Eleven months after construction crews broke ground, the $7 million, 10,000-square-foot Sacramento Greyhound bus terminal opened last week to much fanfare. The crowd at the ribbon-cutting ceremony applauded as the first inbound bus arrived on time at 6 a.m.

Officials have expressed relief that the old terminal at Seventh and L streets is history. It was a trouble spot, they say. Mayor Kevin Johnson called it "an eyesore." Police were regularly called to the site.

Still, there's something to be said for a microcosm that brimmed with character – for better or worse. It won't be missed, but it does deserve a nod as a unique relic, a combination of gritty streets as chronicled by poet-novelist Charles Bukowski, and the bizarre possibilities proposed by "The Twilight Zone."

Inside the new Richards Boulevard terminal – clean, green, well-lit and pretty much inaccessible to foot traffic – we checked out the tiny restaurant, called Restaurant. It's one of only four fully staffed food- service stands at major terminals in California. In fairness, the restaurant is brand-new and, as with any eating establishment, it takes a while to streamline the operation. Yet the line of customers didn't let up during our 90-minute visit.

The deep fryer-friendly menu is small, predictable and reasonably priced (look to the meal deals). Crispy chicken sandwich, over-crusted and undercooked fish sandwich, burrito, limp fries. From the grill come a cheesesteak, burger (on a grilled bun, but someone needs to rethink that patty) and grilled cheese. You can buy a box of bite-size Tostitos white-corn chips and load them with squirts of Gehl's cheese sauce from a Hot Top dispenser.

When we arrived, Princess, the friendly cashier, explained she had just put the hot dogs on the roller and they wouldn't be done for a while. They weren't quite ready a half-hour later, so she offered to dunk one in the deep fryer to finish it off. It turned out really good, with mustard and relish.

The big surprise was the display of healthful items in the cold case – boiled eggs, yogurt, prepared sandwiches, salads (including grilled chicken) and fresh fruit. For entertainment, the people-watching is tops.

The Greyhound bus terminal is at 420 Richards Blvd., Sacramento; (916) 444-1508.

Giovanni's happy to be here

There's so much New York-style pizza in town that we should be talking with accents. Let's remember that the guy who helped pioneer the thin-crust Neapolitan-style pizza movement here is John Ruffaine, who opened Giovanni's Old World New York Pizzeria 10 years ago.

"I'm just happy to still be here 10 years later," he said.

So happy that he has rolled back the price of his large (16-inch) cheese pizza from $17.95 to the 2001 price of $9.95. "If you build your own with your favorite toppings, it's a good way to get a very good deal," he said, and we agree.

The rollback program runs through August at the two Giovanni's pizzerias in Sacramento: 5924 S. Land Park Drive, (916) 393-7001; and 6200 Folsom Blvd., (916) 455-8831.

"I'm providing a style of pizza I grew up with in Brooklyn," Ruffaine said. "I'm making it with no shortcuts, from scratch and with ingredients imported from New York and Italy." That includes the extra-virgin olive oil.

If you're not in the mood for pizza, the Sicilian roasted chicken from a family recipe is a winner ($9.95 whole, $5.95 for a half).

Visit at www.giosnypizza.com.

Peach shake time at Whitey's

For the eighth straight year, the sign has gone up at Whitey's Jolly Kone: "Fresh peach milkshakes."

Imagine a visit to peach heaven and how a milkshake would taste there: high-quality vanilla ice cream studded with chunks of fragrant peach, blended into an icy concoction that cools the throat.

Each summer, the owners of the landmark drive-in, Steve and Paula Ericson, sell the shakes as fast as they can make them, using tree-ripened freestone peaches. From now until around the end of August, they'll serve the area's best peach shake. Regular, $3.25; large, $3.75.

Whitey's is at 1300 Jefferson Blvd., West Sacramento; (916) 371-3605.

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