Appetizers

I spoke with chef Aimal Formoli on Wednesday about the plight of longtime Formoli's Bistro employee Kristina Gonzales. Those who have dined at this East Sacramento gem have probably encountered her professional and personable service style. In 2009, Gonzales made my list of best servers of the year.

2013 did not get off to a good start for her. In the wee hours of New Year's Eve, the Victorian home where Gonzales lived was severely damaged by fire, making the the dwelling uninhabitable. All of her possessions were destroyed, Formoli told me.

The chef said he and others are quickly putting together a fundraiser to help Gonzales get back on her feet. Stay tuned on this blog for more information as those details become clearer. We certainly wish Gonzales the best and hope that her colleagues in the restaurant profession respond in force to help her out. She deserves it.

Here is what was posted on the restaurant's Facebook page:

"Some unfortunate news for one of our Formoli family members. If you watched the news at all in the last few days, the house on P street was our lovely server Kristina's home. Kristina is one of our longest standing employees at Formoli's and we care deeply for her. We need everyone's help!!! We are working on a fundraiser for Kristina to help replace some of the things she lost. We will update you all. Hope everyone in our industry could come support. Event details will be posted soon. Hope everyone had a happy New year!"

Blair Anthony Robertson is The Bee's restaurant critic. Follow him on Twitter, @blarob.

Things are looking up for those who have visited the Sacramento County Jail, as I did recently, only to encounter uniformed deputies who weren't exactly embracing the idea of good manners and cordial service to the public.

When I wrote about that bewildering experience last week - and sought to compare and contrast it with the kind of service we see at restaurants - it didn't sit well with a certain captain of the Sacramento Sheriff's Department. Rick Pattison is the commander of the jail, meaning he's in charge. As luck would have it, Pattison is also a well-traveled and discerning dining enthusiast. Pattison got word of the blog post while traveling and took time to read it while waiting for a flight at the Salt Lake City airport.

Pattison called me when he got back in town and responded in the way any excellent business or institution would. He didn't make excuses. He apologized. And he pledged that things would get better. It was as if he had read the book "Setting The Table: The Transforming Power of Hospitality in Business" by the great New York City restaurateur Danny Meyer. In fact, when I listed a couple of books in my post, including "Lessons in Service From Charlie Trotter," Pattison said he immediately thought of the Meyer book.

This past Sunday, The Bee remembered the artists -- musicians, painters, actors -- who passed away in 2012. But what about those creative souls in the kitchen? Here, Chris Macias memorializes the gracious, down-to-earth Marylou Lords, who had a sizable impact on our city's restaurant scene.

MARYLOU LORDS
Sacramento restaurateur
July 24, 1945 - Aug. 23, 2012

For a quarter century, Marylou Lords helped bring heapings of protein and a backdrop for power lunches in downtown Sacramento. Lords, who passed away in August at the age of 67, was co-founder of downtown's Broiler Steakhouse. The restaurant's proximity to the Capitol always made it perfectly suited for politicians, lobbyists and others with expense accounts to burn - not to mention Sacramentans who are simply hungry for a big hunk of beef and a side of au gratin potatoes. The restaurant originally opened in 1950 under a different ownership.

Photo caption: A portrait of steak on the hoof looks down on diners in the Broiler in downtown Sacramento.

The new year rang with grand opening of LowBrau, a much anticipated German styled beer hall with a sausage-focused menu at 20th and K streets. LowBrau takes over the former spot of Lounge ON20, which shut down in May after a challenging four year run. Meanwhile, on Dec. 31, LowBrau hosted a sold out crowd which included a live performance by the electro-pop Sony recording artist St. Lucia, plus sets from leading local DJs.

Many folks have a business stake in LowBrau. Two members of its ownership group are fairly new to the restaurant industry. Clay Nutting is best known as a local music promoter behind "Concerts 4 Charity," while Michael Hargis' background is primarily with interior design. Nutting and Hargis collaborated this summer to present LAUNCH 2012, a six day festival of music and fashion that culminated with a concert at Cesar Chavez Plaza featuring DJ Shadow and the Joy Formidable. The ownership team behind Shady Lady - Jason Boggs, Alex Origoni and Garrett Van Vleck - are acting as consultants for LowBrau. They're helping to design the food and cocktail programs among other functions, and also have an ownership stake in LowBrau.

I dropped by LowBrau last Friday for a sneak peek of LowBrau, and so far so good. (The pic above is from the soft opening, not the sold out shindig). The new design has more of a funky, quasi-industrial feel and the bar moved closer to the center of the room. Gone are the South Beach-isms and wanna-be Vegas VIP flavor of Lounge ON20. LowBrau is more about wood furnishings, including community tables, that feel comfy and welcoming.

The talented team that's doing extraordinary things at Enotria Restaurant and Wine Bar is really able to strut its stuff on special occasions. If you're wondering what all the recent fuss has been about -- and you're willing to pay big bucks to find out -- you might want to nab the last few spots for the 12-course $240-per-person New Year's Eve Dinner.

The event is sold out, but we've learned that the restaurant is opening up 10 more seats at the wine bar for last-minute reservations. Enotria is at 1431 Del Paso Blvd., Sacramento. (916) 922-6792.

The team of Chef Pajo Bruich, pastry chef Edward Martinez and sommelier Matthew Lewis has put together a menu with wine pairings based on Bruich's research into how various cultures celebrate the New Year. The chef has given each of the 12 courses a themed title.

Courtesy of Cowtown Eats, the local website that focuses on happy hour and dining-related news, we are able to glean some valuable information about the hottest places for grabbing a drink after work. The website compiled its list of the most popular happy hour destinations based on page views at www.cowtowneats.com

Who knows if copious page views translates into an enjoyable experience at a bar, but some of the joints on the list are certainly worthwhile. Of course, this is not intended to be a comprehensive list. For that, you can go to the website and zero in on the places that suit your style. Do you like watching cage fighters smash each other in the face while eating mouthwatering food by Drewski's? The Republic is your address. Do you want to pretend you can shoot pool while nursing a Michelob Light? Check out the Blue Cue. Quality food at bargain prices in a bustling midtown mainstay? Paesanos.

Says Darrel Ng, founder of Cowtown Eats: "New restaurants like Republic Bar & Grill and Firestone Public House have made a splash by offering a great happy hour, and people are noticing. "Cowtown Eats provides a service to these people who are looking for detailed happy hour information at restaurants and bars near where they live and work."

I keep up with Cowtown Eats and, if you're into the restaurant and bar scene, so should you. He'll also steer you (no pun intended) toward the latest and best happy hour deals. You'll find that no other site locally is as thorough and reliable on this topic. Check him out on Twitter, @Cowtowneats.

1.BJ's Restaurant & Brewhouse (Last Year's Rank: 11)
2.Republic Bar & Grill (Last Year: Unranked)
3.Firestone Public House (Last Year: Unranked)
4.Lucca (Last Year's Rank: 7)
5.Burgers & Brew (Last Year's Rank: 1)
6.Chicago Fire (Last Year's Rank: 3)
7.Pizza Rock (Last Year's Rank: 13)
8.Blue Cue (Last Year: Unranked)
9.Blackbird Kitchen & Bar (Last Year: Unranked)
10. Paesanos (Last Year's Rank: 6)
11. McCormick and Schmick's (Last Year's Rank: 2)
12. Ruth's Chris Steakhouse - Roseville (Last Year: Unranked)
13. Dive Bar (Last Year's Rank: 14)
14. Chicago Fire - Folsom (Palladio)
15. Capitol Garage (Last Year's Rank: 4)

Blair Anthony Robertson is The Bee's restaurant critic. Follow him on Twitter, @blarob.

New Year's Eve is fast approaching, but there's still time to find a place that suits your style when it comes to ringing in 2013. The Red Rabbit Kitchen and Bar, a newcomer on the dining and bar scene, is certainly a worthy choice. We've dined there recently and have been very impressed. Good attitude, good ideas, lively setting and the vibe seems to reflect Midtown Sacramento -- smart, urban, unpretentious.

Red Rabbit's entry in the New Year's Eve sweepstakes includes a five-course prix fixe dinner from chef/co-owner John Bays, with wine and cocktail pairings. It costs $69, which is an excellent deal, judging from what I've seen of the menu. The major food courses have options, and the kitchen will do a vegetarian option upon request.

"New Year's Eve is such an anticipated event in Sacramento and people want it to be meaningful, non--‐pretentious and fun," said Matt Nurge, co-owner and barman. "John and I decided to put together a menu of food and drink courses that represent the perfect close of 2012 and hopefully provide lots of inspiration for the new year ahead. I worked closely with my team on the cocktail and wine selections to work with John's courses in a fun and interactive way."

