Sacramento Restaurants, Nightlife and Entertainment - Page 13

BrianSac · #**241** Posted **Jun 8, 2007, 12:37 AM**

America's Top 50 Restaurants 2006

Grant Achatz defies convention at Chicago's Alinea

RELATED LINK:Take a visual tour of some of the nation's best restaurants
This list is proof that American food as served in all 50 of our top restaurants has never been so exciting. Or so new: More than half of these restaurants are making their debut on the list — you'll recognize them by the star.

Below, the top 50, in order:

1. Alinea – Chicago, IL*
2. Chez Panisse – Berkeley, CA
3. The French Laundry/Per Se – Yountville, CA; New York, NY
4. Spago – Beverly Hills, CA
5. Joël Robuchon at the Mansion – Las Vegas, NV*
6. La Rêve – San Antonio, TX
7. Masa – New York, NY*
8. Alan Wong's Restaurant – Honolulu, HI
9. Daniel – New York, NY
10. Le Bernardin – New York, NY
11. Magnolia Grill – Durham, NC
12. Michel Richard Citronelle – Washington, D.C.
13. Charlie Trotter's – Chicago, IL
14. Arrows – Ogunquit, ME
15. Cyrus – Healdsburg, CA*
16. Striped Bass – Philadelphia, PA*
17. Babbo – New York, NY
18. Locke-Ober – Boston, MA*
19. Canlis – Seattle, WA
20. L'Auberge Carmel – Carmel, CA*
21. Bartolotta Ristorante di Mare – Las Vegas, NV*
22. Restaurant August – New Orleans, LA*
23. The Inn at Little Washington – Washington, VA
24. The Dining Room in the Ritz-Carlton Buckhead – Atlanta, GA*
25. Vetri – Philadelphia, PA*
26. Fore Street – Portland, ME
27. Jean Georges – New York, NY
28. Higgins – Portland, OR*
29. Da Marco – Houston, TX*
30. La Belle Vie – Minneapolis, MN*
31. Parker's New American Bistro – Cleveland, OH
32. Michy's – Miami, FL*
33. Frasca – Boulder, CO*
34. Gramercy Tavern – New York, NY
35. Providence – Los Angeles, CA*
36. Restaurant Guy Savoy – Las Vegas, NV*
37. Zuni Café – San Francisco, CA
38. Urasawa – Beverly Hills, CA*
39. Bacchanalia – Atlata, GA*
40. Sanford – Milwaukee, WI
41. York Street – Dallas, TX*
42. Manresa – Los Gatos, CA*
43. No. 9 Park – Boston, MA*
44. Trattoria Nostrani – Santa Fe, NM*
45. Cafe Juanita – Kirkland, WA*
46. Paley's Place – Portland, OR*
47. Lantern Restaurant – Chapel Hill, NC*
48. L'Etoile – Madison, WI
49. Herbsaint – New Orleans, LA*
50. Nana – Dallas, TX*

— Gourmet, October 2006

My partner and I spent the memorial weekend in Carmel/Monterey area horseback riding, biking, and hiking and had a change to hit up one of the top 20.

L'Auberge Carmel – Carmel, CA*... C'est tres bon! Voulez-vous manger avec moi ce soir? oui, oui.[/

It was very expensive but well worth, not snobby at all either.

sugit · #**242** Posted **Jun 8, 2007, 3:32 AM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by wburg

(they even found a former Suzie Burger cook to guarantee the authenticity of the burgers)

Actually, as I read this again, I thinik its even better. I'm pretty sure they hired the son of the old owners who knew all the recipes. I thought I read they had him make a burger like the old suzies as a test and he passed with flying colors.

Schmoe · #**243** Posted **Jun 8, 2007, 5:55 AM**

Brian, following your theme, you should probably bold The French Laundry at #3.

BrianSac · #**244** Posted **Jun 8, 2007, 6:51 AM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by Schmoe

Brian, following your theme, you should probably bold The French Laundry at #3.

opps, I meant to highlight the French Laundry, too, of course

Grimnebulin · #**245** Posted **Jun 8, 2007, 7:02 AM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by TowerDistrict

And to tie it all together... I read in a bay area thread that Thomas Keller was opening a burger shop in Napa... got any word on that Grimnebulin?

