Tuli Bistro: Sacramento

It's really been way too long since I've posted an entry on EatShopSea. It's been such a crazy, busy end-of-summer! I know, I know...no excuses! But on to some real business. Tuli Bistro is one of my favorite Midtown spots when I'm looking for a light meal. On this particular day, my colleague and I took an hour away from the office to enjoy lunch on their outdoor patio.

Sparkling juice.

Shrimp Salad Po'Boy sandwich with bay shrimp, Calabrian Chili remoulade, coleslaw, Roma tomato and bacon on toasted focaccia.

Ham sandwich with provolone cheese, cremini mushrooms, caramelized onions and honey chipotle sauce with greens on the side.

Tuli Bistro is located at 2031 S Street in Sacramento.

Hook & Ladder

My first time at Hook & Ladder was during October of last year, just a month or so after the restaurant had their grand opening. The last time I went in was for dinner, and I can still distinctly remember the delicious house-made roasted beet linguine. Fast forward to Spring of 2013. My lovely co-workers and I decided to escape the confines of our office and go out for lunch at this midtown joint during a warm Sacramento afternoon.

Strawberry lemonade.

Pancetta & poached duck egg salad with frisee, radicchio and almonds.

Three meat ragu made with paccheri pasta.

Clara's Chicken Salad with mixed baby lettuces, roasted chicken, shaved red onion, cucumber, roasted red bell pepper, garlic croutons, kabocha squash and goat cheese.

This pizza was on their list of daily specials. Wish I remembered all of the ingredients. Speaking of pizza, Hook & Ladder had one on their menu that sounded delish - fuji apples, peppered bacon, goat cheese, walnuts & honey. Umm....yum!!

Hook & Ladder Manufacturing Co. is located at 1630 S St. in Sacramento.

Revolution Wines

Thanks to Yelp (frequent user over here!), my co-worker and I found a restaurant that's been in town for a few years, but one that neither of us had heard of. After venturing over to their website, we discovered that Revolution Wines did not have their bistro menu posted online. We decided to wing it and check it out anyway. Glad we did because the French BLT was delish!

Lunch options consisted of wine pairings, small plates and large plates.

"French BLT" with bacon, green apple, brie and balsamic-caramelized onion on a baguette.

Arugula salad with candied cashews, poached pear, crispy prosciutto and feta-honey vinaigrette.

     

Craig Haarmeyer, winemaker at Revolution Wines, gave me a tour of what goes on backstage. He described the restaurant as farm-to-table and vineyard-to-table. The restaurant prides itself on serving local and seasonal food.


Revolution Wines is located at 2831 S Street in Sacramento.

Pushkin's Bakery

Watch out, Sactown! There's a new bakery in town, and this one's gluten/dairy free. When my co-worker and I read an article in the SacBee about a new bakery that had just opened a month prior, we immediately scheduled a lunch date for later in the week to check it out.

I was totally feeling the name, especially since I have Eastern European roots!

There were two cases loaded with gluten-free goods - everything from cupcakes to zucchini bread to cookies.

                  

I present to you the chocolate raspberry cupcake on the left, and to your right, a chocolate crinkle and a S'more sandwich. 

Pushkin's Bakery is located at 1820 29th Street in Sacramento.

Ginger Elizabeth Chocolates

Oh Ginger Elizabeth...you make it REALLY hard to pass you by without walking in. Especially when you (really don't) need a little dessert to top off your huge dinner.

Oh hello, macarons! I think I'll take one of each.

See that heaping pile of chocolate bark at the top center? One of those is milk chocolate with roasted almonds, hazelnuts (my favorite) and pistachios. You had me at hazelnuts..the chocolate is really just an added bonus.

Not to mention, Ginger Elizabeth also has a small espresso bar. The hot chocolate isn't too shabby either, although I do prefer a steaming cup of java.

From L to R: Chocolate ganache, hibiscus strawberry jam, and salty caramel.

Ginger Elizabeth is located in midtown at 1801 L St. #60 in Sacramento.

Paesanos (Midtown Sacramento)

Last night, my younger sister celebrated her birthday with a few friends at Paesanos in midtown. The restaurant was packed! If it hadn't been for the reservations we made earlier in the day, we might have had to wait a good thirty to forty-five minutes to be seated. The service was fabulous and quite speedy, considering the hustle and bustle in this place. 

Told you it was packed!

Daily specials

I'm pretty sure this is the first time I've eaten at Paesanos without ordering the polenta fries.

My dish - Modena di Balsamico: Angel hair pasta with seared chicken, sun dried tomatoes and basil in a balsamic reduction topped with pine nuts and parmesan. Thought I'd go for a lighter dish this time, as opposed to the many creamy dishes on their menu.

Pad Thai: Rice noodles with egg, tofu, bean sprouts, napa cabbage, spicy thai sauce, crushed peanuts and cilantro.

Mushroom Ravioli: Goat cheese, basil, garlic, sherry cream sauce.

Spicy Creole: Linguine, chicken, andouille sausage, tasso ham, shrimp, spicy creole sauce.

Happy Birthday, sis! xoxo.

Red Rabbit Kitchen and Bar

This past Saturday, my best friends and I decided to knock another restaurant off the list- Red Rabbit. The restaurant, which is located on 28th and J, is fairly new and opened in early 2012. It was St. Patrick's Day weekend, so needless to say, the restaurant (and J street in general) was packed with green everywhere. 

 Their current menu...so much goodness to choose from!

Butternut squash polenta squares with sauteed wild mushrooms, red onion confit, brie and balsamic gastrique.

Loco Moco: Fried egg, local brown rice, caramelized onions, bacon chorizo burger patty, andouille sausage and mushroom gravy.

The Healer: Hand cut pappardelle pasta, brussel sprouts, bacon, sage pesto and poached egg.

We ended up splitting a dessert - the Sweet & Salty Candy Bar Pie with a pretzel crust, salted caramel, peanut butter cream and valrhona dark chocolate ganache. Who can say no to caramel, peanut butter and chocolate all in one? 

It just so happened that we both wore green!