Here's a look at the menu for Monday night:

First Course • a Mouth Amuser, Then choose One Of Each Course

Second Course • Paired with a Cilantro Cooler Cocktail

Pan Seared Day Boat Scallops
Miso Butter, Lotus Root Chips, Micro Cilantro

Grilled Skewered Jumbo Prawns Lemongrass Butter, Crispy Leeks, Micro Cilantro

Third Course • Paired with Ferrari Carrano Fume Blanc

Roasted Baby Beets
Tri-Color Baby Carrots, French Breakfast Radish, Pearl Onions, Del Rio Arugula, Goat Cheese Vinaigrette

Del Rio Greens
Blood Orange Supremes, Pomegranate, Dried Cranberries, Toasted Pine Nuts, Point Reyes Farmstead Blue Cheese, Champagne Vinaigrette

Fourth Course • Paired with Atteca Old Vines Grenache or Red Tail Ridge Dry Riesling

Roasted Petaluma Duck a l'Orange
Citrus Poultry Jus Lié, Celeriac Purée, Grilled Romanesco, Cashew Butter

Veal Osso Bucco
Gremolata, Creamy Grass Valley White Polenta, Braised Capay Red Swiss Chard

Bone-In Ribeye
Cracked Blackpepper Bourbon demi-glace, German Butterball Potatoes, Baby Carrots, Parsnips, Caramel Jus

New Zealand Bluenose Sea Bass
Grapefruit Buerre Blanc, Acorn Squash and Potato Cake, Riverdog Bloomsdale Spinach

Fifth Course • Paired with a holiday inspired Champagne Cocktail

Blood Orange Crème Caramel
Baked Caramel Custard, Blood Orange Tuile

Dark Chocolate Truffle Tart
Chocolate Tart, Dark Chocolate Truffle Filling, Peanut Butter Brittle

*******************************************************

There are two seatings -- 5 p.m. and 9 p.m. To make reservations, call (916) 706-2275. Red Rabbit is at 2718 J St., Sacramento. While reservations are recommended for any New Year's Eve event, Red Rabbit says it will do its best to accommodate walk-ins.

Be safe out there that night. Take a cab or, if you want to do the Midtown thing, walk or ride your bike to Red Rabbit.

Blair Anthony Robertson is The Bee's restaurant critic. Follow him on Twitter, @blarob.

Recently, I had the opportunity to visit the Sacramento County Jail. I was checking on a friendly acquaintance, a homeless man I know who is accused of a relatively minor offense. It's a clean, well-lit place, at least for visitors.

But what I want to address relates to service. And since I spend so much time visiting restaurants and trying to assess how skillfully they serve their customers, I thought it might be revealing to see what we could learn from how our county employees serve the taxpaying public. Hmm, let me think of a single word to describe it. Dismal? Sort of. Rude? Yes, but incomplete. Pathetic? Perfect. Let's go with that.

How does this relate to restaurants? For one, the uniformed officers assigned to greet and assist members of the public visiting the jail, represent our county. That's us. We pay for all this with our tax dollars. And the performance of these officers is a reflection on the Sacramento County Sheriff's Department and the Sacramento area in general. (I would be remiss if I didn't also note that I have seen numerous examples through the years of peace officers and other public employees treating the public admirably).

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Arrived in the Bee's Feature Department mail in the past few days: no fewer than 10 diet or exercise books. (OK, some of those volumes were duplicates, but still, the trend was obvious.)

Every year, losing weight and getting more exercise rank at the top of New Year's resolutions -- right up there with stopping smoking and saving more money.

Of course, experts warn that resolutions should be specific and doable if they are to have a prayer of a chance of success. They suggest goals like "to lose 5 pounds by Valentine's Day," or "to walk 30 minutes a day for the next two weeks." You can always build on success.

Three of the titles that weighed down the mail bin this past week suggest the authors had specifics of their own in mind:

* "The New You (and improved!) Diet: 8 Rules to Lose Weight and Change Your Life Forever" by Keri Glassman, from Rodale.

* "The 8-hour Diet" by David Zinczenko also from Rodale.

* "The Dash Diet Weight Loss Solution: 2 Weeks to Drop Pounds, Boost Metabolism and Get Healthy" by Marla Heller from Grand Central Publishing.

They each offer a book's worth of specifics in case you've resolved to lose weight.

-- Janet Vitt

Three weeks ago, I wrote a piece extolling the many virtues of Casa Garden, the restaurant that serves as a fund-raiser for the Sacramento Children's Home. The servers and most of the kitchen help are volunteers, and the tips all go to the Children's Home. It's a feel-good lunch spot throughout the year, but especially during the holiday season.

After my review, I received a nice letter from Marlene Oehler, who serves as vice president-public relations for the Los Ninos Service League. Marlene was kind enough to share an anecdote.

She writes: "A Davis couple read the article; had never heard of the Sacramento Children's Home ; or Casa Garden Restaurant; booked lunch on Dec. 5, and shared nothing but compliments on the quality of food and service. They left a $50 tip on the table, plus 'We'll be back' as they departed. What more could we ask for?"

Maranello, like most other restaurants of its caliber, is busy with hosting holiday-related events. But what makes Maranello a little different is that the casual/fine dining restaurant in Fair Oaks is also celebrating its third anniversary.

That's right - Maranello actually opened on New Year's Eve, an incredible, unpredictable and potentially wacky test for any new business. Maranello pulled through, blossomed slowly but surely in the months after and has settled in as a rising star in the restaurant game, thanks in large part to the excellent cooking and menu design of executive chef Gabriel Glasier. The intensely enterprising and highly skilled Glasier is a chef's chef, and even though he is somewhat hidden away in a corner of the suburbs, his work should be appreciated as playing a leading role on the local/regional culinary scene. Congratulations to owners Joe and Gayle Hensler, along with the entire restaurant staff, on the 3-year milestone. Maranello is at 8928 Sunset Ave., Fair Oaks. (916) 241-9365.

If you want to get in on some of the holiday fun at Maranello, the restaurant is hosting a Christmas Eve dinner from 4:30-8 p.m. (three courses with various options for $34.95). On New Year's Eve, it will present a special dinner and celebration with live music, from 4:30 p.m. to 12:30 a.m. That event is $65, and if you want to know what you get for that, check out the special menu below. How 'bout the "eggs and pancakes" for a celebratory treat? Or the sourdough-crusted duck confit?

However you decide to ring in the New Year, I hope your 2013 is full of inspiring dining experiences.

Blair Anthony Robertson is The Bee's restaurant critic. Follow him on Twitter, @blarob.

Guy Fieri, perhaps 2012's most talked about celebrity chef, is home in Santa Rosa for the holidays, getting ready for another non-stop busy year.

Last month's much-Tweeted blow-up over his new Guy's American Kitchen & Bar in New York City's Times Square has "blown over," he said.

Fieri already answered New York Times critic Pete Wells' scathing "open letter" of 34 questions with some sharp words of his own on the "Today Show," calling the review "ridiculous" and "overboard."

Track 7, the local microbrewery at the edge of Curtis Park, is going through some big changes - and we mean that in the literal sense. Renovations are underway at Track 7 to double the size of the brewery, which will include a second tasting bar, more bathrooms and increased beer production capacity. Not bad for a homegrown brewery that'll celebrate just its first anniversary on Dec. 31.

Ryan Graham, co-owner of Track 7, said many of the renovations will be complete by their anniversary but may stretch into the early part of 2013. When its all said and done, Track 7 will grow from 2,150 square feet to about 4,400 square feet. With more fermenting tanks coming online at the brewery, that's projected to double Track 7's brewing capacity. About 500 barrels (or 15,500 gallons) of beer were brewed by Track 7 in 2012. Graham and company are also looking to hire tap room staff around the beginning of 2013.

Track 7 also plans to release three anniversary beers: a Belgian dubble that's been aged in port casks from Revolution Wines, a stout blended with coffee from Chocolate Fish roasters and a double IPA.

Foodies with a love for film, mark your calendars now. The Sacramento Food Film Festival has been expanded this year to a two-day affair, and set for March 15 - 16 at the Guild Theater (35th & Broadway, Sacramento). The first day will feature a mix of sushi and the sweet, kicking off with a screening of "Quest for Honey," made by a team of Nevada City filmmakers. Also showing March 15 is "Jiro Dreams of Sushi," the critically acclaimed documentary about the great sushi chef Jiro Ono. Here's a trailer for this excellent film (a screenshot is also pictured above):

More proof that local caviar is going mainstream: Raley's supermarkets - along with sister Bel Air and Nob Hill stores - are now offering Sacramento-grown Sterling Caviar.

During the holidays, the chain's meat departments will take orders for Sterling, ready for in-store pick up with three days notice. Get your Christmas and New Year's Eve orders in now.

It's only fitting; Sacramento is now America's Caviar Capital. (Read more at: http://www.sacbee.com/2012/12/19/5062625/sacramento-area-is-nations-caviar.html)

Traditionally, yeast-raised buckwheat blini - little Russian pancakes - are the perfect platform for caviar. (Blini is plural; one little pancake is a blin.)

Accompanied with a dab of creme fraiche or sour cream, blini and caviar pair deliciously with dry champagne or sparkling wine - ready to toast the holidays and New Year.

