I am a diner, a lover of great food and drink. An initinarate traveler, and an under capitalized bon vivant. I am an investor in life - an investor whose only fiduciary duty is to himself. My return - an overflowing cup of great food and drink, drunk philosophers and sober paupers, and riches I wish I could remember as much as the debts I would sooner forget.
It was about six months ago that the poet Peter suggested I share my experiences with anyone that had a spare second to ingest my antics. That I share them with anyone, who like me, enjoyed the memory of a great meal more than the memory of whatever new systems memo their Six Sigma Blackbelt-toting consultant had mass emailed Sunday afternoon. He suggested that people would actually enjoy what I have to say. I am foolish enough that I believe you might.
I arrived at The Waterboy in Sacramento twenty minutes early for my reservation. I was dining with D and a family of four that I hardly knew. Kevin met me at the door and we exchanged our customary brothers-in-arms hugs, as D ordered her Waterboy-usual Gin Daisy. It was more attractive than I was attired (I went conservative for once), and well balanced (contrary to myself again). I ordered Rouet as we waited for our guests.
We sat in a near-empty dining room. An experience I am not used to. Five o'clock reservations are something I usually leave for the theatre set - not something I really ever take part in. Our dinner was conservative by my standards. A handful of appetizers chosen by D, and a few split entrees. I was worried about starving my ever-hungry soul with the few plates on the table, but I have lived to tell about it - mostly due to the manna provided by most post-meal meal.
The duck was a lovely and simple dish. New potatoes were enriched by the duck fat and the fat from the bacon-wrapped braised endive, and brightened and cut by the local apricots. D stole most of the cots.
The simple rainbow ravioli with brown-butter were simple and exquisite. As I write this, D is looking over my shoulder and recalling her regrets of splitting the ravioli with one of our guests. I have a small chuckle in knowing that our conservative guests may not have ordered the ravioli had they known that they were prepared (in part) as a nod to the local Sacramento Pride Festival.
Our guests ordered their Snake River Farms Bavet medium-well. I did not have the chance to try it, but D told me that it was over done. I usually find her steaks too well done for my taste, so I am (not so) secretly hoping, that her tastes are changing more to the rare side.
The side of squash and the deviled eggs were a hit at the table. I tabled my gluttonous urges this time again kept the appetizers to a minimum - and I shared.
The Cream Cheese Semifreddo was well recieved, and the chocolate torte rich and well-balanced by the Crème Fraiche. The salted-caramel ice cream somehow disappeared before I had more than a bite.
I drank Giovanni Rosso Langhe Nebbiolo, 2012. It was a richer style of Nebbiolo well suited for multiple palates.
Our guests had to get back home, so we said our goodbye, and D and I made our way to the bar by the door. As far as our guests could tell, we were saying goodbye to friends at the restaurant. However, we were surreptitiously biding their departure.
After an excruciatingly long goodbye (THREE MINUTES!), our guests were on their way, and so were we - on our way to a familiar night.
"Yes, dinner was great, so was desert. Now I need sweetbreads." You see, a trip to The Waterboy is not complete without their sweetbreads. The preparation is always a variation on classic French sweetbreads. I recall a lunch with restaurateur Paul, my late friend Michael, and Italian merchant Darrell Corti. Mr. Corti, one of the Sixty (Plus) Coolest People in Food & Drink by thedailymeal.com, is one of the most knowledgeable people I know on the topic of gastronomy. We ordered four orders of the sweetbreads for the table of six (along with at least one of every other starter on the menu). Mr. Corti recounted his first experience at The Waterboy. "I told Rick (proprietor of The Waterboy") that the sweetbreads were the best I had ever had, and if he ever took them off the menu, I would never come back." I didn't need this glowing endorsement of the sweetbreads to know I wanted them every time I was near Sacramento, but remember it as one of the coolest endorsements I have ever heard.
