Chances are you've driven your carload of friends by or through Sacramento at some point, possible en route to Tahoe. And chances are also good that if you made a stop to eat on that long drive, you probably hit one of the many strip-mall fast-food joints right off the freeway.
While your mental image of Sacramento might be only of the state's political engine, quite a treasure trove of eats and drinks can be found there, in a big city that acts like a small town. Here's my guide and great excuses to plan a stop.
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A good fried chicken truly hits the spot, especially when it comes in the form of a sandwich. The one served at Salumeria on 20th St is a must-eat.
Here, chicken breasts are seasoned overnight and fried twice daily: once in the morning, and again around 2 p.m, and kept in a warmer. That the bird isn't served blazing hot out of the fryer is actually a good thing -- letting the chicken rest allows the flavors and juices to settle within itself while maintaining the crispy fried coating. You're not burning your mouth on a grease-bomb.
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Oh, noes, Sriracha is back in the news. And not because someone discovered a tasty new use.
Last fall, the town of Irwindale, California complained that parent company Huy Fong Foods' plant was causing widespread health problems, including irritated eyes, headaches, sore throats. (So much for those highly coveted Scoville units.) The facility was forced to shut down for awhile, causing looting and food riots as people ransacked shelves for the vinegary Vietnamese/Thai condiment. Now the Irwindale city council has given Huy Fong 90 days to do something about the odors generated from processing 45,000 tons of chilies a year -- the actual grinding of which resumes in August.
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A walk down Valencia on a Sunday afternoon means the smell of various foods floating over the sidewalks accompanied by the din of laughing eaters. This is a prime area for brunch and many a San Franciscan takes advantage of the various options for mid-day grubbing.
Little Chihuahua recently rolled out a new brunch menu and we were especially interested in their twist on French toast. The Mexican French toast, offered only on weekends, wraps plantains and applewood-smoked bacon into flour tortillas that you can then smother with maple-agave syrup.
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