Buckwheat blini

2/3 cup all-purpose flour

1/2 cup buckwheat flour

1/2 teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon instant or rapid-rise yeast

1 cup warm milk

2 tablespoons butter, melted

1 egg, separated

In a large bowl, mix all-purpose and buckwheat flours, salt and instant yeast. Make a well in the center of the dry ingredients. Pour in warm milk, mixing until smooth. Cover and let rise until doubled, about 1 hour.

Melt butter and let cool. Stir the melted butter and egg yolk into batter. In a separate bowl, whisk egg white until stiff but not dry. Fold into batter. Cover and let stand 20 minutes.

Heat a non-stick skillet over medium heat. (Melt a little more butter in the skillet, if desired.) With a tablespoon, drop quarter-size dollops of batter into the pan without crowding. Cook for about 1 or 2 minutes or until bubbles form and break across the top of the batter. Turn and cook for another minute.

Remove blini from heat, cover and keep warm until ready to serve. Repeat with remaining batter.

Serve with caviar and your choice of creme fraiche, sour cream, cream cheese, finely chopped egg, finely chopped red onion or chives.

Note: Blinis also can be made with just all-purpose flour or a blend of all-purpose and whole wheat flours; substitute equal amount for buckwheat.

Makes 24 blinis.

Find an interesting gift and support California business, too.

This evening from 6 to 9 p.m., Hot Italian in midtown Sacramento hosts its third annual Create In California Shopping Night. This event features arts, crafts and other handmade finds from California designers.

Among the featured vendors will be Tapigami (which put together a holiday installation for its jewelry), Interval Press (live screen printing), Ana Apple (handmade T-shirts), Matthew Lechowick (furniture), Gigglosophy (bracelets), The Good Stuff (jam), Miss Velvet Cream (clothing), Maya Kini and Sofia Lacin (more jewelry) and The Dreaded Potter (dishware and accessories).

Nationally famous Bariani Olive Oil will offer its latest vintage. Navid Dehghan, author of "Just Me & My Pizza," will autograph copies of his book.

Plus eat great pizza! After all, Hot Italian is hosting. The restaurant is located at 1627 16th St., Sacramento. For more details, click on www.hotitalian.net or call (916) 444-3000.

In the holiday-season rush, the significance of simple but satisfying family traditions too often is overlooked.

Such as: For the fifth year running, I was asked to judge the annual Holiday Cooking Throwdown in the Folsom home of a very active family.

The tradition began in 2008 with cookies, and over the years moved to appetizers, bruschetta and cupcakes. This year, the "contestants" brought their cooking skills to the dish at hand - pies.

The family members ranged in age from 6 to 66 and formed two-person teams. They took the contest seriously, but mixed good humor and lots of laughter with their competitive spirits. (Two neighbors were absent this year, having committed to a performance of "The Nutcracker").

When the flour had settled, the table was laden with a raspberry mini-tart, tamale pie with jalapeno, cheese pie with raspberry-blackberry sauce, cream-filled chocolate-mint mini-pies, and a fruit pie topped with a big chunk of chocolate (pictured).

Though I used a point-based system to rank the entries (one to five each for presentation, taste, texture and creativity), as the judge I reminded the competitors that every entry was a winner.

The contest was fun and the family bonded over the creation and cooking of their eclectic pies. The whole experience was just plain...well, nice for everyone.

The point: Take a moment to reflect on your own holiday-season family cooking traditions, and share them in "Comments" below.

Putting odd, awkward and uninformed information in print is not a new endeavor when it comes to the ownership at Kupros Bistro, though the midtown restaurant and pub has reached a new low in its latest effort. If building up a clientele has as much to do with goodwill as it does good cooking, this is an incredible blunder - foolish, unfair, offensive.

Chris Macias' earlier posting here about an oh-so-awkward missive on Facebook regarding a personnel issue, reminds me of an email I received from Kupros after my review in 2011. I had complained that the food was bland and that little on the menu showed any personality or daring. I also lamented that the opening chef, John Gurnee, who made a splash with his edgy menu choices and his excellent cooking skills, had been sent packing. I received an email from Kupros taking me to task for calling and speaking with the manager when he was busy, prior to the review. How unfair of me. Well, I called Temple Coffee today to chat with owner Sean Kohmescher, who, it turns out was busy. Know what he said? "Hey, can I call you back in 45 minutes?" How did he come up with that one?

Last week, we brought you the winners of a Hot Toddy contest held at Golden Bear, featuring some of Sacramento's leading and up-and-coming bartenders. Well, now you can taste that winning hot toddy for yourself both tonight and Tuesday at Ten22 in Old Sacramento.

The hot toddy comes from Karina Martinez, who was the hands-down winner with her "Mad King Charles" toddy. Its key ingredients include: Buffalo Trace bourbon, Torani Amer liqueur, chamomile citrus tea, and steeped in almond water. She also torched pieces of cinnamon bark for added aromatics. Yes, this was one impeccable hot toddy with its balanced flavors, thoughtful presentation and just enough boozy kick to keep you extra warm on a winter's night. They will cost $9 each.

Note: This post has been updated with comments from the former Kupros employee

For followers of Sacramento's restaurant scene, Facebook was abuzz this morning from posts on the page for Kupros Bistro with a serious accusation. The post came from Kupros Bistro itself, saying: "To all those I had the pleasure to meet in the last 2 and a half years: Steve, the owner no longer feels it is appropriate to have a (woman) expecting to work in his establishment so he has let me go. I wish all you wonderful regulars the best and will miss you:)"

Discriminating against a pregnant employee violates the California Fair Employment and Housing Act.

The employee in question is a now former bar manager at Kupros and also helped book bands to play at the bistro.

The 20-plus-year-old Piatti Ristorante reopened last week after a four-month closure for a complete makeover, I reported in this space last week.

We dropped by one recent weeknight for a looksee. The bar was jammed with well-dressed patrons (many of them regulars), the dining room was about half-full, and the servers rushed from the bar station to their tables, carrying glasses of wine and brightly colored cocktails.

The place definitely has a sleeker, more contemporary look - though we've heard a few veteran customers call it "stark," "cafeteria-like" and reminiscent of a "dimestore lunch counter."

Yes, radical changes have been made, but that's part of the biz.

If your weekend road-trip plans include a stop in Monterey on Saturday, you can linger over a three-course dinner that includes Alaskan king crab or Alaskan salmon, and meet the wild and wooly Capt. Johnathan Hillstrand, who will be in town.

He and his brother, Andy ("The Bad Boys of the Bering Sea"), are among the stars of the reality-TV show "Deadliest Catch" on the Discovery Channel. It documents the daring fishermen who go out in 60-foot seas to harvest Alaskan king crabs in the Bering Sea.

"I went halibut fishing in Alaska for a week with those guys," restaurateur Dominic Mercurio was saying on the phone today. "Waves were breaking over their (113-foot boat Time Bandit), but it was not nearly as rough as when they're working the crab catch (pictured). I don't know how they stay in the ocean when it's that rough. Those guys are married to the sea."

Mercurio is the owner of Cafe Fina and Domenico's restaurants on Fisherman's Wharf in Monterey. He's sponsoring the $50-per-person dinner from 5 to 8 p.m. at Domenico's. Reservations: (831) 372-3655. For more information: www.domenicosmonterey.com.

Not only is OpenTable a popular online restaurant reservation system, but OpenTable loves to release surveys. It seems like every month we're getting announcements for another list - best restaurant wine lists, best late night dining, best restaurants for brunch, top restaurants for service, top 100 scenic view restaurants, etc. etc. But if there's any one OpenTable list to make, it's this one: Top 100 Best Restaurants in the United States.

This list includes some of the heaviest hitters in the restaurant world, including The French Laundry, Blue Hill at Stone Barns in New York and Le Bernardin in NYC. So, let's give it up for two area restaurants which made the cut: The Kitchen and Auburn's Carpe Vino. Both made this list for the second year in a row, while Carpe Vino remains a perennial favorite for OpenTable's surveys. In November, Carpe Vino was also named among OpenTable's Top 100 Restaurant Wine Lists.

"We were one of only seven restaurants to make both lists nationwide," said Gary Moffat, Carpe Vino's owner and who also ran a formidable campaign for a seat on the Auburn City Council. "Last year, there were just four on both lists. Not bad for a little joint in the sticks."

I just got off the phone with John Gurnee, the chef who wowed more than a few foodies with his skills at Mason's and then, for a short but exciting stint, at Kupros Bistro.

Gurnee is now thriving in San Francisco as executive chef at the always-busy Wayfare Tavern in the Financial District. I checked out some of his photos on Twitter (@John_Gurnee) and his food looks fantastic, especially the dish of stone crabs, sweetbreads and harissa.

Gurnee contacted me because he wanted chefs in Sacramento to know that they're hiring - looking for a sous chef with skills, experience, drive, poise under pressure.