Our bar companions were a brash couple who had spent their day celebrating Sacramento Pride. They painstakingly won over D. Or perhaps they fell victim to her. I sometimes, even in my own dealings, can't tell. We discussed religion (breaking one of my two bar rules), our experiences with Modesto, and talked about why I should move to Sacramento. They made a more convincing argument for their city than most Chambers of Commerce. Their pride in their community is something I strive for in mine.
After "struggling" through the sweetbreads by myself (D was no help), we made our way to The Citizen Hotel downtown. Located in one of the oldest (and formerly one of the tallest) buildings in Sacramento, this Joie de Vivre hotel harkens back to Twenties. The building is warm and the amenities are sumptuous. We were upgraded to a premium room on one of the top floors. The views of the River and the Capital Building were idyllic, especially the fog creeping over the river at twilight. One amenity I missed was a proper refrigerator. I like the convenience of an honor bar, but would like room for my leftovers from my adventures.
I spent my last trip to Sacramento acquainting myself with my hotel room, while my friends explored what the city had to offer. The establishment I felt I missed out on the most was The Red Rabbit. The Red Rabbit is a chic spot for great cocktails and local food. Their menu (that I did not partake in) is interesting, local, and as simple as it is interesting. Thank what Jacques Pépin might prepare if he were a young hipster in California.
In honor of #NegroniWeek, I ordered their Negroni varition with Bols Genever. The Genever broadened this cocktail into something more interesting and contemplative - a drink more well suited for the evening than its premeal counterpart. D's Peaches & Herb was a refreshing, yet interesting, drink well suited for the hot night. Rhum, cream, citrus, peach, and herbs provided a great drink for me to try to steal while D was away. The tiki flip she enjoyed before we left was equally refreshing, but lacked the life-giving vibrancy from Peaches & Herb gave. I took a stab and asked if they had a shrub made up. They did and it was put away. They happily retrieved it for me. It was a bit too acidic for my taste. I tend to like acidic drinks, so I think it was a bit out of balance, even for shrub lovers.
The Red Rabbit was opened by the former lead bartender of The Shady Lady, one of Northern California's great cocktail lounges. It's lineage can be traced back to Bourbon and Branch, arguably California's first bastion of cocktail revival. Don't go here if you are stodgy, boring, or impatient. You won't be rewarded.
Our last stop was The Shady Lady. This is one of the great cocktail stops you must make in Sacramento. The bar was dark & sexy as always. The jazz trio on stage were outstanding musicians. The music was pleasantly loud and alluring. This bar suffers from the same problems all successful bars face: trendy patrons, spotty service, and an unchanging menu. I know the bar staff if constantly experimenting, researching, and improving, but I would love to see more of this on my visits. There are some fantastic bartenders (HEY Jeff!), and there are those that do their job acceptably well - which is far better than most bartenders do. I stuck to tiki drinks with the warm weather, and ended with a contemplative Calvados Old Fashioned (and a $2 Olympia to wash it all down). D's Mojitto was great. The mint was lightly bruised (not crushed into a pulp like most bartenders do to demonstrate their "muddling skill"), in balance and vibrant.
After my customary late checkout, we headed to Zocalo. Sacramento's elegant Mexican restaurant. The guacamole was fresh and well seasoned - I wish other restaurants wouldn't forget the salt and acidity in theirs. D had Enchilada's en Molé. The molé was one of the best I've ever enjoyed. If you live in the Modesto area try Memo's in Turlock for great molé. My Cochinita Pibil tacos were smoky and savory, however I wish the picked onions would have offered a bit more lift to the dish. The cocktail menu is simple - mostly variations on Margaritas. I had their "Hand Crafted", made with Monte Alban Reposado, which provided the richness and complexity I like in my Margs. I wanted to order their Paloma, but will wait until next time. Until then, I will just have to make some bottled Palomas with Wyatt. If you haven't tried them you should ask him how you can get one.
Please share your thoughts with me on this new endeavor, and your recommendations for my next trip to Sac. Also if you would like me to write about something I would love to hear from you.
