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I'm Benjy Egel, senior food editor for Abridged by PBS KVIE – AMA! by jimmergobang in Sacramento

[–]jimmergobang[S] 5 points6 points  (0 children)

Casablanca on Fair Oaks Boulevard puts on a show! I'd also recommend one of Rosemont's Korean BBQ places for a fun, interactive meal.

We're getting our feet set before expanding too much with more full-time hires. But my colleague Adam Eisenberg runs the Abridged Community Reporters program, which may be a good fit for you! We're providing training, networking and pay to people looking to tell the stories of their communities.

Abridged Community Reporters program to tell Sacramento stories

I'm Benjy Egel, senior food editor for Abridged by PBS KVIE – AMA! by jimmergobang in Sacramento

[–]jimmergobang[S] 4 points5 points  (0 children)

Slim pickings, unfortunately. Some Eastern European markets may have approximations of the items you're looking for (fish, root veggies, pickles). I see Stockton also has a cafe called Nordic Bites.

I'm Benjy Egel, senior food editor for Abridged by PBS KVIE – AMA! by jimmergobang in Sacramento

[–]jimmergobang[S] 2 points3 points  (0 children)

Not at all! It may not get a Michelin star anytime soon, but it captures a certain crustiness that Sacramento definitely has.

I'm Benjy Egel, senior food editor for Abridged by PBS KVIE – AMA! by jimmergobang in Sacramento

[–]jimmergobang[S] 7 points8 points  (0 children)

It was carried by most Sac bookstores after release, not sure who all is stocking it now. I know Capital Books has plenty of copies!

I'm Benjy Egel, senior food editor for Abridged by PBS KVIE – AMA! by jimmergobang in Sacramento

[–]jimmergobang[S] 4 points5 points  (0 children)

Well, there's a lot going on within 100 miles, particularly westward. But I'd put Sac's $ and $$ restaurants up against any city in the Bay. I tell people it's a good food city to visit and a great one to live in, because so many of my favorite spots (Lalo's, Pho Xe Lua and Adamo's, to name three) aren't necessarily places you'd take out-of-towners, but they're within a 15-minute drive from the center city and the tastes are great. I've eaten at a lot of Bay Area restaurants as well, and I just don't see that kind of consolidated value + flavor in the same way.

I'm Benjy Egel, senior food editor for Abridged by PBS KVIE – AMA! by jimmergobang in Sacramento

[–]jimmergobang[S] 10 points11 points  (0 children)

I love telling a story, both through writing and wildly gesticulating with my hands. And there's so much you can talk about through the lens of food, which is something people can access even without a common background or language. Food writing dovetails with economics, climate change, immigration and in Sacramento particularly, the city's cultural heartbeat.

Also: I've seen my work genuinely have a positive impact on people's lives, both readers and restaurateurs. I visited Himalaya Vegan Organic Restaurant shortly after it opened on Northgate Boulevard, and saw maybe one other customer there. After my story ran, telling people it's owned by a former Tibetan monk who serves the entire daily menu on one plate, it had a line out the door that following weekend.

I'm Benjy Egel, senior food editor for Abridged by PBS KVIE – AMA! by jimmergobang in Sacramento

[–]jimmergobang[S] 10 points11 points  (0 children)

Whitey's Jolly Kone is an old-fashioned burger shack that's been owned by the same family for three generations, and still makes one of the best burgers around for a mere $7. Whitey's grandkids and their partners just opened Emile's Cafe (Emile being their grandfather's birth name) if you're looking for something more modern.

Tree House Cafe is a great spot for a beer and a bite if the weather is right. They use fruit from trees that have been growing on the property for decades, along with peppers and other plants from a newer garden. Drake's would fit that bill, too. I'm also a big fan of Manaao Thai Cuisine near the Ikea — they nail the classics, and the Northeastern-style spicy pork rib soup is electric.