Gurnee is from Sacramento and wanted to spread the word about the opening.

"I know there's a good deal of talent and not a lot of opportunities. There are only so many restaurants in Sacramento. We're a very big restaurant," Gurnee said, noting that Wayfare Tavern does 180 to 230 covers a day and, combined with private events, serves about 500 people daily.

Wayfare Tavern is owned by Tyler Florence, the popular TV chef who has branched out into the wine business.

Gurnee says the sous chef will work 55 to 60 hours a week. Yes, it's hectic and demanding. The pay is $40,000 to $55,000 depending on experience. Benefits include health insurance. Is there room to advance in the Tyler Florence Restaurant Group? Gurnee started as sous chef and now he's executive chef. Tyler Florence's restaurants are thriving.

"Working for certain people or with them in Sacramento, you get pieces of the puzzle. At this restaurant, you kind of see the whole package," Gurnee said. "We're not doing avant garde food or anything, but I've had to learn to facilitate cooking for a large amount of people at a pretty high level. This isn't Meadowood, but having enough product in house and managing a staff of 45 people is a pretty big challenge."

He added: "People are receptive here and Tyler likes to push for the next level, so we're constantly challenging ourselves to do better."

If you have experience managing a kitchen and think this might be for you, contact Gurnee via email at john@wayfaretavern.com.

Blair Anthony Robertson is The Bee's restaurant critic. Follow him on Twitter, @blarob.

All some families want for Christmas is something good to eat. The California Food Literacy Center will try to fill that need with healthy fruit and vegetables via a produce drive for low-income children.

From 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Sunday, patrons can contribute fresh fruit and vegetables at the center's stand outside the Nugget Market, 2000 Town Center Plaza, West Sacramento. Participants can buy produce at Nugget to contribute or bring fresh fruit and vegetables from other sources.

The goal is 2,500 pieces - enough to provide five fruit or vegetables a day for five days for every child in the after-school program at Capitol Heights Academy in Oak Park.

"There are so many worthwhile causes right now providing gifts to kids, but we're in a school where 85 percent of the kids are on free and reduced price lunches," said Amber Stott, executive director, California Food Literacy Center. "When they go home for the holiday, we know they don't have access to the fresh produce they've grown to love in our class.

"We all know weight gain rises during the holidays, so this will help them maintain healthy habits," she added, "while also maintaining their enthusiasm for healthy food while they're on break from school."

For more information or to make a monetary donation, contact Stott at amber@californiafoodliteracy.org or call (916) 873-2025.

Following up on yesterday's post about OneSpeed, its missing bread and a carb-crazed customer who was not amused, I received a nice email from owner/chef Rick Mahan, who made no excuses for the missing bread.

His email, which I will excerpt below, also reveals a few things about the business and about why OneSpeed is packed every day it is open. Whether this customer was right to complain -- and most of you think she needed to take a deep breath and shut up a little -- is not really the point from the restaurant's persepective. It wants to serve customers and make them happy. This kind of attitude is not for everyone. Successful people in the service industry, however, seem to have the gene hard-wired into their DNA. Me? You? Wouldn't it be more fun to tell her to take a hike?

Here's what Mahan told me:

"Just got home and saw your post. We blew it on that one for one reason -- nobody working the floor that day responded properly. I got to work that a.m. and discovered my Sunday batch of focaccia dough (Tuesday's bread) was not made -- hence, no focaccia for guests on Tuesday. Was not much to do but let customers know that we did not -- and would not -- have focaccia for that day. Obviously,we did not do a good job of getting the point across. I've spoken to the staff and hopefully they'll do it better should the situation present itself in the future. At the very least they should have been given something bread-like."

Mahan went on to explain that OneSpeed does not, in fact, offer free bread to diners. There is a small charge. Some people ask for bread with their soup or salad, and the servers serve some at no cost. Mahan also agreed with his manager's response to the unhappy customer, as did I.

Then Mahan added: "We should have handled it better. I'd have gone to T.J.s (Trader Joe's) no problem whatsoever if that would have made em' happy.Trying to impress that on my workers."

Again, it doesn't matter if the woman was right or wrong (and a little frantic about it all). If you don't have Mahan's solve-the-problem/serve-the-customer mindset, you probably shouldn't be in the restaurant business. If you agree with his approach, it might be an appropriate show of support to stop by OneSpeed and order some focaccia. That is, if you can get a table. They know what they're doing over there. OneSpeed is at 4818 Folsom Blvd., Sacramento.

Blair Anthony Robertson is The Bee's restaurant critic. Follow him on Twitter, @blarob.

RELATED:
Ask the expert: Was it cool of me to go nuts when OneSpeed ran out of bread?

I get all kinds of glamorous invitations sent to me, but never have I had the chance to become a board-certified Carl's Jr. biscuit baker. Too bad I can't make it. Going behind the scenes at a fast-food joint just doesn't do it for me, I'm afraid.

To be fair, I lived in the Deep South for several years and can attest to how good the biscuits were at Hardee's. In the days when I thought I could eat anything without putting on weight or jacking my heart, I used to order a bacon and cheese biscuit at Hardee's for breakfast. If you enjoy big, fluffy biscuits, Carl's Jr. is bringing them to CA in January.

Here's my invite from Carl's Jr. (which also owns Hardee's):

Hi Blair,

I wanted to get in touch on behalf of my client Carl's Jr. to see if you would be interested in joining us for a special behind-the-scenes opportunity at one of our Sacramento-area restaurants in the beginning of January.

Carl's Jr. is in the process of a significant new product rollout for the brand, amping up its breakfast offerings by bringing its sister chain Hardee's signature Made From Scratch Biscuits - which have for decades been a beloved item in the South and Midwest that Hardee's is known for - to our restaurants in the West. We're currently in the process of equipping 80 Sacramento-area restaurants to be able to make the biscuits from scratch each day, and will be celebrating the launch of biscuits in Sacramento on 1/9 with Free Biscuit Day. Guests will be able to receive a free Sausage Biscuit at Carl's Jr. during breakfast hours.

If you're not familiar with the fandom around these back east, the buttermilk biscuits have a reputation because they're made from scratch by Hardee's bakers who come into each restaurant early every single morning to measure and mix up the dough by hand, roll and cut them out by hand, and bake and test them to strict standards. They are never pre-made nor frozen.

If you are available to join us at one of our local restaurants the first/second week of January, we'd like to show you this process firsthand. And ask you to roll up your sleeves and work with our bakers to make the morning's biscuits. In fact, you'll be Hardee's Biscuit Certified by the end of the morning. When we introduced biscuits in Orange County, CA, OC Register writer Nancy Luna joined us for a biscuit training and created a video of the process - you can get a sense of what the training entails here: http://www.ocregister.com/articles/carl-323118-biscuits-fast.html

If you're interested in joining us and/or getting some content for your site, let me know and we can work out a date that suits your schedule.

Closer to Free Biscuit Day, we'll also have a release with all of the info and hi-res photos.

We hope you can join us!

Blair Anthony Robertson is The Bee's restaurant critic. Follow him on Twitter, @blarob.

Persimmon season is booming - literally. Our backyard Fuyu is fully loaded.

We picked about 60 pounds of fruit, many as big as heirloom tomatoes. (Here's a photo of one big cluster.) There are many more near the top of the tree, out of reach.

But not out of range for squirrels and birds. It's their annual holiday treat. The critters bite or peck into the super-ripe fruit, which falls from the tree - creating a hefty blop!

During a recent wind storm, it sounded like a water balloon fight. Knocked down by gusts, exploded persimmons littered the lawn beneath the tree. (They're now in the compost bin.)

Although I hate wasting any home-grown edible, I already have my hands and kitchen counter full of ripening persimmons. A lot of them will find their way into cookies, a holiday favorite.

I usually use my great-grandmother's recipe, which I posted online as part of The Bee's Holiday Recipe Cookbook. Search for "persimmon cookies."

Ripe persimmons also can substitute for canned pumpkin in other cookie and dessert recipes. What pulp doesn't get baked will go in the freezer for later use - when this season's persimmon "bombs" are just a memory.

Bleh ... you know the feeling - that achy, runny nose, feel like I'm gonna barf kind of feeling. There seems to be a nasty flu bug going around - and I've been feeling kind of yucky myself - so it's time to heed grandma's advice and serve up some chicken soup, or a clear broth soup with tummy soothing properties. Sure, it's easy enough to pop open a can of Campbell's (and R.I.P. to the Campbell's plant on Franklin Blvd. near 47th Ave.), but sometimes it sounds good to leave the cooking to the professionals.

So,who makes the best chicken soup and other tummy soothing soups in Sacramento?

My first choice for a flu-friendly soup would be suimono, a clear broth Japanese soup. Still, I'm not sure who makes one in the area as most opt for a traditional white or red miso soup. Futami on Freeport Blvd. used to make a good suimono, but it seems like it's been a while since they served it to begin their meals.

