about why this restaurant is so crowded so often came up with the only one that makes sense: The people in the Curtis Park neighborhood really want it there and want to see it succeed. It’s certainly not a destination eatery, and I can’t say it’s worth driving across town to check it out. I do recommend it as a place for a quick bite and some good beer or wine. It’s also a good bet for breakfast with quality coffee.

But if Cafe Dantorels is going to maintain its momentum and embrace the obvious goodwill from the neighborhood, it must take a careful look at what’s missing in the kitchen and take meaningful steps to improve the food.

Read the entire story in the Sac Bee.

If there's one thing going for it, Meet and Eat doesn't face strong competition in that part of town. I hope they find success.

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Drinking with your dog: Canine-friendly breweries, wineries abound - Sacramento is fast becoming a dog-friendly city, with a dozen off-leash parks and a long list of restaurants allowing pooches on patios. For wineries and breweries, which typically don’t have the health complications of having food preparation on the premises, courting canines seems like a no-brainier. Many drinking establishments with outdoor areas easily accommodate pet lovers without degrading the experience for those with allergies or fear of dogs. Others have created special playpens to accommodate animals. All stress that owners are ultimately responsible for their dogs’ behavior. Featuring Track 7, Bike Dog Brewing, Oak Park Brewing and many others. Sammy Caiola in the Sac Bee.

Ballad of chicken hearts - All around, the flavors were simple but spot-on; the execution flawless...With the bustling open kitchen, large and striking full bar and ridiculous beer bottle list of something like 40 rare brews, Empress promises to be one of the hottest destinations in town. My only question: Can you eat too many chicken hearts? Janelle Bitker in Sac News & Review.

Sacramento Farm-to-Fork Festival sets a record — and it hasn't even started - This year, the festival features five live cooking demonstration stages, up from three last year. The festival is a chance to meet the region’s chefs, growers, farmers, grocers and other foodie-type groups in the community. The vendors include everything from food trucks to ranches and supermarket displays to restaurants and museums. Sonya Sorich in Sac Biz Journal.

New Galleria restaurant opened this week - A major new addition to the dining lineup at the Westfield Galleria in Roseville is almost ready to serve customers. Locally owned restaurant Land Ocean opened at 11 a.m. Friday, pending final approvals, according to a post on the eatery's Facebook page. It's the second location for Land Ocean, which is co-owned by Mark Platt and Karoline Platt. The restaurant serves entrees such as steaks, chicken and seafood. Sonya Sorich in Sac Biz Journal.

New wine bar to open downtown in October - Oenophiles, get ready to be wined (and dined). San Francisco restaurateur John Marco is adding to downtown Sacramento’s transformation with the opening of a new wine bar at 4th and L, next to Foundation Restaurant & Bar and one block from the Golden 1 Center. Whired Wine (which gets its name from the combination of “white” and “red”) is set to open its doors in mid-October, and will feature a rotating menu of local wines, along with six taps of regional beers and even sake. It will also serve small plates, cheese and charcuterie. Amanda Lash in Sactown Mag.

Starting today, we are the first movie theatre in Sacramento County to serve BEER and WINE! #esquireimax #beersinsac pic.twitter.com/8tU6QUBoVw

— Esquire IMAX Theatre (@EsquireImax) April 16, 2015

The IMAX theater on K Street downtown now serves alcohol, reports Carla Meyer in the Sac Bee.

Moviegoers at downtown Sacramento’s Esquire Imax Theatre now can drink beer and wine while watching movies on a giant screen.

The Esquire will serve Ruhstaller 1881, Coors Light, Racer 5 and Blue Moon beers on tap and Woodbridge cabernet sauvignon and chardonnay, theater director Doug Link said. The theater also expanded its concessions menu to include pizza, chicken tenders, soup, salad and Morant’s sausages, along with a sausage “fixins bar,” Link said.

Read the entire story in the Sac Bee.

But much like their movie tickets, their drinks won't be cheap. Here's what you'll pay for the honor of sipping wine during the next flick you catch there.

At those prices, only those real die hards who need a $8.50 Coors Light to go with their viewing of Furious 7 will partake. For me, these ballpark beer prices tempt me to behave like a much younger version of myself and sneak a brew into the theater. We'll see if there's actually demand at those prices.

The IMAX theater is located at 1211 K Street, and can be found online at https://www.imax.com/oo/esquire-imax/.