I have no word on that yet. We have some connections at Bouchon, so I'll have someone ask around next time we talk and see if they know anything there.

wburg · #**246** Posted **Jun 8, 2007, 5:17 PM**

grimnebulin: I'm with you on the Jim-Denny's love. In my mind their five cent burger is the best in town. And they've got that amazing grill! The new owners bought the place with no idea they were buying a chunk of local history, but they are doing the legend proud. Adding the outside window and tables allows them to serve more customers (and do better business) while keeping the old "best ten seats in town" feel inside--they even left up all the old pictures and signs, including the admonition that if you sit in the far-left seat you have to take phone orders when the pay phone rings.

I'm looking forward to Tuli, even though it will be entirely vegan. The chef used to be the lead singer of this great band called Behead The Prophet No Lord Shall Live, and apparently part of the schitck is that his cooking is a performance in itself: there will be a big window where diners can watch him cook.

TowerDistrict · #**247** Posted **Jun 8, 2007, 5:42 PM**

no, that's actually a different guy. The vegan traveling chef guy Joshua Ploeg, isn't currently opening any restaurant.

Tuli Bistro will be an ecclectic mix of food. But it all looks good. And yes the plan is to have a presentation stlye kitchen and I thought some kinda wood fire pizza oven. I'm definitely looking forward to it.

wburg · #**248** Posted **Jun 8, 2007, 5:49 PM**

Really? Okay then...I was under the impression that it was Ploeg's thing. I stand corrected.

sugit · #**249** Posted **Jun 8, 2007, 8:55 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by Sachornet

There is an article in the Sactown magazine issue that just came out about the new place opening up on 10th and J, Parlare, but I didn't get a chance to read it.

Does anyone if there was any good information/details in the article?

I walked by the place on the way to Concert at the Park last weekend, it looked really nice from the outside.

The website has the menus up..the website says the soft opening is July 3rd, with grand opening on the July 12th

http://www.parlarelounge.com/

Grimnebulin · #**250** Posted **Jun 8, 2007, 9:08 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by wburg

grimnebulin: I'm with you on the Jim-Denny's love. In my mind their five cent burger is the best in town. And they've got that amazing grill! The new owners bought the place with no idea they were buying a chunk of local history, but they are doing the legend proud. Adding the outside window and tables allows them to serve more customers (and do better business) while keeping the old "best ten seats in town" feel inside--they even left up all the old pictures and signs, including the admonition that if you sit in the far-left seat you have to take phone orders when the pay phone rings.

I'm looking forward to Tuli, even though it will be entirely vegan. The chef used to be the lead singer of this great band called Behead The Prophet No Lord Shall Live, and apparently part of the schitck is that his cooking is a performance in itself: there will be a big window where diners can watch him cook.

We actually installed that new grill (plus other new kitchen stuff) for them when they took over. I don't get a chance to eat at the counter that often (I try to avoid the phone seat

), but when we get orders to go, they always pull us into the kitchen and get us our food quickly. The new owners are really great and top notch people.

Tuli (thanks for the name correction wburg) sounds pretty interesting too...

goldcntry · #**251** Posted **Jun 8, 2007, 10:23 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by sugit

I walked by the place on the way to Concert at the Park last weekend, it looked really nice from the outside.

The website has the menus up..the website says the soft opening is July 3rd, with grand opening on the July 12th

http://www.parlarelounge.com/

Ok... the menu... the baked Gnocci is calling me. That will be a nice walk to and from my office. Hopefully it will help with the calories...

Grimnebulin · #**252** Posted **Jun 11, 2007, 4:18 PM**

On the Thomas Keller burger joint rumor, Ad Hoc was originally only supposed to be temporary, thus the name, but it worked out so well, it's now permanent. The replacement for Ad Hoc was going to be a burger joint, so either the burger joint rumor is an old one, or he's now got another location current going for the old burger joint idea.

Also, the Crush 29 owners are going to be opening a high end steak house in Roseville near the Galleria in a location that has just broken ground.

Additionally, the former two story SuperMex in Roseville is going to changed into to separate restaurants - one will be a sushi restaurant, while the other one will be Asian fusion...

Ciao!

Web · #**253** Posted **Jun 19, 2007, 6:25 AM**

On Folsom blvd is fenced off and closed and for sale........

BTW did this place ever sell more than 2 meals a day??? I never saw it open in daylight hours......

ozone · #**254** Posted **Jun 28, 2007, 11:28 PM**

I don't where to put this. I found it interesting though. It's from the Midtown Guru -a site worth checking out for happenings around the the Grid
http://midtowngrid.com/blog/

Quote:

Revolution Wines, the first urban winery in Sacramento since Prohibiition, is close to opening in the old Lovell Antique Building in the back at 21st and P Street.