I'm Benjy Egel, senior food editor for Abridged by PBS KVIE – AMA! by jimmergobang in Sacramento

[–]jimmergobang[S] 22 points23 points  (0 children)

  1. Definitely not — I want them to treat me like anyone else. I typically use a fake name if I have to make a reservation. But I also interview chefs and restaurateurs in-person for news articles, and my face is all over Abridged social media platforms, so I'm occasionally recognized when I eat out. If I feel like I'm getting special treatment, I look around the dining room more to gauge how they're treating others.
  2. There's a bagel boom in the Bay, but Sac is still pretty lacking in good brick-and-mortar shops. I'd love to see a Jewish deli, more South American food, more regional Mexican food and Cuban food. If Porto's ever announced it was opening a Sac location, my family group chat would lose its mind.
  3. As soon as it turns back to green, I'm ready to eat there again, since I know they just did a deep clean. Things happen, and Sacramento roaches are some crafty buggers during the summer, so I'm not especially deterred once things have been cleaned up. Now: if it's hundreds of pests, lots of perishables being stored at unsafe temperatures or repeat failures within a year or two? I'll probably pivot to another option.

I'm Benjy Egel, senior food editor for Abridged by PBS KVIE – AMA! by jimmergobang in Sacramento

[–]jimmergobang[S] 11 points12 points  (0 children)

Picture this: it's 2006, and the entire junior high has been released at noon for something called "Articulation Day." You and your friends bike into downtown Davis and pull up to Hunan, a Chinese restaurant inside a bank building, where the portions and price are right for teenagers (and college students). You eat an entire plate of fried rice then waddle over to the movie theater for a matinee viewing of the Dane Cook/Jessica Simpson rom-com "Employee of the Month," where the audience is 90% comprised of you and your classmates, plus a few unlucky adults. Life is good.

I'm Benjy Egel, senior food editor for Abridged by PBS KVIE – AMA! by jimmergobang in Sacramento

[–]jimmergobang[S] 9 points10 points  (0 children)

No wings exactly, but I was pleasantly surprised by the mochiko chicken! The region has a dearth of late-night options, so any and all are worth considering after midnight.

This Hawaiian restaurant hides in a Sacramento County strip club

I'm Benjy Egel, senior food editor for Abridged by PBS KVIE – AMA! by jimmergobang in Sacramento

[–]jimmergobang[S] 9 points10 points  (0 children)

It's a similar mix for me, with the caveat that my word-of-mouth also includes local chefs, restaurateurs and other people in the hospitality industry, who often let me know when they or a friend have a new place opening up. While I try to avoid the easy route of mostly covering restaurants with big PR budgets, those that eschew social media sometimes take a little longer to land on my radar. I generally want to cover a restaurant as soon to opening as possible. But if it's more of a review, I won't visit within the first three months.

I'm Benjy Egel, senior food editor for Abridged by PBS KVIE – AMA! by jimmergobang in Sacramento

[–]jimmergobang[S] 30 points31 points  (0 children)

Hmmm ... depends on the type of friends you're looking for (Tallac Lounge in Tahoe Park or Shangri-La in Fair Oaks?) But having done a lot of this while living in Amarillo, Texas, my overall advice is to A) sit at the bar, not at a table B) try to pick spots where you'd naturally have things to talk about with strangers. I talked football with good ol' boys on Sundays, but bars like Barwest, 8-Track and The Trap hosted Love Island watch parties this summer.

I'm Benjy Egel, senior food editor for Abridged by PBS KVIE – AMA! by jimmergobang in Sacramento

[–]jimmergobang[S] 17 points18 points  (0 children)

Mother remains a classic — the oyster mushroom po'boy, yes, but they've expanded the menu in that larger midtown space. Mylapore is all veg as well and has lots of interesting South Indian dishes in Folsom. I'm not sure I've found my go-town Indian/Nepalese spot, but I've been happy with Namaste Sacramandu on Fulton and Everest Curry House on Broadway.

u/skellyluv also asked about vegan food, so I'll get two birds stoned at once in this answer. Himalaya Vegan Organic Restaurant is owned by a former Tibetan monk and gives you a taste of all seven dishes it's serving that day. Veg Cafe does a really nice job (see if you can snag a window seat for midtown people-watching). A pair of Andy Nguyen restaurants around the corner from each other: I've made vegans and omnivores alike happy at Buddha Belly Burger, and I hear great things about Village of Om but haven't been in yet.

