First Impressions visits dining spots in the region that are new or have undergone recent transitions. Have a candidate for First Impressions? Email us at brobertson@sacbee.com.
I have eaten at five new places in recent days, gathering clues as to which might prosper and which could fold faster than you can say Spin Burger Bar.
One is off to an impressive start and could be destined to reach the upper echelon of fine dining restaurants in the city; one seems to have found the right concept – good-quality beer, and lots of it – for a midtown hot spot in the making; one is a fresh start on an old corner; one joint best known for its unusual ice pop flavors has relocated from Davis to midtown and already has something of a cult following; and one place has dreamed up an entire menu around an edible bulb that makes many dishes taste better but isn't so kind to your breath.
Yes, despite the nation's political woes and the on- going bad news with the economy, people are still going out to eat and still eager to have a good time. They're spending money. These new and aspiring places are vying for some of it.
Restaurant Thir13en
1300 H St., SacramentoNever mind the name or the spelling, this new restaurant housed in the charming, yesteryear elegance of the Sterling Hotel has made an exciting statement from the get-go. If it continues to follow the trajectory it's on, the name could become synonymous with culinary excellence. So far, I'm spelling it "1derful."
What do I mean by exciting? You take the farm-to- table concept practiced so well by places like Mulvaney's and Magpie, and elevate it with creative combinations and just enough modernist techniques to expand your repertoire and break down barriers.
This is the work of Adam Pechal, the chef and restaurateur who made a name for himself at Tuli Bistro. Pechal seems to have found new wings for this ambitious venture, doing the kind of work that is going to attract the most discerning diners and those who simply want great-tasting food.
During a recent visit, the food was creative, delicious and fresh as can be. And our service was perfection – friendly, smart, attentive, enthusiastic. It takes some serious planning and execution to pull off food that has touches of the avant garde without being alienating.
The pappardelle – those elegant, wide ribbons of pasta – was some of the best we've ever had, made with heirloom tomatoes so sweet and fresh and paired with house-made sausage that had an earthy, bright flavor note of fennel. The plate was a thing of beauty, showing off farm-to-table colors of nature's bounty.
It may be hard to get jazzed about a sandwich, but the chef took us in a different, exciting direction with an open-face sandwich called a pork tonnato. Tonnato is from the Italian "tonno," for tuna. The roasted pork was sliced and laid atop a tonnato sauce that was lively and clean on the palate. Then it was topped with crispy fried onions. The sandwich is something of a classic, more commonly done with veal, but this version brought new elements to the equation.
That seems to be the theme at Thir13en, and it's what great restaurants tend to do. That's what happened with the last course of an excellent meal – a strawberry shortcake that was, for me, a game-changer. Try as she may, Mom never served such fresh, glistening strawberries and introduced such complexity to a seemingly simple dessert. On a scale of 1 to 10, this was a 13.
River Rock Tap House
2326 J St., Sacramento
And now for something completely different. Restaurant veteran Michael Keolanui has taken his tried and true concept, Tex Mex Bar & Grill, and turned it into a tap house featuring top-flight craft beers with a food menu drawn up to showcase the brews.
During our visit, the menu was still a work in progress. But we saw signs of promise with a hefty burger topped with cheese and applewood smoked bacon next to a serving of very good waffle fries.
The PranQster pasta dish looked great on the plate – fettucine, mushrooms, white cheddar sauce that was apparently infused with PranQster Beer – but the overall flavor fell a little flat.
By contrast, the Sac Town Philly was very tasty. The tri-tip was marinated in cider and served on a steak roll with Point Reyes blue cheese, sautéed mushrooms, caramelized onions and a garlic aioli. Great combinations and a tasty tap house choice to go with a beer.
This is going to be a beer-driven joint. Keolanui and business partner Tony Priley are taking their time with the menu, but they are going full bore with the beer. River Rock, last time I checked, had 41 craft beers on tap. The goal is to have 110 by September. There will also be wine and premium sodas.
The grand opening is Saturday – a Second Saturday – when Keolanui promises to roll out a larger menu.
Clark's Corner
5651 J St., Sacramento
Our first impression? People in east Sac talk REALLY LOUDLY! It was like that at the bar and it was like that on the patio on the side of the building.
OK, this is a restaurant and bar, so it's going to be lively. Even with our ears ringing, we were able to admire the food, and the service was so friendly that we overlooked the fact that our waiter didn't know much about the impressive menu.
