First Impressions takes a look at dining spots in the region that are new or have undergone recent transitions. Have a candidate for First Impressions? E-mail us at brobertson@sacbee.com.

CORNERSTONE RESTAURANT

1930 K St., Sacramento

• Lost its lease at 24th and J streets, found a new home inside Headhunters, an upscale gay bar.

Selling point: Hearty breakfast fare, old-time favorite greasy spoon.

We walked into a bar at 8:30 on a Tuesday morning with no intention of tying one on or telling the bartender a tale of woe. We were merely on the prowl for sizzling bacon and eggs over easy.

Yes, Cornerstone Restaurant, beloved by many for its hearty breakfasts, has moved a few blocks away and now sits, somewhat awkwardly, in the middle of a gay bar.

Awkward? It's known as a greasy spoon, so it may seem odd to go from dreary digs on J Street to a place with nice furniture, an appealing patio and actual architectural elements.

If you haven't been following real estate news, an update is in order. Cornerstone lost its lease, tried to move to a vacant church on K Street, ran into resistance in the neighborhood over parking spaces and hours of operation, and in a moment in which panic met poetry, found a new home at a bar in the bustling section of the city affectionately dubbed Lavender Heights.

We dropped by on a morning when we were famished and had a hankering for the culinary version of Russian roulette – breakfast that would nourish us while taking our cholesterol into the red zone.

You won't find the words "free range" or "organic" on the menu, and neither will you have to wrestle with concepts such as "subtle" and "sustainable" and "healthy." Even the nondairy creamer contains partially hydrogenated something or other.

But Cornerstone is alive and well – still serving piping-hot coffee, still delivering big plates of food, still proudly clogging arteries.

In some ways, the move five blocks away is an upgrade. Once a cash-only headache waiting to happen, Cornerstone now accepts credit cards, a nod to the idea that we are actually living in modern times.

The hours are much better, too: They start at 6 most mornings and stay open until 10 p.m. most nights, 3 a.m. Friday and Saturday. You can eat early or dine late, though the composition of the crowd is likely to vary greatly.

We enjoyed the breakfast burrito with gooey cheese and the much-admired sautéed potatoes. We also had the waffle combo with bacon and sausage, along with two eggs over easy. It's all the same stuff you will either love or loathe.

The coffee was decent, but the cappuccino was a nightmare, a chemical reaction of water and powdered mix that had no resemblance to the real thing. Who is dumb enough to order cappuccino at a greasy spoon anyway?

We weren't thrilled with the food, but that isn't really the point at Cornerstone. This is a place where serving size matters. The wait staff can be old-school and charming, and the once-dreary décor is now somewhat swanky.

SOURCE GLOBAL TAPAS

5540 Douglas Blvd., Granite Bay

• New casual fine dining at the former Toast restaurant.

Selling point: Small plates with flair and flavor.

We stopped in at Source just weeks after it opened, and our first encounter was a radiant smile and a hearty hello as we walked in. What could be better than that?

In fact, the woman who greeted us was so friendly and genuine that we began to wonder how much better other restaurants would seem if they had her waiting at their front door.

Source is in the Quarry Ponds Town Center, which has emerged as something of a food lover's destination. It includes the upscale Hawks restaurant, Pete's Restaurant and Brewhouse, Sarkisian Kabob, Dinellie's Market, Chef de Cuisine at Pullman Kitchen & Catering, Capitol Cellars wine shop and, still to come, a meat and fish market.

At Source, the understated room is big and open, with a small bar area at the front. The dining area includes a view through the back window of Quarry Ponds. It was cold and wet outside during our visit, but it wasn't hard to imagine sitting out on the covered patio looking out at the man-made pond, even if it has about as much charm and natural splendor as long-term parking at the airport.

Nevertheless, the menu is focused and smart, and the cooking is mostly precise, with a mix of salads, soups and tapas of various sizes. Prices range from $7 to $13. If you get a glass of wine, you get a complimentary tapa, which turned out to be disappointing, even for free. The crackers were too skimpy to scoop up the peppery hummus.

Overall, the quality of the ingredients was obvious, though we felt the bean soup may have been out of balance, relying too much on rosemary for flavor. The prawn wontons were outstanding – lightly battered and deep-fried, and served with a spicy pineapple sauce.

There were three types of sliders from which to choose, and we went with the pulled pork because the menu described it as "6 hour angry pork with crisp shallots and sweet potato fries." We have no idea what that means, but the pork was tender and tasty, doused in a nice barbecue-style sauce. It inspired glee, not enmity.

The closest thing we had to a full entree was the wild salmon ($11), which is served atop a Tuscan bean cassoulet made with aged sherry. It was a nice, small piece of fish, though slightly overcooked.

My favorite little dish at Source was the chanterelle mushroom sauté. The mushrooms were perfect and flavorful, and came with a light and fluffy red quinoa, a very healthy whole grain we don't often see at restaurants.

There also appeared to be a nice selection of wines, with plenty of old favorites from throughout the region.

Source is off to a fine start. Judging from the atmosphere, the food, the concept, the price point and, best of all, the friendly attitude of the staff, this new restaurant looks like a winner.

REVOLUTION WINES

2831 S St., Sacramento

• Moved from small digs, expanded into menu of small plates

Selling point: Tasting room and bistro

This is Sacramento's popular urban winery, now with an appealing dining area in a smartly renovated building at 28th and S streets. What was once a sleepy, dumpy corner is now attractive and full of life, with the excellent Temple Coffee right next door.

We stopped by Revolution Wines recently and, not knowing what to expect, had a great time. The $10 wine tasting was a superb deal – a splash of each of the nine wines available, including two ports, and the tasting ends with a full glass of whatever you liked best (we went with the peppery syrah and a spicy red blend called Rio Tinto).

Our server turned out to be the chef, too. We found her to be smart, engaging, immersed in the food scene and, best of all, a real talent in the kitchen.

We ordered several small plates to nibble on as we tasted the wine. The centerpiece of our meal was the exceptional Winemakers Plate ($14), a selection of fine cheeses, fruit and charcuterie from renowned Fra Mani in Berkeley, along with house-made bacon brittle that married sweet and savory to delicious effect.

The chicken sliders with spicy Thai seasonings were also excellent, as was the hearty, meaty chili. And we simply must say: great buns.

The atmosphere at the new digs is classy and casual, with plenty of dining tables and seats at the bar. The pace is relaxed, and there is live music some nights. It is open for lunch and dinner. You can order wine by the glass, get the full tasting and, of course buy bottles to take home.

From what we have seen so far, this expanded vision of the already successful tasting room concept is a great idea that is finding an audience in midtown.

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Call The Bee's Blair Anthony Robertson, (916) 321-1099.

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