Kudos

Recently I've spent a lot of time perusing menus as I look for the perfect location for a Valentine's dinner. Sacramento has a number of new restaurants, but unfortunately I'm seeing a lot of the same meat-and-potato-style fare. Of course many restaurants will have ~a single~ vegetarian option on their dinner menu. Sorry chefs - it just doesn't make sense for my hubby and I to shell out big bucks for us both to order the same dish. Isn't it so much more fun when you can order a selection of starters and entrées and munch off each other's plates?

Despite my complaints, some kudos are in order. One of Old Sacramento's longtime restaurants The Firehouse is the clear winner when it comes to accommodating the vegetarian gourmet this year on Valentine's Day. They have a dedicated vegan/vegetarian menu.

We're looking to celebrate on Saturday, so I'm sad to report that my hubby and I won't get to enjoy this lovely menu. Nevertheless, here's what I would order:

First Course

Vegan Asparagus Bundle
pistachio-arugula pesto, baby red oak lettuce and savory celeriac purée


Second Course

Brie en Croustade
mission figs and port red onions baked in puff pastry with pistachios and pepper-honey drizzle


Third Course

Vegan Beet Carpaccio Salad
watercress and crystalized ginger, spiced almonds and pear vinaigrette


Intermezzo

White Peach Champagne Sorbet


Fourth Course

Winter Greens Risotto Verde
braised radicchio, endive, arugula and Parmigiano-Reggiano


Fifth Course

Chocolate Devotion
milk and dark chocolate mousse, devil's food cake, raspberry, coulis and chocolate-caramel crème

Sounds pretty fantastic, doesn't it?

Oh, and by the way, hello Internet. It's so nice to be back!

Pure Indulgence

This past week I ate at so many great places, including several local spots that I've been intending to visit for a while. Perhaps my favorite discovery was my trip to Paris via Le Petit Boutique and Cafe in Sacramento. I had such a fun time pretending I was actually in Paris enjoying three of France's greatest offerings ~ shopping, coffee, and pastry. Not to mention the Parisian-style people-watching I did with my friend Une Femme Curieuse. Ooh-la-la, what fun!

This little place is so cute, with its oh-so-French ornate wallpaper, antique furniture, and even handwritten signs for the menu. I had cafe au lait in an oversized coffee cup, which was artfully served much like this:

{image from here}

And I had a splendid little hazelnut mousse confection. It was molded much like the mousse in this picture, plus it had alternating layers of chocolate and nuggat:

{image from here}

This advice may come as a surprise, but for your next trip to Paris you might just consider heading to Sacramento!

Did you hear?

I thought I was going to have to create my own winter wonderland this year with crafts like this from A Field Journal.

But no. It turns out it's supposed to SNOW tomorrow in Sacramento! Who would have ever guessed?

Sactown

Sacramento recently got some attention from the New York Times in this travel piece. They highlight several places I've never been before, so I hope to try them out sometime. Also, the Sacramento Bee recently put a positive spin on the downturn by featuring the many happy hours that have popped up around town.

Alas, the world is full of so many great ideas, and yet I have so little time to act on them!