Huong Lan Sandwiches

This Bahn Mi was worth the body check.

Huong Lan Sandwiches
6930 65^th Street, Suite 109

Sacramento, CA

One of my New Year resolutions is to LET THINGS GO.  My lunch trip to Huong Lan allowed me to practice this concept twice: first, when I had to battle a parking lot full of Asian drivers; and second, when an old lady rudely threw her entire body into me just to get a closer look at the menu above the cashier.

It was all worth it.

A few minutes later, and only $3 lighter, I was in my car, driving down Stockton Boulevard back to my office while making some very unladylike attempts to devour a #7 (Grilled Pork Banh Mi) with one hand on the steering wheel.  Delicious.

Now that I think about it, I should probably stop criticizing Asian drivers...

Nena's Mexican Restaurant

One day, I may learn about portion control.

Nena's Mexican Restaurant

445 W. Weber Avenue, Suite 120

Stockton, CA

Eating one of Nena’s warm, soft, chewy, pillowy flour tortillas right off the press makes you feel like snuggling underneath a blanket…a blanket made of Nena’s warm, soft, chewy, pillowy flour tortillas.

Arguably the best Mexican restaurant in Stockton, Nena’s holds the secret to nearly three decades of success: classic recipes with bold flavors, relaxed atmosphere, congenial staff, and, with the recent move to the downtown waterfront, sweeping views of the Delta.  On weekends, crowds spill out onto patio seating and servers adjust umbrella shading or space heating to suit your needs.

What’s good here?  Everything’s good here.  Most recently, I was extremely pleased with my Taco Vampiro, chock full of steak, chorizo, cheese, onions and cilantro wrapped in a corn tortilla that had been dipped in red enchilada sauce and pressed into finely chopped red chilies.  The fiery flames were quelled by the crema and Cotija cheese topping my crispy Pork Chimichanga.

On morning occasions, it’s all about the Chilaquiles.  Sadly, I’ll usually put away half a basket of chips and salsa before my entrée arrives; so when my platter of (more) tortilla chips sautéed in red sauce and mingling with eggs and cheese appears, I am silently kicking myself.  After further carb-loading with another fresh tortilla, I may as well call it a day.

Tip well and, if you’re a regular, accept a kiss on the cheek from Nena herself.  She’s the one dressed to the nines with amazing shoes…every time.

Rio City Cafe

Even better than it looks!

Rio City Cafe

1110 Front Street

Sacramento, CA

With a sepia-toned Instagram filter, any photo taken in Old Sacramento may very well trick the casual observer into thinking it was taken during the height of the gold rush - so long as Round Table Pizza isn't in the background.

In Old Sacramento you can buy taffy out of barrels, take horse-drawn carriage rides, and enjoy events like the annual Jazz Festival.  Plenty of scrumptious cuisine is also available, and I chose Rio City Cafe for a recent Sunday brunch with some pals.

We came for bottomless mimosas and bellinis, but stayed for the gorgeous weather.  Dining riverside in Sacramento can be a treat, and the view from the restaurant's cafe this particular morning was spectacular.  Sunlight bounced off the water and onto the H Street bridge, glistening in all its glory and capturing our attention until we noticed a boater violently bludgeoning something inside his boat.  We crossed our fingers and hoped it was a fish as our waitress approached.

Even that little episode couldn't deter me from my goal: a meal of gargantuan proportions.  I looked down and stared at my Crab Cakes Benedict with just the right amount on hollandaise sauce atop two crispy cakes.  English muffins sopped up the sauce, lightly garnished with tomato and green onion, and all the while my home fried potatoes and onions were largely neglected until then.  A side of fruit was completely ignored.  Sorry, melon slices!  I had to save precious stomach room for more bellinis.

Soon enough, I felt borderline comatose and the bludgeoning boater was nowhere to be found.  The next order of business was to stroll around Old Sac to work off some of the calories…or to find some taffy for dessert…