Category Archives: Restaurants

Dunk Your Donuts in Sacramento

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donut-522440_1280Sacramento could soon be home to some Dunkin’ Donuts. It was recently reported that East Sacramento’s 5801 Folsom Boulevard is to be the place to “run to” for Americans. Conveniently located near Panda Express and PizzaRev, it is set to open later this year, soon after to be joined by another franchise in the south Sacramento area.

In an attempt to respond to local competition, according to Nation’s Restaurant News’, Dunkin’ Donuts is giving Starbucks’ a bit of a run for its money. Strategically waiting until the night before the coffee shop rolled out its new loyalty program, Dunkin Donuts unveiled its new mobile app and a “DD Perks Rewards” promotion to help customers get a free drink faster. This app enables Dunkin Donuts’ customers to pay using a virtual DD card via

Apple Pay at participating locations. In addition, it has loyalty offers and rewards and will be giving out gift cards.

So Sacramento donut lovers, what are you waiting for?

 

Sacramento: The Business of Beer

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beerIs it possible that beer is making a comeback in Sacramento? Or has it just been getting greater press attention as of late? Either way the additional discussion of beer in Sacramento has to be good news for Sactown Union Brewery owners, Quinn Gardner and Michael Barker.

While Gardner and Barker hope it will be open for Sacramento Beer Week 2015, it’s not a definite despite their meticulous planning. There have been a few delays like getting the permits, etc. But hopefully – sooner rather than later – this 7,300 square foot brewery will be open for business.

The brewery will provide such a haven for beer lovers. Decked out in local sports team, with its tasting room, large patio and variety of beers and experienced owners, it looks set to really make it. Gardner was a regional sales manager for San Francisco’s 21st Amendment Brewery. Together with Baker they settled on Sacramento as a location due to the strength of the local beer community and demographics.

And that strength has been proven in other Sacramento beer news. According to a report from Sacramento Business Journal, sale of beer has been increasing. Numbers were particularly high in the summer of 2015, especially compared with the year-on-year 2013, 2014.

Furthermore, more and more movie theaters in Sacramento are offering beer and wine purchases for their customers with the most recent move being the theater at 2508 Land Park Drive has applied for a permit to sell alcohol. According to Jeremy Duburg, GM of that theater, this is something customers have been requesting for a long time.

Touring the Culinary Neighborhood

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culinaryHow does one get to know a city? One way is through its culinary reputation. In Sacramento – California’s capital city – there is a culinary tour through which consumers can explore food and wine traditional to the area “by touring farm-to-fork establishments and going behind the scenes to meet chefs who are passionate about sourcing locally for their seasonal menus.”

There are six stops on this tour, spanning Sacramento’s Kay District. Described as being “eclectic” during the daytime, this neighborhood “buzzes with activity from the mix of mid-rise and high-rise office buildings. After dark, The Kay draws its energy from a diverse mix of hotels, restaurants, nightlife and entertainment venues. The Kay District is eclectic and a study of contrast. Visitors can dine in a sleek modern restaurant with historic landmarks in the background, spend the night in a hotel which once was a public market, or catch a live show in one of Sacramento’s historic vaudeville houses.” So it makes for the perfect location for a full-on culinary experience.

But this tour is more than just about food and drink. Participants will benefit from a variety of “entertaining stories about the food scene as well as the capital’s culture and history,” learning about Sacramento’s “rising culinary recognition and why the area is an up-and-coming hot spot in California.”

One will also get a “taste” for Sacramento’s “architecture and history that make the region an exciting culinary destination.” You’ll explore alleyways you may never have come across, “learn about local farm-to-fork menus” and get a true flavor of the area’s art and culture scenes.

This really is a great way to discover Sacramento. Indeed, as James Michener once said about travel, “If you reject the food, ignore the customs, fear the religion, and avoid the people, you might better stay home.”

Davis Farmers Market

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jams-997593_1280The Davis Farmers Market in Sacramento is a great place to visit every Wednesday, especially in the winter. Do you want to warm up with a nice bowl of home-made soup? Get your produce fresh every week here as well as home grown eggs, honey and wines. Open weekly from 2-6, it is located in Central Park, Third and C streets, just under the pavilion.

There are two restaurants there too: the Fuji Sushi Boat and Kathmandu which are great dinner options. For those who don’t like the idea of buying produce to make their own soups, they can warm up during the cold winter months with a hearty soup from the Upper Crust Bakery. The Fuji Sushi Boat has had fabulous reviews on Yelp with consumers referring to it as “jackpot” and becoming “addicted.”

Among the many awards the Davis Farmers Market has won over the years is the most recent one that was received in August of last year. USA Today ranked it No. 9 on its “10 Best Farmers Markets List.”

What’s New in the Sacramento Food Industry?

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pizzaPizzaRev is coming to Sacramento.   This pizza franchise store is hoping that there is potential for another pizza business in the region for when it opens in the new year. The operation offers customized 11 inch pizzas that are ready in just a few minutes. It will be located in a retail center currently under construction at 5801 Folsom Boulevard, east Sacramento and will use 1,800 square feet.

However, it will be right near Blaze Fast-Fire’d Pizza and Pieology Pizzeria. But Harvind Uppal is aware of the existence of these and is still not concerned. He pointed out that the toppings being offered at his pizza place – ranging from vegan sausage to anchovies – give it its edge. The store already has a presence in six states. And it is called rev, short for revolution, creating a “national movement that’s all about empowering you to ‘craft your own.’”

Meanwhile, the new Flamingo Palace banquet hall, in North Highlands just opened last month. Offering a 16,000 square feet banquet hall on Watt Avenue, this building was actually closed for three years before Avtar Singh and Pradeep Paul Sharma joined together to invest $1.2 million for renovations. The end result? A world class banquet hall, featuring plus carpets, marble floors and chandeliers.

Unique Hot-Dogery Expanding to New Location

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Umai Savory Hot Dogs in Roseville is expanding.
Umai Savory Hot Dogs in Roseville is expanding.

In case you haven’t heard, there is a new way to eat hot dogs in Roseville. Umai Savory Hot Dogs has taken the art of eating dogs to a whole new level. Opened this past summer, Umai offers a startling assortment of toppings and specialty hot dogs to make the most tainted hot dog connoisseur smile.

For instance, who could possibly resist something called “Mexicali Mayhem” or “Honolulu Bang Bang?” and for the true artist among us, diners can invent their own specialty dog, kind of like “Build-a-Bear” for foodies. Even normal folks could be enticed with toppings like maple bacon chips, roasted seaweed and kimchi.

Louie Tran, the CEO of Umai, is ready to expand into a location in Natomas. Looking at a February opening, his new branch will fill the space left open by a fish and chips joint, right next door to Beach Hut Deli at 3620 N. Freeway Blvd.

According to information gleaned from the company’s website, this new venture is only the beginning for Umai. They are also considering opening more stores in downtown Sacramento and close to Arden Fair.