Sacramento Restaurants, Nightlife and Entertainment

[BrianSac]

Enotria Wine Bar and Restaurant has seasonal sales on its bottles of wine to clear them out for new bottles.

Chad, the Wine Stewart says they have 1,000 bottles of wine in stock on average.

I picked up 5 bottles for a 75% savings from the restaurant price.

Its usually a one day or weekend sale.

Here's what I got:

1. A Bordeaux - 2001 - Chateau Le Peuy-Saincrit - Grand Vin De Bordeaux, Français
$35 in the restaurant, $15 on sale.

2. A Rhône for $15, normally $38 in the restaurant. Féraud - Brunel, 2005, Côtes du Rhône Villages, Français

3. An Old Vine Zinfandel, normally $32, i got it for $13. Valhalla Cellers, 2004, Lodi, California.

4. A Pinot Noir - $35 in restaurant, i got it for $15. Silverstone, 2001, Monterey, California.

5. A Riesling - $30 in restaurant, i got it for $13. Dr. Loosen - Mosel-Saar-Ruwer, Deutschland

I wanted more but needed to watch the budget. Nice choice of Syrahs and Beaujolais, too.

[arod74]

Hey anyone know whats going on with the former Bleacher's site (it sadly spent its last few years as a hedious pink Chinese buffet) there in front of the main fair grounds entrance on Exposition? As I drove by, it was almost completely demolished. Most of the restuarants on expo have been replaced by business/commercial over the years so I wouldn't be surprised to see the space be used for that purpose. Hell, while they are at it they might as well demo the rest of that complex. With Circuit City gone, the only thing there might be a Petco and Mervyns and that can barely be called retail. It will be interesting to see what happens with that complex when Mervyns finally folds and if the Cal Expo is successful in getting the redevolpement push with the new Arena and entertainment..

[TWAK]

anybody know where a good place to get a haircut at for cheap, like 10 bucks? I got regular barbershop in Dixon and Davis, but I don't know of any "guy" kinda barbers in the area. Are there any in the pocket, florin, freeport or downtown area? No hoity toity urban hair salons, I want a regular candy cane barbershop that will shave my neck and sideburns.

[innov8]

Originally Posted by arod74

Hey anyone know whats going on with the former Bleacher's site (it sadly spent its last few years as a hedious pink Chinese buffet) there in front of the main fair grounds entrance on Exposition? As I drove by, it was almost completely demolished. Most of the restuarants on expo have been replaced by business/commercial over the years so I wouldn't be surprised to see the space be used for that purpose. Hell, while they are at it they might as well demo the rest of that complex. With Circuit City gone, the only thing there might be a Petco and Mervyns and that can barely be called retail. It will be interesting to see what happens with that complex when Mervyns finally folds and if the Cal Expo is successful in getting the redevolpement push with the new Arena and entertainment..

I saw that a backhoe sitting there last week... man, the time has come
I enjoyed many great times there... back when it was a cool sports bar. It sure
went to crap in the last several years.

TWAK: Try the Freeport Beauty Salon at 5037 Freeport and ask for Elissa.
Ten bucks will get you a nice hair cut from Elissa... the other ladies don't
speak english very well... so don't chance it like I did once.

[BrianSac]

Originally Posted by TWAK

anybody know where a good place to get a haircut at for cheap, like 10 bucks? I got regular barbershop in Dixon and Davis, but I don't know of any "guy" kinda barbers in the area. Are there any in the pocket, florin, freeport or downtown area? No hoity toity urban hair salons, I want a regular candy cane barbershop that will shave my neck and sideburns.

Folsom Blvd and 51st street - Candy Cane old time barber shop. Owned by an italian guy. Old italian guys hang out their and talk sports, farming, and cars.
Its sort of "mafia-ish". I keep expecting Tony Soprano to walk in. The barbers are all older men and italian. In the summer they talk about who has the biggest tomatoes, grapes, eggplant, etc. in their italian gardens, and how younger folks need guidance.

[TWAK]

Originally Posted by BrianSac

Folsom Blvd and 51st street - Candy Cane old time barber shop. Owned by an italian guy. Old italian guys hang out their and talk sports, farming, and cars.
Its sort of "mafia-ish". I keep expecting Tony Soprano to walk in. The barbers are all older men and italian. In the summer they talk about who has the biggest tomatoes, grapes, eggplant, etc. in their italian gardens, and how younger folks need guidance.

that sounds good, I'm Sicilian so that would work out great. What area is this? close to Pocket?
I'll give your suggestion a try too Inov8, although it is a salon if its on Freeport and I can get it for 10 bucks that would be awesomeness.
I normally go to this place every couple of months where I live (unless I'm in the Dixon-Davis area), it's some sort of salon with water fountains in it. I only went in there by the sheer need of a haircut in a short span of time (had to do military stuff) but the chicks were fucken sexy as hell. They better be smokin' if I'm paying 18$ a haircut.