This is the greatest restaurant review ever penned by someone trapped in a boring lesbian relationship. Click here for a look at one critic's take on Enotria while performing a pretty solid takedown of some poor soul named "MK."

Jane Churchon's epic-length review of this stylish fine dining establishment pulls out all the stops. You'll drool. You'll laugh. You'll wince. You may cringe a time or 12.

Forget the lashing Guy Fieri endured for his Times Square monstrosity. MK takes it on the chin, and then some. Yes, this review has it all: discerning thoughts on the incredible food, humor, enmity, awkward references aplenty and more than a few body blows directed at the other half of this very boring relationship. Something tells me it was a little less boring after MK logged on at www.sacpress.com.

Downtown lunch options just got a lot more interesting. Blackbird Kitchen + Bar, which opened several months ago and wisely began focusing on its dinner and drinks, is now spreading its wings and serving lunch.

I'm a fan of the restaurant and see it getting even better in the months to come. As I recall, the clam chowder is the best in Sacramento. Seafood is excellent. Lots of other good dishes, and plenty of creativity and precision, too.

Check out the new lunch menu here.

Blackbird is at 1015 9th St., Sacramento. (916) 498-9224. Hours: Tuesday-Thursday 11:30 a.m. to 10 p.m., Friday 11:30 a.m. to 11 p.m., Saturday 4-11 p.m.

Blair Anthony Robertson is The Bee's restaurant critic. Follow him on Twitter, @blarob.

RELATED:
Dining review: Blackbird usually excellent, sometimes amiss

The Golden Bear was transformed into a midtown winter wonderland on Monday night. Owner Kimio Bazett donned a Santa Claus costume and posed with patrons in a picture booth, while others sported their finest ugly holiday sweaters and elf hats. At the heart of these festivities was a hot toddy contest featuring some of Sacramento's top bartenders and notable up-and-comers. The competitors didn't have many limits for ingredients, except they all had to use Buffalo Trace Bourbon - the contest's sponsor.

Hot Toddies come in various styles, generally using bourbon/whiskey, brandy or rum as its base spirit, and sweetened with honey. A little lemon is usually added to balance the sweetness, and spiced up with cinnamon, clove and other aromatically pleasing ingredients. The "hot" part of a "hot toddy" might come from apple cider, tea or good ol' hot water. Either way, a hot toddy should be soothing, spicy and have a boozy kick - perfect for curling up on a cold winter's night or as a tasty kind of Nyquil substitute during cold/flu season.

The nine hot toddies from Monday night incorporated all kinds of influences and surprises, and I was part of the judging panel with Billy Ngo of Kru, a rep for Buffalo Trace and Angela Rosas, the local social media maven and founder of Chicas Latinas de Sacramento. (She took the above pic that shows some of the toddies). Ella bartender Chris Dooley, who won the hot toddy competition last year, also served as a de facto judge.

Pomegranate season brought a red explosion to my kitchen. Our little backyard tree - an aptly named Wonderful pomegranate - produced more than 60 huge red orbs.

They were the biggest pomegranates I've ever grown. Several were as large as softballs and just as round. One weighed 24 ounces.

Inside each fruit were hundreds of plump seed sacs. They seemed to be unusually dark this winter. Instead of crimson, the juicy sacs glistened like black garnets. They produced jelly and grenadine with the same, rich color.

And the flavor is outstanding - which is why I scrambled to preserve it for later enjoyment.

My favorite method is home-made grenadine. It's easy, quick and flexible depending on how much juice you have available. In a stainless steel saucepan, add one cup sugar to every cup of pomegranate juice. Bring to a boil, turn down the heat and simmer one minute until the sugar is fully dissolved. Let cool.

That's it. Store the grenadine in a jar and refrigerate; it will keep at least three months. Or freeze it for a year (or more). Grenadine adds color and pomegranate flavor to drinks, desserts, glazes (try it on pork) and other dishes.

Pomegranate molasses, a popular ingredient in Middle eastern cuisine, is similar to grenadine, but not as sweet. It also takes more time to make. For molasses, put 2 cups pomegranate juice in a heavy saucepan. Add 1/4 cup sugar and 1 tablespoon lemon juice. Bring to boil.

Turn the heat down and simmer for about an hour, until the mixture becomes thick and syrupy. (It will reduce to about 3/4 cup.) Store in a jar in the refrigerator.

For more ideas on enjoying pomegranates, read Chris Macias' story in Wednesday's Food & Wine section in The Bee.

Here's a little behind-the-scenes look at customer service at one of the area's better casual restaurants.

I'm going to give away the ending: The customer was not happy. At all. Picture Michael Douglas in "Falling Down" trying to order breakfast. Only without the scary glasses.

It starts innocently enough. Woman is a regular at OneSpeed. Woman takes client there for lunch. Woman orders steak. (Really? A steak for lunch?) Woman is told the restaurant is out of bread. Woman fires off email to yours truly. And yours truly promptly puts down everything he is doing and heads over to Folsom Boulevard demanding some answers, and fast.

OK, no I didn't.

Let's start with the email. Then I'll ask how you would have handled it. I'll leave out the name because, well, the writer might just need to enroll in a 12-step "turn and walk away from the bread" program. The email is actually a copy of an email she fired off to OneSpeed. I'll sign her O. Crusty One.

"Mr. Robertson, FYI, below. I thought this was pretty ridiculous.

"Hello. My husband and I are regular customers at One Speed. Today, I was there with a client. Each of us ordered the flat iron steak. Delicious. Not cheap for a lunch plate. I asked for bread and was told you were out of bread. I asked if we could have some pizza crust. Answer: no, how about some crustini? Trader Joe is right next door and has Truckee Pugliese. Your staff could have gone next door and purchased a few loaves for the lunch crowd. I considered doing it myself, but really, a restaurant, especially a pizza place to be out of bread.

Sincerely,"

>Baked goods are an integral part of the holiday season, but, of course, not all breads and pastries are created equal.

Terrific bakeries do abound in our area - you just have to find them. One of our favorite go-to's is Grateful Bread, on the scene now for 22 years.

We dropped by the other day to check out its "Holiday Features" of eight seasonal goodies ($4.50 to $15.75): Black Forest bread (chocolate and cherries), Italian pannetone (golden raisins and citron), Swedish rye limpa (orange rind and anise seed), German Christmas stollen (raisins, almonds, hazelnuts and citrus peel) and fruitcake (only 100 brandy-fed cakes were made, beginning in August; they contain no nuts or candied fruit).

Coming Dec. 20 will be alpine lemon bread, a puckery treat with a loyal following. Also: Choose a bread and master baker-owner Joe Artim will shape it into bears, wreathes and Christmas trees (by special order only).

There's one more holiday bread to mention, something new to us. Fragrant orange stollen

We returned for two more light-as-air loaves, much of which was turned into crispy French toast. In a word: Yum!

"The recipe came from a seminar on enriched dough held in 2005 at the San Francisco Baking Institute," Artim recalled. "The chef (who demonstrated it) was from the Culinary Institute of America in St. Helena in the Napa Valley. We played with (the recipe) a little bit and tweaked it for our needs."

Grateful Bread in Loehmann's Plaza, 2543 Fair Oaks Blvd., Sacramento; (916) 487-9179. Open 7 a.m. to 6 p.m. Mondays-Saturdays.

Piatti Ristorante at the Pavilions center is back in business after a four-month closure for a makeover. What took so long?

"We were going to do a small facelift, but instead we decided to completely expand the scope and redo everything," said Nick Dedier on the phone today. He's the Italian-themed restaurant's director of operations. His resume includes more than five years with the Thomas Keller Restaurant Group in Yountville. During that time, he ran Bouchon for a year and Ad Hoc for four years.

Piatti certainly has a brighter, cleaner look.

In this economy, I know there are a lot of talented but unemployed (or under-employed) people in Midtown, so I was happy to run across this "Now Hiring" sign in a storefront window on 20th Street.

The store, Ficklin-Wilcox, has yet to open, but the concept sounds interesting, and the company behind it - the widely respected Ficklin Vineyards -- certainly knows what it's doing. The family-owned business has been going strong since 1946.

I just got off the phone with Liz Wilcox of Ficklin Vineyards in Madera. I called her to ask about the jobs and what kind of people they are looking for. Turns out, you don't have to be a certified sommelier or a bona fide food snob to get hired. The most important thing is you have to be good with people and you must have a sincere appreciation for sales and service.

Ficklin-Wilcox will be a wine tasting room as well as a kitchen store. In the back, there will be a classroom space for seminars, lectures, cooking demonstrations, etc. The store will have a full line of pots and pans, kitchen gadgets, barware and all kinds of other products related to food and wine.

Looks like we missed this original announcement, but UC Davis is an especially tasty place to eat. TheDailyMeal.com released a survey of the "52 Best Colleges for Food in America" back in September, and UC Davis ranked a very respectable #18.

That was a better showing than such venerable institutions as Stanford University and Yale University - and sorry, Bears, but the University of California, Berkeley didn't even make the cut.

