Vallejo's Restaurant

Dinner tonight (and lunch tomorrow).

Vallejo's Restaurant

1900 4th Street

Sacramento, CA

When I arrived for dinner on Friday, a server was carrying a Thanksgiving-sized platter of SOMETHING to a table for two.

And that was just one person's entree.

Instantly, I liked the place.  And I hadn't even glanced at the menu yet.

Entrees of gargantuan proportions are served here.  The prices are amazing, especially since you are almost guaranteed to bring home leftovers.  The quality?  Outstanding.  You can tell a lot of time and effort goes into this food.

I was so preoccupied with a neighboring table of ten's veritable feast that I forgot why I came...to eat!  And once I saw Mole Con Pollo on the menu, I was sold.

HOLY CRAP.  I had finally found a restaurant who makes mole as good as the mole I've had in Mexico.  Such complex layering of flavors is a true skill.  Giant chunks of chicken were swimming in a delicious, dark gravy lightly sprinkled with toasted sesame seeds, served with corn and flour tortillas, rice, beans, sour cream and guacamole.  I was in heaven.

Impeccable service, some seriously awesome grub...what more could you want after a long week of work?

Golden Star Cafe

Weiners over rice.  Viva America!

Golden Star Cafe

2121 S. El Dorado Street

Stockton, CA

Few things in life disappoint me more than the moment I realize I've been missing out on something great...for decades!

A former coworker discovered Golden Star Cafe one day and, to his wife's dismay, ended up patronizing the establishment more often than he'd like to admit.  And rightfully so; your own efforts to ignore the silent beckoning of the ancient CHOP SUEY sign outside will prove futile.  Come to satisfy your curiosity of what may lie inside.  Stay to witness at least two generations prepping, cooking, serving, bussing tables and greeting most patrons by their first names as they enter the front doors. Especially charming is the husband/owner who displays genuine care and concern for each and every one of his customers.

GSC has been in business for a long time, and it looks like they've likely preserved many of the original fixtures: The booths look old.  The bar and barstools look old.  Hell, the menus are probably older than I am.  But most importantly, customers will tell you that the menu items have not changed much over the years.  Alongside lists of traditional soups and foo youngs is Weiners over Rice, a dish my coworker and I vowed to try on our next visit.

Ungodly portions are served here.  I watched as mound after mound of noodles, vegetables and fried rice made their ways to their respective tables.  My own Long Beans and Beef with Oyster Sauce over Rice was enough for lunch and two subsequent meals.  Crisp beans and tender, silky beef slices topped steamed rice with just enough sauce to complement, not drown, all of the ingredients.  At under $8, it was a real value.

What a gem of a restaurant!  Old school charm, first class service, top notch food...a rarity among today's establishments.  Keep up the good work, Golden Star Cafe.  I can't wait to go back!

Asian Pearl 2009

Pace yourself.

Asian Pearl 2009
6821 Stockton Boulevard #165

Sacramento, CA

We arrived at 9:33am and watched as a small crowd gathered at the entrance.  At 10:00, we pounced.

We were probably the 6th or 7th table seated.  Within a minute, a steady stream of carts full of piping-hot steamers descended upon us.  Lids were lifted.  Heads nodded.  Consumption began.

And continued for the next 90 minutes.

Pork with Jellyfish.  Roast Duck.  Baked AND Steamed Pork Buns. Shrimp Siu Mai.  Shrimp Rolls.  Shrimp and Rice Balls.  Ginger Pork Dumplings.  Eggplant with Shrimp.  Etc., etc., etc.  Did I mention shrimp?

Seriously, we ate for 90 minutes.  The variety and quality was quite excellent, and the service was on par...until 45 minutes in.

Allow me clarify.  The dining room is HUGE.  I mean, from the outside the restaurant looks to be the size of a grocery store.  Inside, there is an endless sea of tables.  After 15 minutes, we kinda thought, "What a waste of space!"  30 minutes later, the entire restaurant was PACKED.  I was too busy scarfing to see where these people had come from.

Another 15 minutes later, chaos began to ensue.

As usual, we arrived when you're supposed to arrive...right when the restaurant opens!  Those who arrived closer to 11am were visibly impatient, often barking at servers that the carts either hadn't come by or bypassed them completely.

What do you expect in a room of 400?  Do you really expect the same service as if there were only 40 diners?  Come on, now.

All in all, quite the culinary experience, and a great way to spend the first sunny Sunday morning in a long, long time.

Firewood Restaurant

Burgers: appetizers for pizza.

Firewood Restaurant

420 Main Street

Murphys, CA

Truth be told, I was a little leery of Firewood Restaurant on my first approach; I mean, the menu included everything from seafood pizzas to carnitas tacos to turkey burgers.  I thought, how could an establishment crank out Italian, American AND Mexican dishes with consistency in quality?  But after peeking in on what the diners were inhaling, I knew I wouldn’t be disappointed.

A buddy and I spent the previous couple of hours at beautiful Ironstone Vineyards, touring the grounds and taking in the beautiful scenery, and that kind of stuff always leaves me hungry.  I needed something carb-y, protein-y and substantial to keep me from dropping forty bucks on impulse purchases at the candy shop down the street.

My first choice had to be a huge slab of rare beef with loads of toppings, so their Bacon, Mushroom & Swiss Burger was an appropriate choice.  I noticed that pizzas with golded brown crusts were on nearly every table top, so we also chose the White & Green with fresh spinach, mozzarella, caramelized onions, and lots of roasted garlic in order to meet our daily requirement of vegetables (ha!).

At that point I was starving, so a wait of less than ten minutes seemed like an eternity.  When our order finally arrived, it was a feast for my eyes and my mouth.

Wood-fired pizza is special.  Its unique crust is crisp, chewy AND flavorful, reminding you that you’re not eating at Domino’s.  The fresh ingredients, specifically the roasted garlic and splash of lemon juice, took it over the top.  I inhaled a couple of slices before investing still-clean fingers in the juicy burger, dripping with melting cheese and tender, sliced mushrooms.  Crispy bacon?  Check.  Bloody beef as requested?  Yep.  I smirked at the fries that went largely ignored.

To-go boxes weren’t necessary.  I devoured half a burger along with half a pizza (less a slice or two – I swear!) and my buddy took care of the rest, saving our busser that much more trouble as he cleaned our table.  Aren’t we thoughtful?