TowerDistrict · #**255** Posted **Jun 28, 2007, 11:40 PM**

Very cool! There actually used to be a very early winery near there. One of the first few in California i believe(?). It was appropriately called California Winery. It think the original location used to be were the Sac Bee's parking lot is now. Maybe someone can verify that.

Fusey · #**256** Posted **Jun 29, 2007, 2:46 AM**

James Chong, owner of Three Monkeys, said his place will open July 25th.

wburg · #**257** Posted **Jun 29, 2007, 3:04 AM**

There were actually three wineries in the neighborhood: Eagle Winery at 18th and P, Pioneer Winery at 20th and R, and California Winery at 21st and R, right across the street from the Buffalo Brewery (where the Bee is now.) The winery in the photo was where the "Whiskey Hill Lofts" project and the Rite-Aid is now, in addition to the bit of Bee parking lot on the R Street side.

They were all started by one guy, Manuel Nevis, who was a very talented individual (in addition to being a successful winemaker he was a master carpenter--his house still stands on 21st between R and S.) He died at his winery in 1907: he was found in one of his own wine vats, overcome by fumes.

His family ran the wineries until around 1910. The Pioneer was reopened briefly in 1911, shipping a product known as "Vestal Vintages."

The facility on 21st and P is upstairs from a hair salon--the building used to be an antiques place and is a pretty nice two-story brick structure. It's actually going to be a wine production facility, with a small tasting room but it isn't actually a wine bar: they won't even have seats.

sugit · #**258** Posted **Jun 29, 2007, 4:02 AM**

Speaking of wine...
______________

Wine-Bar Scene Getting a Twist

A winery tasting room in downtown Sacramento? It could happen late this fall, if Renwood Winery in Amador County's Shenandoah Valley doesn't run into any delays during the city's permit process.

Renwood is planning to move into space at 10th and L streets vacated not long ago by The Avid Reader Bookstore, says Danica Artkovich, the winery's director of marketing. Under a provision of California's alcoholic-beverage laws, wineries can have two tasting rooms, one at the winery itself, which Renwood does, and one elsewhere.

Renwood would use the Sacramento site primarily to promote its expanding line of wines under its Santino label, though Renwood releases also would be available for tasting and purchase, says Artkovich. The site also will be something of a cafe, offering visitors light plates, she adds.

urban_encounter · #**259** Posted **Jun 29, 2007, 7:56 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by sugit

Speaking of wine...
______________

Wine-Bar Scene Getting a Twist

A winery tasting room in downtown Sacramento? It could happen late this fall, if Renwood Winery in Amador County's Shenandoah Valley doesn't run into any delays during the city's permit process.

Renwood is planning to move into space at 10th and L streets vacated not long ago by The Avid Reader Bookstore, says Danica Artkovich, the winery's director of marketing. Under a provision of California's alcoholic-beverage laws, wineries can have two tasting rooms, one at the winery itself, which Renwood does, and one elsewhere.

Renwood would use the Sacramento site primarily to promote its expanding line of wines under its Santino label, though Renwood releases also would be available for tasting and purchase, says Artkovich. The site also will be something of a cafe, offering visitors light plates, she adds.

This is something that sacramento should expand upon and see if they can't bring in a few more local wineries from Lodi, the Delta,Amador and El Dorado Counties and even Napa and Sonoma. There's not another California City better situated (practically surrounded) by all of Northern California's wine regions.

urban_encounter · #**260** Posted **Jun 29, 2007, 7:57 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by sugit

Speaking of wine...
______________

Wine-Bar Scene Getting a Twist

A winery tasting room in downtown Sacramento? It could happen late this fall, if Renwood Winery in Amador County's Shenandoah Valley doesn't run into any delays during the city's permit process.

Renwood is planning to move into space at 10th and L streets vacated not long ago by The Avid Reader Bookstore, says Danica Artkovich, the winery's director of marketing. Under a provision of California's alcoholic-beverage laws, wineries can have two tasting rooms, one at the winery itself, which Renwood does, and one elsewhere.

Renwood would use the Sacramento site primarily to promote its expanding line of wines under its Santino label, though Renwood releases also would be available for tasting and purchase, says Artkovich. The site also will be something of a cafe, offering visitors light plates, she adds.

This is something that Sacramento should expand upon and see if they can't bring in a few more local wineries from Lodi, the Delta, Amador and El Dorado Counties and even Napa and Sonoma. There's not another California City better situated (practically surrounded) by all of Northern California's wine regions.