roseville, california: these alternative tentacles

...in California end of October to open our first store on the West Coast: Roseville(I lobbied Quentin Kopp of Dead Kennedy's notoriety back in the mid-90's when I called San Francisco home). Haven't been back to Sacto since. (no offense to Kopp, he seemed to have mellowed since the obscenity trial/mayoral run)

any local specialties worth seeking out appreciated high to low, low, low end(back in the day I was mostly low end)

also:

Kalifornia, Uber Alles!

Dos Coyotes steak burritos.

No idea if it's still any good (local awards indicate that it is, though)... but I spent many a happy hour with friends over fries and jerk chicken and fabulous layer cakes at the Tower Café after a movie at the nearby Tower Theater.

Tower Café
http://www.towercafe.com/
1518 Broadway
Sacramento, CA

(I can also second the Dos Coyotes recommendation... but it can be CRAZY crowded during the busy times.)

And if you possibly can, make a pilgrimage to Konditorei. Albert Kutternig made our wedding cake... I can personally guarantee that any pastry that sounds good to you will be sublime.

Konditorei Austrian Pastry Café
http://www.konditoreidavis.com/
2710 East 5th
Davis CA

My favorite greasy spoon (bought by a Thai family who has kept the original menu but added their own dishes as well):
http://www.yelp.com/biz/cindys-restaurant-davis-2
Cindy's
4823 Chiles Rd
Davis, CA

(Yes, I spent 20 years in Davis... and all these have survived an additional ten years since I've moved away, so they are doing SOMETHING right!)

Close to Roseville in Rocklin, Golden Dragon has pretty good Chinese. Check Chowhounds(I know, I know) for some reviews. We had a great Chow dinner.
Grange, in Sacramento is higher end farm to table.
New Canton has wonderful dim sum, but also good LTH type dishes. Asian Pearl is just great San Francisco Chinatown food. Ranch 99 is a fantastic Chinese market. The Asian Food Center is another good Asian market where you can pick up hanging ducks, salt baked chicken, and roast pork.
Scotts for bbq oysters.
Corti Bros is a great Italian grocer, also offering great fish and meat selections.
Ikedas in Auburn is a fun fruit stand usually carrying the best of the seasonal fruits and veggies. They also have an adjoining burger stand which is supposed to be good, but I've never tried it. They are also supposed to be known for their date shakes.

Roseville, damn. I grew up in Sacto (Carmichael, actually), and there never was any good food in the whole town. Amy Fat was my classmate at La Sierra High, so I used to go to her dad's place down by the Capitol, but the food was bog-standard. Probably still is.

Got my PhD at Davis. No good food there, either. Blake's was the higest point of elegance for miles around. Used to be some great greasy-tortilla places in Woodland and Dixon, closest thing to decent food in Yolo County.

I suppose the Buckhorn in Winters is still going--that might be good for a giggle.

Jeez, Roseville. Why?

Geo

Blake's? You're dating yourself!

Were you there when Collette was? That was my first seriously wonderful food experience.

Heh-heh, nupe, I'm even older. Like I said, 'twern't ANY decent restos in either Sacto OR Yolo County. Lots of nice family Japanese places, like the Iris, serving home-style food (no sushi, hadn't arrived yet; more like sukiyaki);Sam's Hof Brau, which had several locations, Scheidel''s Bavaria, with schnitzel up the ying; etc. etc. That was about as good as it got.

A Fine Dining Desert, that's the only way to describe it.

Although, I shouldn't forget the Diamond Springs Hotel, which had some of the most authentic Italo-California cuisine in the entire state. And, for the touch of the absolute exotic, one could venture over to the mysterious Delta ghost town of Locke, to visit the iconic Al the Wop's, some of the best steaks in Northern California.

A whole different universe, that.

Geo

PS. Truth to tell, I think maybe California was a lot more interesting, not to mention fun, back in those days, when a trip down the River Road could lead to some actually strange places...

...like I said, Geo, to open our first store in California...

I didn't pick the location

I get the feeling that I'm venturing into serious Tim Powers territory. Maybe I should dust off a pack of tarot cards.

Thank you everyone for the hints. I wish I had time to get back into San Francisco(nosh on a gruyere gourgere at Tartine, at least...always my first stop when in the City...and I always manage to snag a seat outside...dumb luck...then walk the espresso and pastry off on a round of Dolores Park)...however, this trip out I'm thinking more Carson City, more Reno, even Lake Tahoe if I get the chance...like I write above: Tim Powers territory...I'm bringing my PKD exegesis just for shits and giggles...