Says the DailyMeal folks: "The dining services team invites guest chefs to present authentic meals from countries around the world, and also hosts diversity dinners. Twice each year, the school's tradition of using local and sustainable food is highlighted at its Farm to College Night."

Given UC Davis' strong agricultural programs, proximity to local farms and its esteemed Robert Mondavi Institute for Wine and Food Science, this all makes sense that students have access to some good food. The sample menu items of honey-nut pancakes and dosas with sambar and chutney sure sounds like better chow than I ate back in the early 1990s, when I was living in UC Davis' dorms. My UC Davis dorm food memories from back then are visions of starch, and that "steak night" was the cue to order a pizza. Can you say, "Freshman 15?"

The biggest UC bragging rights go to UCLA, which ranked #4. The top school was listed as Virginia Tech.

Wednesday night on Del Paso Blvd. - it's generally never been one of Sacramento's main dining destinations. But what is this? Inside Enotria Restaurant Wine Bar, the dining room is near capacity as tunes from Everything But the Girl bump gently on the sound system. Meanwhile, a party of more than two dozen feasts in a separate room. David Hardie, Enotria's owner, pops through the dining room with a well earned smile. He's run Enotria since 1997 but business has been hit and miss, with any number of key staff changes, and sunk $1.8 million into a renovation effort to help Enotria better establish its mark on Sacramento's wining and dining scene.

Has Enotria emerged as Sacramento's hottest restaurant of the day?

Just picked up a copy of the new Sactown magazine, and look at this: an extended feature on Enotria executive chef Pajo Bruich and more about Enotria's restaurant experience. That's just the latest press on Enotria, which has included:

* A spread in the Nov. issue of Comstock's magazine

His belly full of Korean tacos on Tuesday afternoon, chef Adam Pechal announced he was in a hurry.

"Sorry guys, gotta go," he said. "I've got to get ready to feed Bill."

The "Bill" in question was former President Bill Clinton, who appeared Tuesday night at the Sacramento Memorial Auditorium for a speech on current affairs. Pechal, the executive chef and co-owner of Sacramento's Tuli Bistro and Restaurant THIR13EN, had the job of feeding Clinton and the former president's staff before the appearance. He was referred for the job by organizers of the Sacramento Speakers Series, which hosted the event, and Pechal didn't know he'd be cooking for Clinton until the day before the appearance.

The Daily Meal, the online site that covers all things food and drink (www.thedailymeal.com), is taking much delight over the results of its latest survey, "Top Chefs Rate America's Food Critics."

In fairness, the term "food writers" should have been added to that title, as some of the people on the list do not strictly qualify as restaurant critics, though they do cover the food and dining scenes to varying degrees.

At any rate, the Daily Meal explains: "We have given dozens of chefs and restaurateurs a chance to turn the tables on food critics by asking them to divulge their opinions about the men and women who write reviews for America's top publications. While anonymity was guaranteed to elicit the most truthful responses, every chef and restaurateur is an elite industry figure. Most, in fact, are household names."

Get that Lipitor prescription ready, because the dates are now set for BaconFest Sacramento. The second edition of this veritable pork-a-palooza will run from Jan. 20 through Jan. 27 at various locales around Sacramento. The details are still being flushed out, but highlights include a Bacon Fest Sacramento Chef's Challenge at Mulvaney's B&L Pig on the Corner on Jan. 27, the second annual "Kevin Bacon Tribute Night" on Jan. 25 with local bands covering tunes from Kevin Bacon movies at Old Ironsides (chef Mike Thiemann of Ella will prepare the grub), and even a coloring book contest for kids at Doughbot throughout the week.

A series of Bacon Fest dinners and specials will also be held throughout the week, and happy hour specials at local watering holes. Participants on board thus far include: Bacon and Butter (duh), Magpie Cafe, the soon-to-be opened Low Brau (in the former Lounge ON20 spot at 20th & K), Shady Lady, Pangaea Two Brews Cafe and Selland's Market Cafe.

Last year's Bacon Fest was marked by food items selling out and a whole lot of full tummies. The event has grown from three days in its inaugural year to a full week and up to 20 participating venues. That's due in large part to sponsorship this year from the California Pork Producers Association, which is helping to fund some of the events.

There's a connection between Sacramento grocer Darrell Corti - an internationally recognized food and wine expert - and "Skyfall," the 23rd James Bond adventure now playing in theaters.

Some context: First there was the Vesper cocktail, the classic "shaken, not stirred" mega-martini that James Bond favored in "Casino Royale." That was the title of the 1953 Ian Fleming thriller that became the 2006 movie that introduced Daniel Craig at Agent 007, in which the Vesper found new cachet.

Inspired by "Skyfall," the head mixologist at the American Bar at the Savoy Hotel in London - Erik Lorincz - decided to "refresh" the ingredients of the Vesper and create a special cocktail called the Skyfall. This is what he came up with; note there are just about 30 milliliters in one ounce:

Five restaurants will be in one place at one time, dishing food and talk, with live music playing in the background and a silent auction as part of it. And it's all in the name of a good cause.

Taste of the Town will feature Fabian's Italian Bistro, Tower Bridge Bistro, Coffee Republic, River City BBQ, and Noodles & Company, each offering tastes of their specialties.

Proceeds will will help raise funds to refurbish the community stage at Crossroads Church of Carmichael. Organizers describe the much-used stage as "a canvas, a host, a venue and a tool."

Heap goodies on your plate from 5:30 to 7:30 p.m. Saturday at 7100 Fair Oaks Blvd., Carmichael; (916) 501-5916. Cost is $15 for adults, $5 for children 12 and younger; free for ages 3 and younger.

Accolades arrived this week for Terre Rouge & Easton Wines of Amador, which was named among Wine Spectator's "top 100 outstanding values of 2012." The noted bottle is the Easton 2010 Zinfandel Amador County, priced at $18 and described by Wine Spectator's managing editor as "a rich tasting zinfandel from California's Sierra Foothills." A bottle was also featured in a prominent photo spread of fellow best value wines.

This 2010 zinfandel earned 90 points from Wine Spectator earlier this year, and featured in a number of issues including a feature on zinfandel.

"That was really sweet," said Bill Easton, the winemaker and proprietor of Terre Rouge & Easton Wines. "They'd been giving us good reviews for the last couple years, but having that bottle in the photo spread was really cool. We've been leading up to this the whole year."

On the heels of a four-month stint in one of the country's most revered kitchens, Chef Scott Ostrander is orchestrating a pop-up style dinner at the Red Rabbit Kitchen & Bar on Monday that could, if all goes according to plan, become the stuff of local legend.

After chatting with Ostrander by phone and then looking at the intensely ambitious menu, the dinner appears to be influenced by the likes of Rene Redzepi and Heston Blumenthal, two of the world's great culinary wizards.

Ostrander, 30, who is in town for a few weeks before starting a new gig at a restaurant in Yountville (more on that another time), worked at Alinea in Chicago, the modernist restaurant with three Michelin stars that some now consider the best in the U.S. After four months, Ostrander is ready to move on to his next restaurant.

"The room for error there was small, so you weren't allowed to make mistakes," the chef told me when I asked if the Alinea experience made him a better chef. "So my personal skills went through the roof."

Apparently, so did his ambition. His menu looks incredible - creative, soulful, edgy, risky, wild and maybe just a little insane. It's the kind of high-voltage shock to the system that the Sacramento culinary scene needs more of. He has dubbed the dinner, "Winter in Lake Tahoe: A Culinary and Libation Excursion."

Mother Nature be darned, one of the year's most novel cooking competitions and tastings is happening on Saturday. Teams of mobile food vendors and restaurant chefs will collaborate and compete at Truck and Mortar Throwdown, to be held rain or shine at 6th and W streets (aka the site of Sunday's farmers market under the freeway) from noon to 3 p.m. Each team will have an entire pig and one gallon of honey to impress a judging panel - including chef Patrick Mulvaney, Bethany Crouch of FOX 40 and myself - and the public vote. After a couple shuffles, here's the final roster of culinary teams:

* Oliver Ridgeway (Grange) and Robert Ramos (Coast to Coast Sandwiches)

* Mike Thiemann (Ella Dining Room and Bar) and Chando of Chando's Taco's

* Matt Brown (Golden Bear) and Donell Hendrix (Simply Southern Foods)

* Billy Ngo (Kru/Pork Belly Grub Shack) and Davin Vculek (Krush Burger)

* Pedro Depina (Ettore's) and Andrew "Drewski" Blaskovich (Drewski's Hot Rod Kitchen)

Now that's a line-up of some of Sacramento's key tastemakers, and there's bound to be some great creations to taste. The chefs are being pretty hush-hush about what they plan to make, but we're hearing whispers of dishes that include charred jalapeno honey, raw oysters and what's dubbed "the last Twinkie." Yow!

Good news for fans of seriously good coffee: Chocolate Fish, which has won legions of fans at its downtown coffee shop, is opening a second location - in East Sacramento.

