Festive dining returns with Sippin’ Santas and drinks stronger than milk with cookies

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Has the Christmas spirit gripped you yet? Local bakeries are rolling out seasonal cookies and cakes, Nativity scenes are poking up around area churches, and stores are playing Mariah Carey and Michael Bublé for the first time all year.

A few Sacramento bars are fully in the spirits, as well. Holly Jolly Christmas Bar (normally Crawdad’s on the River) has live themed entertainment each night, be it local country-rock band Township or DJs dressed as Santa Claus. The Red Rabbit Kitchen & Bar is back with its annual Miracle pop-up bar’s faux presents, Christmas trees and seasonal libations.

A couple of blocks down J Street, The Jungle Bird’s Sippin’ Santa pop-up is part Noel, part island getaway with options such as the Kris Kringle Colada (dark Jamaican rum, cynar, allspice, lime juice, pineapple juice and cream of coconut).

The winter months can get long and dreary, particularly when COVID risks keep people sequestered past 5 p.m. sunsets. December is a lot of fun (and normally a lot of revenue for restaurants and bars), but things get gloomier as the glow of the new year subsides in mid-January.

We know that subconsciously to some degree, even during December and the initial “ooh it’s cold now!” delight. That, I think, is part of what makes Christmas bars so enjoyable. It’s a blowout, a celebration where the decor is every bit as important as the drinks, part of that magical end-of-year stretch before January’s barren-tree dullness.

I’m still not comfortable hanging out inside a crowded bar where vaccination status/negative tests aren’t checked at the door (unlike San Francisco and Los Angeles and Seattle and New York and New Orleans and Philadelphia and Honolulu and — well, you get the picture). But all three of those Sacramento watering holes have outdoor spaces. Try ’em out this month if you’re so inclined.

What I’m eating

My neighbor and I were the only people stupid enough to brave Monday night’s storm and drive to El Sabor de Mi Tierra Colombian & Mexican Food. Splashing through puddle after puddle took us to 2248 W. Capitol Ave. in West Sacramento, where Gustavo Gutierrez’s staff rewarded our journey in an otherwise empty dining room.

El Sabor de Mi Tierra carries two menus, one for each cuisine; the Mexican one was more extensive, the Colombian one more interesting. Take the tamales tolimenses ($17), for example, a dish native to the Colombian state Tolima, which barely resembles the corn-husk-wrapped version sold by street vendors across Mexico (and California). Enclosed in a banana leaf, tied in a pouch and served alongside an arepa, it was filled with bone-in chicken thighs, halved hard-boiled eggs, greens and a grainy masa similar to polenta.

Delicious and entirely different is El Sabor de Mi Tierra’s take on arroz con pollo ($16). Shredded chicken, golden rice, peas and carrots were molded into a dome and topped with a dollop of ketchup, the not-so-secret ingredient that gave the rice an unmistakable flavor. This is a distinctly Colombian addition that somehow really works; given the shape, contents and ketchup, my neighbor likened it to “forbidden meatloaf.”

Barbacoa de res ($14), the one dish we ordered off the Mexican menu, was offered as either a stew or plate. We chose the former and enjoyed the tender shredded brisket in a savory broth, soothing straight from the bowl or in flour tortillas.

Openings and closings

▪ My colleague Hanh Truong wrote about the opening of Prelude Kitchen & Bar, a new high-end restaurant where Chops Steak Seafood & Bar (and briefly, The Diplomat) used to be at 1117 11th St. across from the Capitol. Opened by Zinfandel Grille owner Allen Kou on Dec. 3, Prelude will soon offer lunch and weekend brunch.

▪ The new Buckhorn BBQ & Grill opened Dec. 7 at 4720 Freeport Blvd., Suite 160, in south Land Park. Fans will be able to get the Winters-based local chain’s tri-tip, salads and burgers in Rocklin Crossings shopping center as well when that location opens in the next month or two.

▪ After three years inside downtown Davis boba shop Lazi Cow, all-vegan Vietnamese restaurant Chay Corner will close on Dec. 19. Chef/owner Brandon Dinh plans to open a standalone location at 2319 El Camino Ave. in Arden Arcade, formerly occupied by Flaming Grill Cafe.

This story was originally published December 17, 2021 at 5:00 AM.