[brandon12]

^there's an awesome place on 21st, near P or so (it's next to the Press Club). It's for guys only, they have a few playboys sitting around, sports center on the tv, it's three brothers or cousins I think. When I was there, there was even some dude that brought in a 12er of corona's and I kinda laughed a little and someone said it was byob.
I think they charge about $10 for a buzz cut.

[BrianSac]

Originally Posted by TWAK

that sounds good, I'm Sicilian so that would work out great. What area is this? close to Pocket?
I'll give your suggestion a try too Inov8, although it is a salon if its on Freeport and I can get it for 10 bucks that would be awesomeness.
I normally go to this place every couple of months where I live (unless I'm in the Dixon-Davis area), it's some sort of salon with water fountains in it. I only went in there by the sheer need of a haircut in a short span of time (had to do military stuff) but the chicks were fucken sexy as hell. They better be smokin' if I'm paying 18$ a haircut.

That would be considered "'East Sacramento" in the city limits, Corte Bros is down the street at 59th street, and Gallagers Irish Pub. This is parallel to Highway 50 and light rail. North of the freeway. Last time I had a buzz cut there it was under $10, but that was about 3yrs ago. These guys are old time Sacramentans when everyone had a garden and fruit trees in East Sac and every italian was somehow connected to the Agricultural industry in the valley. The owner is a hot rod car buff. All their kids go to the local catholic schools. No sexy girls, just old men with high wasted pants. Playboys on the table would be in bad taste. They belong under the bed behind closed doors. This the respectable barber shop Tony Soprano takes his boys to when they are under 16, when they are over 16 then they go to the "playboy" barber shop in the bad part of town.

[goldcntry]

Originally Posted by BrianSac

That would be considered "'East Sacramento" in the city limits, Corte Bros is down the street at 59th street, and Gallagers Irish Pub. This is parallel to Highway 50 and light rail. North of the freeway. Last time I had a buzz cut there it was under $10, but that was about 3yrs ago. These guys are old time Sacramentans when everyone had a garden and fruit trees in East Sac and every italian was somehow connected to the Agricultural industry in the valley. The owner is a hot rod car buff. All their kids go to the local catholic schools. No sexy girls, just old men with high wasted pants. Playboys on the table would be in bad taste. They belong under the bed behind closed doors. This the respectable barber shop Tony Soprano takes his boys to when they are under 16, when they are over 16 then they go to the "playboy" barber shop in the bad part of town.

Gotta throw my into the ring. This place has great nostalgia value to it and is good for a no-nonsence hair cut of days gone by... Berma-Shave, Barbersol, and clippers!

Also of note of the businesses on the intersection of Folsom and 51st: there is the Italiano Marcato, a Longs Drug, Trader Joe's, and Gunther's Ice Cream Parlour! If you're a good lad for your haircut, you could walk down to Gunther's for an icecream cone... or across to the Pub for a pint...

[wburg]

The Italian Mercado went out of business a year or two ago, largely due to the presence of Trader Joe's. The neighborhood is near where much of downtown's Italian American population relocated in the 1950s when St. Mary's moved from Seventh and T to 54th Street.

My favorite barbershop on 19th and P next to the Zebra Club closed in 1995; he was in his eighties and charged $4 for a haircut, which took about half an hour (for a buzz cut, Ivy League or other old-school haircut.) Apparently the fashion used to be that you'd get your hair cut on Friday night and then go to the bar, which is why so many barbershops downtown are right next to bars.

[wburg]

Soul men: Midtown's Weatherstone Coffee shop isn't being sold to a couple from Italy, after all.
That deal, which we reported last month, fell through. Now the owners of Old Soul Co. are buying the place.
"We'll get the keys on March 1," says Tim Jordan, one of Old Soul's founders.
He and partner Jason Griest had been looking to expand their business. When Jordan heard Weatherstone, at 812 21st St., was available again, he was on the phone "about eight minutes later," he says.

Jordan and Griest are planning a few changes for a place Jordan calls "Sacramento's original coffeehouse."
A new name is being considered, perhaps "Old Soul at the Weatherstone."
The new owners also will introduce fresh lunch and dinner items along – of course – with the coffee they roast and pastries they make at the funky Old Soul site, on an alley between 17th and 18th, L and Capitol.

Transaction price? It's not being disclosed, but Jordan says the sale is an all-cash deal – a testament to the success Old Soul has had since it started up wholesale operations in 2006 and a retail biz last year.

Jordan says the partners have worked hard to get where they are now.
"Do we really want to work harder?" he asks of the challenges of expansion. "Fortunately, the answer is 'yes.' It should be fun."

* * *
Spicy fare: Developer Andrea Lepore has been getting lots of calls since a Bee story ran last week about her Hot Italian eatery and boutique, slated for the corner of 16th and Q in midtown.

Some interested readers went online to find the business Web site and their explorations landed them at a porn site.
Lepore reports she got plenty of calls about it, mostly along the lines of: "Uh, did you know that … ."
For the record, Lepore's site is www.hotitalian.net. Be careful with that Web address suffix.