I'm told the new coffee shop, across the street from East Sacramento Hardware and OneSpeed Pizza on Folsom Boulevard, is expected to open to the public in January.

While Chocolate Fish's current location caters to the downtown work crowd and closes at 4 p.m. on weekdays, the East Sac shop should attract a different clientele and will stay open later.

Big changes are coming next week for Noradino Salas, operator of Oscar's Very Mexican Food at 3061 Freeport Blvd., in Sacramento.

The Freeport site will close after the last meal is served on Sunday. Two days later, the process of tearing down the building and starting on a new one begins.

Salas said he hopes to reopen the new building in four to six months, depending on how weather affects construction.

Next Wednesday, Salas will open a new Oscar's Very Mexican Food site at 1350 Harbor Blvd. in West Sacramento. Nearly a dozen employees who work at the Freeport site will simply move to the Harbor Boulevard restaurant.

By midyear 2013, Salas said he will be overseeing two eateries.

Feeding Crane Farms is on the move -- again. The organic farm and forward-thinking food operation based in Natomas is hosting an open house at its newest venture, Lulu's Kitchen.

If you're into the food scene and curious about a young company on the rise, you'll want to stop by and get to know these folks. The event is this Tuesday (Dec. 4) from 5-8 p.m. It is open to the public, but those interested in attending are asked to RSVP via email, luluskitchen@feedingcranefarms.com. Several of the food companies that use the kitchen will also be on hand serving samples.

We've been following Timothy Hollingsworth's career pretty closely at the Bee over the last few years. This former Placerville resident has one of the most intriguing culinary careers that we've ever seen. He got his start as a dishwasher at Zachary Jacques in Placerville and soon became one of its chef. He never went to culinary school, or worked at another restaurant, but had the gumption to apply for a job at French Laundry, the famed three Michelin star restaurant operated by Thomas Keller. Hollingsworth barely got the gig - Keller initially passed on Hollingsworth - and the young chef started as an entry-level commis. Hollingsworth rose to sous chef, and then earned one of the most prestigious titles in the culinary world: chef de cuisine for French Laundry, the head of its kitchen and Keller's right hand man.

Hollingsworth, 32, is now moving on and ready to explore other facets of the restaurant industry. He's leaving the French Laundry in the spring of 2013 and will be replaced by David Breeden, executive sous chef of Per Se - the New York City restaurant also run by Keller which has three Michelin stars to its credit. Hollingsworth will leave with 12 years of French Laundry experience to his credit.

"It's always been a goal of mine to have my own thing," said Hollingsworth. "I'm really excited to explore different opportunities. The French Laundry is also a place that's dear to me and I love so much. I consider it my home."

Sometimes when a restaurant is mentioned positively in The Bee, it can bring in plenty of new business -- and a good bit of chaos.

I spotted this on Masullo's Facebook page:

"Our apologies for not having enough dough. The Bee ran an article naming us best pizza in town and we sold more at lunch today than all dayTuesday a week ago. We have a three day ferment for our dough and we can not just make more at the drop of a hat. We are sorry for the trouble it may cause to customers, but believe us we would like to have it to sell to you."

As you can see, you cannot rush a great crust. If you want to try truly great pizza in the Neapolitan style, get there early today.

Masullo is at 2711 Riverside Blvd., Sacramento.

Update: I caught up with owner Robert Masullo when his restaurant opened for lunch and asked him about the surge in traffic. The servers are happy -- they're making good, honest money. The cooks are busy. And no, the dough cannot be rushed. Masullo has experienced a one-two punch of acclaim from The Bee this year. Prior to topping the best pizza list, it was featured in a full review, where I gave it four stars.

"We saw back in the summer a real huge bump for a couple of months," Masullo told me Wednesday. For the last four weeks, we've been quieter by a long shot. Monday, it picked right back up and it almost doubled from a typical Monday."

Some customers come in and wonder why they can't jump whip up a new batch of dough. It doesn't work that way.

"Part of the reason why what we're turning out is as good as it is, is we don't take a short cut," Masullo said. "I'd rather make it as good as we can, even if that means we have to tell people we're out of dough."

Blair Anthony Robertson is The Bee's restaurant critic. Follow him on Twitter, @blarob.

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I'm a big believer in the pressure cooker. For one thing, it's a green appliance -- once you build up the pressure, you can turn the heat way down, and the cooking time is much shorter than standard methods for most things. It's also efficient and effective. And these new and improved pressure cookers are much safer -- you can usually tell they are about to explode about 1.5 seconds before they actually do (don't ask me how I know this).

Despite my near-death experience (it was last year, I've recovered from the trauma, no one was actually hurt, we eventually got all the black beans off the 9-foot ceiling and the cats are almost finished with their therapy sessions), I continue to advocate for the pressure cooker. In fact, I'm working on a story about the many uses for the pressure cooker and how it, this old-fashioned relic of the '50s, is getting some serious traction in modern kitchens.

First, the New York Times roasted celebrity chef Guy Fieri with a flame-thrower review of his new Times Square eatery from critic Pete Wells. Then the host of Food Network's "Diners, Drive-Ins and Dives" responded on the "Today" show, suggesting that Wells had an agenda. Meanwhile, many in Sacramento had a fist bump of support for Fieri, who runs two restaurants in the area and even attended culinary classes at American River College.

So how do we know that this controversy has come full circle? "Saturday Night Live" weighed in this weekend with a skit that skewered both Fieri and the Grey Lady simultaneously. The bit didn't make the final broadcast (this clip is from a pre-recorded dress rehearsal), but it's peppered with plenty of funny nonetheless. Enjoy.

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One of the Sacramento area's best fine dining restaurants is closing. I spoke by phone with Morgan Song, the owner/chef of Ambience Restaurant in Carmichael, who told me business has lagged and he has decided to relocate to Los Altos. He expects to pack up and close for good by the middle or end of January.

This is a significant loss to the local culinary scene, as many food aficionados considered Song to be among the best, most precise and artistic chefs in the area. Almost all of his dishes were so beautifully plated you couldn't be blamed for staring instead of eating.

And yet, Ambience was rarely crowded - and wasn't as crowded as it should have been or deserved to be. Song said much of that had to do with the less-than-prestigious location in Carmichael (he extensively renovated an old Wendy's) and the persistence of the economic downturn.

That may be partly true. The meals at Ambience were prix fixe, meaning there were no options for anything but the $70 for five courses or $95 for seven courses, and the cooking was geared toward nouvelle French cuisine. If you wanted an $18 pasta dish and a glass of wine on your way home from work, you were out of luck. A gourmet burger and a beer at happy hour? Not here. It was all or nothing. In that location and in this economy, that was probably a recipe for failure.

It's been a madhouse at Capitol Avenue and 20th Street in Midtown since Friday. That's when word got out that Mike Brown is closing his popular Midtown restaurant, Capitol Dawg, after lunch today. It opened in March 2008.

"I've been trying everything, but we're just not bringing people through the door," Brown told me Friday. "We've never cut quality or service, but we can't seem to turn the corner economically."

On Saturday and again on Monday, a line of 500-plus hot-dog lovers and well-wishers crowded out of the restaurant, stretched along the sidewalk and snaked down an alley. The wait to place an order both days was 60 to 90 minutes, and that was in on-again, off-again rain between 11 a.m. and 3:30 p.m.

This morning, a line of expectant patrons waited patiently for the Capitol Dawg crew to start serving, and by 12:30 p.m. it looked like a safe bet that the Saturday and Monday scenarios would be repeated.

The ever-energetic Mike Brown phoned two hours ago to break the bad news: His popular Midtown restaurant Capitol Dawg will close its doors after lunch on Tuesday.

"I've been trying everything, but we're just not bringing people through the door. We've never cut quality or service, but we can't seem to turn the corner economically," Brown said.

"This hasn't come on suddenly, it's been brewing for a long time. It's been a struggle to keep the doors open and (make) a reasonable profit. (Blame it on) rising food costs combined with years of a struggling economy - including state worker furloughs - and our location."

Capitol Dawg is near the intersection of Capitol Avenue and 20th Street in Sacramento, where a concentration of restaurants compete for diners' dollars. Nearby are Jack's Urban Eats, Waterboy, Mulvaney's B&L, Chipotle Mexican Grill, Rubicon Brewing Company, Paesanos and Zocalo.

For those of us who grew up on Twinkies, Ding Dongs and Ho Hos (and lived to tell about it), today's news that Hostess will liquidate its assets comes as a bittersweet blow. It's quite possibly the end of an era for these icons of mass-produced sweet treats.

Beyond that, there is the loss of most of the 18,500 jobs at plants around the country, including one in Sacramento.

Twinkies aren't dead yet - someone could buy the rights and rejuvenate the brand - but they're on the ropes.

For those looking for some consolation or simply want to have something chocolaty and sweet to stomach this jolt of grief, all is not lost. The highly regarded Karen's Bakery Café in Old Folsom has been making a gourmet version of the Ho Ho for years.

