We found some intriguing nut butters on a recent visit to the Sacramento Natural Foods Co-op.

"They go so well with fall fruits like apples and pears," pointed out assistant marketing manager Stacie Traylor. "You can use them to make cookies, too."

We sampled an array, some of them more blended than others. Our favorites, with tasting notes:

Nuttzo Multi-Nut, a blend of peanuts, cashews, almonds, Brazil nuts, hazelnuts, and sunflower and flax seeds, $9.99 for 16 ounces; www. nuttzo.com: "Creamy, with delightful crunches in between."

Justin's honey peanut butter squeeze, 49 cents for a 1.15-ounce squeeze pack; www. justinsnutbutter.com: "The squeeze pack is ideal for outdoors activities; not too sweet."

Living Tree macadamia, $15.99 for 8 ounces; www.livingtreecommunity.com: "The mouth feel is grainy in a pleasant way."

Artisana pecan, $10.99 for 8 ounces; www.artisanafoods.com: "Pecan pie taste."

Once Again crunchy peanut, $6.39 for 16 ounces; www.onceagainnutbutter.com: "The most flavorful of them all."

Maranatha sunflower seed; $4.59 for 12 ounces; www.maranathafoods.com: "Good replacement for those with nut allergies."

We also tasted Kettle Foods' hazelnut, cashew and almond butters (www.kettlebrand.com), and raw wild peanut butter from the Ecuadorian rainforest (www.essentiallivingfoods.com).

1900 Alhambra Blvd., (916) 455-2667, www.sacfoodcoop.com.

Time for dessert

Sweet meets art at Roxy restaurant, thanks to pastry chef Kristina Dula's menu of fall desserts. Like her "autumn fair fried cheesecake":

"I make a crustless vanilla bean cheesecake, wrap it in phyllo and crispy rice cereal and deep-fry it in rice oil," she said. It's sauced with spiced cranberry and port coulis and topped with Chantilly cream ($7).

Then there's the pumpkin tart: "Pumpkin pudding goes into a tart shell and topped with torched, house-made vanilla-bean marshmallow." That one's served with an orange reduction sauce and port-soaked dried cherries ($7).

Coming to the mini-bite dessert menu are more warm fall flavors, she said. "Apple, pear, more pumpkin and, of corse, cinnamon. And we'll be getting Meyer lemons soon."

2381 Fair Oaks Blvd., Sacramento; (916) 489-2000, www.roxyrestaurantandbar.com.

High-velocity burgers

Always on the lookout for another burger joint, we checked out the newly opened Burgerocity in Folsom. We found a slickly designed space with faux cowhide-covered seats and a wall-mounted soliloquy explaining why the burgers are ground from "100 percent Hereford chuck."

"It's grass-fed, hormone-free beef, and I think it's the best on the market," said co-owner Steve Presson.

He added, "My plan is to fine-tune this (unit) and build several others." He knows how – Presson was the founder in 1986 of the Pete's pizza restaurants you see around town.

We ordered, we tasted, we liked. Lots of juices and flavors, and delivered to the table pronto.

Burgers are $3.69 to $6.59, with some free toppings, including sautéed mushrooms. The Nutty Burger is a fine vegetarian option ($5.99).

157 Iron Point Road; (916) 351-5777, www.burgerocity.com.

Sandwich patrol points the way

Let's point the way to two disparate sandwiches, each with its own great tastes:

The French dip at the Marketplace Cafe inside Embassy Suites: Chef Clay Purcell stacks shaved prime rib on an aioli-smeared hoagie roll (better is grilled rye from Bella Bru), melts Swiss cheese all over it, and serves it with house-made jus and from-scratch coleslaw ($11; skip the fries, go with fresh fruit).

100 Capitol Mall, Sacramento; (916) 326-5000, www.embassysuites.hilton.com.

The Kurobuta pork banh mi at Star Ginger: Restaurateur-chef Mai Pham's casual in-and-out eatery specializes in the "street foods of Southeast Asia." Tops is this sandwich of slow-roasted pork, cucumber, cilantro, pickled carrot and daikon, jalapeño and Srirachi aioli ($6.50). Served on a baguette made by Village Bakery in Davis, from a proprietary recipe.

3101 Folsom Blvd., (916) 231-8888, www.starginger.com.

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Call The Bee's Allen Pierleoni, (916) 321-1128.

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