Clark's Corner has succeeded The Corner Bar and Restaurant, which succeeded Sweetwater, which relocated to midtown after it succeeded some place that wasn't there long enough for me to remember. Long before that, it was a Shakey's Pizza.
Highlighting that it is on a corner is a good thing, because this corner and the streets nearby are the most befuddling and awkwardly engineered streets in town.
When we finally got to Clark's Corner, and after we got acclimated to the booming voices, we found plenty to like about this new venture. It is owned by 31-year-old Clark Bransqum, who has a culinary school background and who used to own a bar in San Francisco, Kelly's Tavern. Now, he's back in his hometown eager to make a go of it with a neighborhood restaurant and bar.
It had a soft opening on Memorial Day weekend and has slowly but surely showcased cooking that is surprisingly refined and well beyond the anticipated bar food. We had the pan-roasted petrale sole, for instance, that was impressive. We also liked the roasted Petaluma chicken with truffled macaroni and cheese and summer squash.
The pizzas could be considered a work in progress. Nice toppings and good flavor, but the all-important crust was merely OK and could be improved.
The place seems like a good bet as a gathering spot for drinks after work or during a game on TV on the weekends. But don't overlook it as a nice option for some good cooking with creative touches. The specials rotate each day and include fish and chips (Monday) and barbecue ribs (Wednesday).
Fat Face
1815 19th St., Sacramento
What, you haven't heard of Fat Face? We're deducting cool points. This creative little eatery recently moved from Davis to Sacramento and is in the back portion of a newly renovated building fronted by a vintage clothing store, Bows and Arrows.
I'm not hip enough to wear clothes someone else didn't want, but I'm digging what I see so far at Fat Face, which is the brainchild of Jaymes Luu, who could be on the brink of stardom. Her ice pop treats – $3 popsicles – have the potential to inspire, with such flavors as kaffir lime and avocado. The willingness to experiment and the eagerness to be playful remind me of Humphrey Slocombe, the ice cream shop in San Francisco that was featured on the cover of the New York Times Magazine because it dared to offer such flavors as hibiscus beet and toasted cornflakes with bourbon.
Alas, ice pops are a more challenging medium because they tend to be less fun and fattening than ice cream. Still, Luu's work is to be both admired and anticipated.
The sandwiches also are impressive. I just wish there were more of them. When we went, there were four options – two of which were meatless, and the two meat options both featured pork. We argued over which pork sandwich was better, the one with cola-braised pork or the one with barbecue pork. Both were superb.
Fat Face also has a smart selection of wines, which you can enjoy at the bar, in the dining area or on the patio out back.
This quirky cafe is part of a mixed-use space, and it all comes together in a pleasing way, sort of stylishly industrial but with plenty of warmth and a dash of whimsy. Along with the vintage clothing, there is art on the walls available for purchase.
Garlic Shack
1830 J St., Sacramento
This is the new restaurant that took the place of Plum Blossom, a Chinese-food eatery that closed abruptly and mysteriously.
Spoiler alert: I'm about to solve the mystery. The food was dreadful.
As for Garlic Shack, this new late-night joint is beginning with some elements of a mystery. Why, for instance, was there only one server on duty on a Saturday night?
And why oh why, when I looked up from eating my gigantic bowl of French onion soup, did I have to encounter an episode of "Cops" on the flatscreen? Nothing more appetizing than watching an earnest deputy sheriff ask a chemically stimulated citizen, "Where are your teeth at?"
Not smart. Not cool. Not paying attention. I tried not to watch the TV when our main dishes arrived. Couldn't help it: The cops were sending a German shepherd under a house to coax another tweaker to surrender. With better volume, I would have heard the screaming.
The onion soup was interesting, including a broth accented with beer, lots of tasty onions and, overall, a massive portion. It was actually the largest soup I have ever seen at a restaurant, though I didn't pick up any signs of garlic flavor.
The cheese bread was also a large portion, and tasty, highlighted with the expected accents of garlic. In fact, you can get garlic on just about everything at Garlic Shack, including the cheesecake.
This place is in a high-profile location on J Street, and the makeover to the building opens up the outdoor seating in an appealing way. It's not clear how the public is responding so far, but my impression is the menu needs some nips and tucks, along with some refinement – in the kitchen, the staffing and what they show on their TVs.
© Copyright The Sacramento Bee. All rights reserved.
Call The Bee's Blair Anthony Robertson, (916) 321-1099.
• Read more articles by Blair Anthony Robertson