From today's Bee...

[innov8]

A Restaurant's in the works to go in at the base of the Elks building on the
11th Street side. The plan is to have it on three levels and go down to
where the pool once was. The proposed décor will have the old charm the 20's and 30's.

[BrianSac]

I thought I'd mention a great little hole in the wall, crappy looking restaurant on 9th street, between L & K. It is in one of those old hotel buildings (Single Occupancy whatever you call them.)

I'm sorry I dont even remember the name of the place; its on the east side of 9th street, next to the alley. Attached to the restaurant is a real hole in the wall alcoholics bar. I asked the waitress who owns the restaurant and building, and she said it was not Moe. I Forgot the name of the owner.

Anyway, this place has great breakfasts for dirt cheap. The quality is really good. Its great for a quick lunch as well, super cheap prices. Often you will see a staffer, senator, and state worker eating next to down and out welfare types. Many occupants of the hotel eat there as well. We call it the "down and out'' diner. A lot of construction worker types like the place as well, good food, lots of it, for really cheap prices. You have to go through the bar to get to the bathroom, kinda scary. There is a old aerial photograph of downtown with a super thick frame around it next to the cash register. There are a lot of places like this in new york and in sf. You will be surprised how good the food is.

[wburg]

That's the Capitol Park Cafe. I go there quite frequently; it is on the first floor of the Capitol Park Hotel, and right next door to Henry's Bar. The building is owned by Ron Henry, their property office is a couple of doors down.

There used to be a lot more places like that downtown, but Capitol Park Cafe' is just about the only holdout left: a genuine diner. Good food, nice people, fast service, hot coffee and it's in a beautiful old building too.

[urban_encounter]

Originally Posted by innov8

A Restaurant's in the works to go in at the base of the Elks building on the 11th Street side. The plan is to have it on three levels and go down to where the pool once was. The proposed décor will have the old charm the 20's and 30's.

Here are the renderings that were provided at the K street walk last Saturday

[sugit]

Those are renderings of the place going into the Elks? That's pretty sweet looking.

If there has been no mentioned of a chain so far, then hopefully it's a local product.

[urban_encounter]

Originally Posted by sugit

Those are renderings of the place going into the Elks? That's pretty sweet looking.

If there has been no mentioned of a chain so far, then hopefully it's a local product.

Yeah I'm amazed at the quality establishments still going in downtown, despite the housing slump.

[BrianSac]

Originally Posted by wburg

That's the Capitol Park Cafe. I go there quite frequently; it is on the first floor of the Capitol Park Hotel, and right next door to Henry's Bar. The building is owned by Ron Henry, their property office is a couple of doors down.

There used to be a lot more places like that downtown, but Capitol Park Cafe' is just about the only holdout left: a genuine diner. Good food, nice people, fast service, hot coffee and it's in a beautiful old building too.

Thats the place! It figures you would know the name of the restaurant, bar, and owner. I wonder if this building will ever be "gentried"?

The waitresses are very friendly, the cooks look like they spent time in prison, and the décor looks "utilitarian 1930's". Yet, the place is clean, and the food is way better than round corner (24th & J), Lyon's or most other breakfast places in town.

[urban_encounter]

Originally Posted by BrianSac

Thats the place! It figures you would know the name of the restaurant, bar, and owner. I wonder if this building will ever be "gentried"?

The waitresses are very friendly, the cooks look like they spent time in prison, and the décor looks "utilitarian 1930's". Yet, the place is clean, and the food is way better than round corner (24th & J), Lyon's or most other breakfast places in town.

Another great little cafe is Harry's Cafe on 16th street..



luv it!

[BrianSac]

Originally Posted by urban_encounter

Another great little cafe is Harry's Cafe on 16th street..



luv it!

Good to know. I've wanted to go there for awhile, I always seem to forget about the place.

*******************************
On another note:

We strolled around midtown for second saturday last night and had some cocktails and mexican grub at Azul.

Very friendly staff. Fun décor, muy azul. Steak Burrito and Cheese Enchiladas were very good. Ceviche was average to good.

Don Julio Reposado Margaritas were excellent!

Ask for the Minnesota Daquri Ice Cream drink, only one bar tender knows how to make it. Loaded with rum, not my kind of drink, but for people who like sweet drinks its delicioso.


We went to Crush 29 in Roseville on Friday night:

The Salads were excellent. Pasta ok. Steak Sandwich was very good.
Desserts were horrible, bad coffee.

They served their white wine warm, and they poured it from those little carafes which I hate, and the waiter said its too much of a hassle to pour from the actual wine bottle....I hate that too.

They spent a fortune on stone and tile. The place is beautiful, great center bar. Very Tuscan décor.

*****************

Might I add I was more impressed and satisfied with the grub provided for Felipe's Birthday party at Faces last night, than either of the two places above. And it was FREE. :-)