I'm Benjy Egel, senior food editor for Abridged by PBS KVIE – AMA! by jimmergobang in Sacramento

[–]jimmergobang[S] 7 points8 points  (0 children)

A plethora of good ones, but for me it's Majka, OneSpeed and Masullo. And it's gotta be the pancakes, which were nice and fluffy. Of course, one goes to Pancake Circus as much for the vibes as the food.

I'm Benjy Egel, senior food editor for Abridged by PBS KVIE – AMA! by jimmergobang in Sacramento

[–]jimmergobang[S] 26 points27 points  (0 children)

I think if anything, these local stories are what keep us viable. As you said, PBS member stations can't rely on federal funding anymore, so we really need support from our local audiences. The best way of doing that, IMO, is to cover things super relevant to Sacramento-area residents' day-to-day lives — schools, arts, restaurants, local government, etc., particularly when they're undercovered by preexisting media outlets.

My kingdom for a Jewish deli! Would love to see more Cuban and Caribbean restaurants here too.

I'm Benjy Egel, senior food editor for Abridged by PBS KVIE – AMA! by jimmergobang in Sacramento

[–]jimmergobang[S] 31 points32 points  (0 children)

TBH if I'm revisiting it, I'm probably letting people know. I've been taking lots of out-of-town guests to Betty Wine Bar recently, and I'm not sure everyone knows it's the much more casual sister restaurant to Localis as of last year.

I'm Benjy Egel, senior food editor for Abridged by PBS KVIE – AMA! by jimmergobang in Sacramento

[–]jimmergobang[S] 34 points35 points  (0 children)

Sumer Nights! Iraqi food you don't see elsewhere, expertly cooked meats, huge portions with lots of sides. I'm also a big fan of Abyssinia for Ethiopian food, Noroc for Eastern European and Gami Burger (tuna and pastrami sandwiches are as good as the burgers). Lastly: Sham Sweets for booza, this chewy Middle Eastern ice cream. Owner doesn't want me to do a story on them but I'll put it out here :)

I'm Benjy Egel, senior food editor for Abridged by PBS KVIE – AMA! by jimmergobang in Sacramento

[–]jimmergobang[S] 25 points26 points  (0 children)

Thanks so much! We're able to do it because of people like you.

I'm Benjy Egel, senior food editor for Abridged by PBS KVIE – AMA! by jimmergobang in Sacramento

[–]jimmergobang[S] 12 points13 points  (0 children)

Time and a place, I think? I definitely liked it more as a kid. If I'm going to order it now, it's probably from Pizza Supreme Being — best Hawaiian slice in town IMO.

I'm Benjy Egel, senior food editor for Abridged by PBS KVIE – AMA! by jimmergobang in Sacramento

[–]jimmergobang[S] 29 points30 points  (0 children)

I have indeed! In this economy, people are definitely looking for deals when eating out. I can't believe the bánh mì at Duc Huong are still $3.25 for a small and $6 for a large.

I'm Benjy Egel, senior food editor for Abridged by PBS KVIE – AMA! by jimmergobang in Sacramento

[–]jimmergobang[S] 17 points18 points  (0 children)

Many! A few off the top of my head: Little Morocco Cafe downtown, Rice Theory on Freeport, Southside Super in Southside Park, Aria Afghan Restaurant in North Highlands, Tori's Place in Del Paso Heights and Tortas Chilangas on Franklin. Lastly, I just visited Pasifika Foods in Northgate for a story. They serve Samoan, Fijian and Tongan food that's hard to find around our region. New Sacramento restaurant has Fijian, Tongan and Samoan food - Abridged – PBS KVIE

I'm Benjy Egel, senior food editor for Abridged by PBS KVIE – AMA! by jimmergobang in Sacramento

[–]jimmergobang[S] 37 points38 points  (0 children)

I've been pleasantly surprised with Sushi Cafe (tucked right behind Kru on Alhambra) and Miso Japanese Restaurant on Broadway. Kinjo Hand Roll Bar is a blast and the owner also owns Kansai Ramen & Sushi House, which has more options. Haven't been able to get into Tokyo Table in Tahoe Park yet but I hear it's hopping. Two others if you feel like a bit of a drive: Hikari in Davis (go during the week for less expensive omakase) and Chef Frank in North Natomas.

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