I called owner Karen Holmes this morning to ask about her high-end interpretation of this mass-market treat. Turns out, she, too, is mourning the demise of Hostess.

Back in August, "Appetizers" wrote about Roseville's Chris Luna, who was in the hunt to be the 13th final contestant on TLC's "Next Great Baker." The show, which is hosted by "Cake Boss" Buddy Valastro, features a variety of bakers vying for a chance to win $100,000 and work with Valastro at his Carlo's Bakery in Hoboken, N.J.

After an online vote, we're happy to report that Luna made the cut. Look for him when this season's "Next Great Baker" premiers on Nov. 26. These baker contestants will face a series of challenges and weekly eliminations over 10 episodes, with guest judges including Mario Lopez, Lou "The Incredible Hulk" Ferrigno and Joey Fatone.

Unlike most of his fellow contestants, Luna's a self-taught amateur baker who works by day in ad sales. His specialty is sculpted cakes, with some shaped like a metallic colored trout and roasted pig.

Total Wine & More continues to set up shop around the Sacramento area, with a new Folsom location set to open on Nov. 29. Along with locations in Roseville and an Arden Way store which opened in Oct. 2011, this store marks the area's third Total Wine & More. It will take over a former Borders bookstore space at 2765 E. Bidwell St.

The store will stock some 8,000 wines, along with 2,500 beers and 3,000 spirits. Like other Total Wine & More locations, this store will feature a tasting bar and education center, plus in-store iPads to suggest food and beverage pairing. This Folsom location is expected to add 50 jobs to the area.

Fore more information: www.totalwine.com

Drinks that taste like a "combination of radiator fluid and formaldehyde." "Turd shaped" chicken tenders. "(A) restaurant that would be indicted for crimes against humanity, if only that crime fell within the Department of Health's purview."

Those are actually some of the more positive comments levied by restaurant critics for Guy's American Kitchen and Bar, the Times Square restaurant overseen by Guy Fieri's restaurant group. The Food Network star's latest restaurant has been savaged by critics since opening in September. One of them, published Tuesday in the New York Times, has since gone viral. Penned by Pete Wells, the paper's restaurant critic, it's more of a rant than a review. It reads as an open letter to Fieri, with each sentence save for a final "thanks" written as a question.

"Did you notice that the menu was an unreliable predictor of what actually came to the table?" ... "Were you struck by how very far from awesome the Awesome Pretzel Chicken Tenders are?" ... "Hey, did you try that blue drink, the one that glows like nuclear waste?" ... "When you hung that sign by the entrance that says, WELCOME TO FLAVOR TOWN!, were you just messing with our heads?"

Are you looking for Thanksgiving dinner inspiration? Here's a good start, provided by bloggers in the Sacramento Connect network. You find recipes for turkey, gravy, stuffing, masshed potatoes, sweet potatoes, squash, green beans, brussels sprouts, carrots, greens, rolls, cranberries, desserts and drinks.

Over on the west side, Broderick Restaurant & Bar (319 6th St., West Sacramento) has undergone its "soft opening" phase for about a month. After getting its menu and service fine tuned, it's time to swing the doors open and celebrate officially. On Saturday from 11 a.m. to 9 p.m., Broderick Restaurant & Bar will throw its grand opening party, featuring live music, drink specials and more. Proceeds from these shenanigans will also benefit Hurricane Sandy relief efforts on the east coast.

Owners of Broderick Restaurant & Bar include Chris Jarosz and Matt Chong of the Wicked Wich food truck, along with Marvin Maldonado and Steve Hamm of InForm design. The menu features Wicked Wich's signature sandwiches, along with newer items.

"It all started with us wanting to translate the Wicked Wich menu into a brick and mortar location," said Chong. "Having more space allows us to be creative with a roadhouse style menu. We put a lot of focus on our dressed fries, burgers, sandwiches and bleu cheese mac 'n' cheese."

Bee staff photo by Lezlie Sterling

Real, ground-grown heirloom tomatoes are a fond memory of hot summer days. Cold from the refrigerator, sliced and splashed with olive oil and dashed with salt and pepper, and blanketed with fresh basil - wow!

Maybe a close second is a six-variety line of organic heirloom tomatoes - chunks of brightly colored, tasty fruit, pulverized and swimming in their own juice. They're from the family-run Balakian Farm in Reedley, in Fresno County.

At the farm's website, www.balakianfarms.com, fourth-generation owner-manager Amber Balakian writes, "I wanted each sauce to embody a distinct flavor, smell and texture that is reminiscent of my family farm. It is a simple way to create fresh, organic, homemade meals."

We sampled 16-ounce Mason jars of Yellow Roman, Pink Oxheart and Green Zebra blended sauces and were very impressed. We used them as pasta sauces and as ingredients on a pizza and in meat-heavy chili, stew and soup. And, yes, we drank them straight from the jars, too.

Our favorite was sweet Yellow Roman, followed by the slightly tart Green Zebra and the complexly flavored Pink Oxhart.

You can order them at the farm's website for $10 a jar, and buy them at the Saturday farmers market at the Ferry Building Marketplace in San Francisco. Or you can order them at a very cool site, www.americasfarmstand.com (click on "Gifts").

America's Farmstand is an online retailer that has gathered a consortium of family farms that offer "organic and all-natural artisanal foods." There, you'll find everything from maple syrup and pickles to nuts and cheeses, along with a line of gluten-free items.

The Daily Meal, which reports on all things food and drink at www.thedailymeal.com, is toasting its list of "America's Best Sports Bars."

Coming in at No. 9 is the only entry from California - Pete's Tavern in San Francisco (128 King St.; 415-817-5040, www.petestavernsf.com).

I called Jake the bartender.
"It's kind of busy right now, so don't ask too many questions," he said.
How many TV sets are in the bar?
"One...two...three...14."
What are the most popular menu items?
"Chicken cutlet (served Tuesdays), it's like chicken picatta. And the buffalo chicken salad and bacon-wrapped hot dog are pretty popular, too."

Rounding out the list, in descending order:
Walk-On's, New Orleans
Red Star, Brooklyn
The Four's, Boston
State, Chicago
Duffy's, Fort Lauderdale
Chappell's, Kansas City, MO.
Stats, Atlanta
Chickie's and Pete's, Philadelphia
Nemo's, Detroit
Lagasse's Stadium, Las Vegas
Auto Battery, Seattle
Jerome Bettis' Grill 36, Pittsburgh
Phoenix Landing, Boston
Sam's, Nashville
Eskimo Joe's, Stillwater, Okla.
Frankie's, Dallas

Making pies for the holidays is a snap, right? Well, for some home cooks it is. For others, not so much. Our pie crusts usually end up on the kitchen wall, but that's another story.

To the rescue come the experts at the Crisco Pie Hotline, dispensing baking advice, recipes, pie-making tips, time-saving shortcuts and trends for the ultimate goal: pie perfection.

Talk with the "pie experts" starting Monday and running through Dec. 21. Call (877) 367-7438 to get the pin rolling. For more information: www.crisco.com.

Grand opening ceremonies will be held at 11 a.m. Saturday for a new McDonald's restaurant constructed with environmentally friendly features at 8300 Elk Grove Florin Road in Sacramento.

About 80 have been hired to staff the restaurant.

Restaurant features include light-emitting diode lighting to save on electricity usage and an energy-monitoring system to control heating/ventilation/air conditioning units, lighting, freezers and fans.

The restaurant also recycles all of its cardboard products and oil.

Now here's a piece of news that tastes especially sweet for Georgeanne Brennan and Ann M. Evans (pictured above). Their "Davis Farmers Market Cookbook" was awarded first place for non-fiction in the Writer's Digest 2012 Contest for Self-Published books. The two netted a $1,000 cash prize and will have their cookbook featured in Writer's Digest Magazine.

The book, which was released in April, takes a seasonal approach with its recipes and bases them on ingredients which can be found at farmers markets during various times of the year. The book provides a few basic recipes, included roasted vegetables and risotto, which can then be adapted depending on what's in season.

"It's our love letter to the market, but really to the region and the farmers in general," Evans told the Bee in April. "It was so fun, from the initial concepts to finishing the photo shoots."

When you want a special bottle of wine with dinner, which restaurants are your go-to's?

OpenTable has some suggestions, sort of. The San Francisco-based online restaurant-reservation company recently released its latest Diners Choice Top 100 Restaurants With the Most Notable Wine Lists.

For context, OpenTable explains: "The awards reflect the opinions of over 5 million reviews submitted by OpenTable diners for more than 15,000 restaurants in all 50 states and the District of Columbia."

Not surprisingly, California has the most, with 17. Those include Enotria in Sacramento; Carpe Vino in Auburn; Press in Saint Helena; Acquerello and BIN 38 in San Francisco; and André's Bouchée Bistro and Wine Bar in Carmel.

For the complete list, go to www.opentable.com/wine.