More News:

Sacramento Shines at Pebble Beach Food & Wine - A few weeks ago I wrote about how we had a collection of Sacramento chefs going to the Pebble Beach Food & Wine Show. After a tiring weekend of nonstop events, we are all back home and the chefs are exhausted. Unfortunately my press pass was very limited in that I only got to go to the tasting events. No dinners, seminars, or cooking demonstrations. Also no after hours parties and that's where Bill Ngo and Michael Thiemann were.  Never did catch up with Ramon Perez or Ravin Patel. I did catch sight of Kelly McCown as he was leaving. He was done by Saturday afternoon and heading home. Therefore my coverage only extends to Meatopia on Friday and the Grand Tasting Tents on Saturday and Sunday. Catherine Enfield on Munchie Musings.

Is Gyro Supreme planning a new restaurant? - It appears a new future is in the works for a gyro restaurant in Sacramento's Downtown Plaza. Next week, the Sacramento City Council will consider granting Vela Cafe a lease for city-owned property at 1000 I St., according to a meeting agenda. The cafe's owners are listed as Nadeem Haddad and Feras Jowaniyah. Sonya Sorich in Sac Biz Journal.

Downtown restaurant owner buys neighboring building, plans event center - The owner of downtown Sacramento's quirky Jim-Denny's hamburger restaurant has acquired an aging building next door and may turn it into a small events center, according to a broker on the deal. Ben van der Meer in Sac Biz Journal.

The 15 most popular Sacramento happy hours of April 2014 on CowtownEats.com were:

1. BJ's Restaurant & Brewhouse (Last month's rank: 1)
2. Bento Box (Last month's rank: 2)
3. Lucca Restaurant (Last month's rank: 5)
4. Hook & Ladder (Last month's rank: 7)
5. Firestone Public House (Last month's rank: 4)
6. Zocalo (Last month's rank: 8)
7. Blackbird Kitchen & Beer Gallery (Last month: Unranked)
8. Pour House (Last month's rank: 3)
9. Ruth's Chris Steakhouse (Last month's rank: 6)
10. Chicago Fire (Last month's rank: 10)
11. Burgers & Brew (Last month's rank: 9)
12. Tank House (Last month's rank: 12)
13. Cafeteria 15L (Last month: Unranked)
14. Buffalo Wild Wings (Last month: Unranked)
15. Chevy's Fresh Mex - On the River (Last month's rank: 13) 

Thanks for visiting Cowtown Eats! We had nearly 77,000 page views (up 26 percent compared to last year) and more than 20,250 unique visitors (plus 24 percent over last year).

The 15 most popular Sacramento happy hours of March 2014 on CowtownEats.com were:

1. BJ's Restaurant & Brewhouse (Last month's rank: 1)
2. Bento Box (Last month's rank: 3)
3. Pour House (Last month's rank: 2)
4. Firestone Public House (Last month's rank: 4)
5. Lucca Restaurant (Last month's rank: 5)
6. Ruth's Chris Steakhouse (Last month's rank: 7)
7. Hook & Ladder (Last month's rank: 9)
8. Zocalo (Last month's rank: 8)
9. Burgers & Brew (Last month's rank: 6)
10. Chicago Fire (Last month's rank: 9)
11. Capital Dime (Last month's rank: 11)
12. Tank House (Last month's rank: 13)
13. Chevy's Fresh Mex - On the River (Last month's rank: 15) 
14. Fat's Asia Bistro (Last month's rank: 12)
15. Capitol Garage (Last month: Unranked)

Thanks for visiting Cowtown Eats! We had more than 72,000 page views (up 33 percent compared to last year) and more than 21,750 unique visitors (plus 33 percent over last year).

The 15 most popular Sacramento happy hours of February 2014 on CowtownEats.com were:

1. BJ's Restaurant & Brewhouse (Last month's rank: 1)
2. Pour House (Last month's rank: 3)
3. Bento Box (Last month's rank: 2)
4. Firestone Public House (Last month's rank: 4)
5. Lucca Restaurant (Last month's rank: 5)
6. Burgers & Brew (Last month's rank: 6)
7. Ruth's Chris Steakhouse (Last month's rank: 7)
8. Zocalo (Last month's rank: 10)
9. Hook & Ladder (Last month's rank: 8)
10. Chicago Fire (Last month's rank: 11)
11. Capital Dime (Last month's rank: 13)
12. Fat's Asia Bistro (Last month's rank: 11)
13. Tank House (Last month: Unranked)
14. Coyote Tap House (Last month's rank: 12)
15. Chevy's Fresh Mex - On the River (Last month: Unranked)

Thanks for visiting Cowtown Eats! We had more than 72,000 page views (up 48 percent compared to last year) and more than 21,600 unique visitors (plus 42 percent over last year).