Actually, on further reflection, I should correct my negativity a bit. Out on Folsom Blvd in Rancho Cordova there are a number of quite decent Korean restos. But the best bit of Korean culture is the *huge* supermarket in the Koreana Plaza. Not only can every Asian ingredient be found there (including a huge selection of Russo-Ukranian foodstuff, inc. lots of types of herring), there's an in-house resto with pretty damn good home-cooked Korean greatest-hits. It's well worth a visit.

Geo

Sweet

Sorry it's taken me awhile to respond with my Roseville experience. Two weeks spent north of Sacto(tho' I went clubbing there twice, and got into The City twice as well, revisiting old haunts).

Iron Grill

2030 Douglas Blvd.
Ste 22
Roseville, CA 95661

in the same mall as my store, decent dolsot bibimbap, okay banchan, cool, contemporary multi-phased lighting above the exhaust hoods

Strings Italian Cafe'

1900 Douglas Blvd.
Roseville, CA 95661

plebeian Italian, sriously; I left 2/3rds of my margherita pizza in the room fridge and forgot about it for two weeks

In-N-Out Burger

near the hotel, many locations, my first stop after the airport arrival; animal style, baby...fries still and always will, suck

Islands

1902 Taylor Road
Roseville, CA 95661

I think it's run by a cult, but some of the nicest, well-programmed staff I've ever encountered...good food, too...I love it when a place's default burger is exactly how I like mine done(lettuce, tomato, mustard, onion, pickles-optional-). Good burgers, surprisingly good white people tacos and ranchero beans, nice, shatteringly-crisp onion rings, and decent craft beers. Entertainment in the form of indulgently-friendly California waitstaff and the relentless, hyper-trained manner with which they mechanically-bus (neat surfboard-inspired) tables all the same way...as if they are being timed(which they probably are). I ate there way too many times, it was right by the hotel. I almost became a fixture: "Oh, look it's totally-exhausted guy-who tips well-stumbling through the lobby and asking for a booth and a beer!" I kid, I like a little Process creepiness factor with my food.

Denny's

Burger King

where they put mayo on my angry burger, why would you put mayo on an already-mayosauced burger? ick

Dos Coyotes Border Cafe'

Roseville at Rocky Ridge Town Center
2030 Douglas Blvd.

completely under-seasoned "healthy" Mexican favorites(apparently, "healthy" equates with no salt, period), okay salsa bar, though, esp. the hot salsas and that one seasonal pomegranate one

ate there a few times out of necessity and convenience

in the same mall: Noah's New York Bagels

how long does it take to toast a freaking plain bagel and add a schmear of cream cheese...holy Jesus...are you freaking kidding me

went back a second time and, "Oh my hellish Christ, really? really? It wasn't just a fluke!? You guys are actually working at the speed of death."

San Francisco:

tried getting into The Slanted Door, just for a drink mind you, and COOKBOOK RELEASE HYSTERIA!!! ...I mean, it's always busy, but, fuck me

went to Hog Island instead(actually dined there twice---each time I got back into San Francisco...raw oysters, delish, great cilantro-redolent mignonette, good selection of local wines)

first trip into The City, compatriot wanted bread bowl chowder a la Fisherman's Wharf, so that's what we did

second trip I was team leader and we started out once more at Pier 39/Fisherman's Wharf(sigh), but had great, strong Bloody Mary's at Neptune's Waterfront Grill and Bar, Building K, Level 2

then, I led them into the (once upon a time) Heart of Darkness: Polk Gulch where we had drinks at

Hemlock Tavern

1131 Polk St. @ Post
San Francisco


formerly The Giraffe a notorious snooty gay videobar I refused to ever step foot in, now it's a pretty cool little dive-ish drinking hole with it's own enclosed smoking room

then up the street to one of the only bars left in that rapidly-gentrifying area from my heydey:

Cinch Saloon(aka The Cinch)

1723 Polk St.
San Francisco

I love The Cinch, utterly without pretension, just a place to shoot pool, drink whatever, and hang...a beautiful thing that it remains unswayed by the rigors of time(except they lost their music license when the fucking yuppies bought condos right above the venerable bar, shades of Chicago's Lounge Ax, I hate hearing when that kind of shit happens, fucking yuppies).


later that evening I led my passel of game straight people up to The Castro where we just kind of collapsed in the closest place at hand. I'd walked their feet off, but I warned them

Orphan Andy's

3991 17th St.
San Francisco

I always thought Orphan Andy's offered stellar afterbar diner food

We rode the trolley back down to The Embarcadero and drove home, flew out the next morning