Sep 12

Binchoyaki Izakaya Dining

2226 10th St

Sacramento, CA 95818

Rating: ★★☆☆☆ 

Located near the southern-border of downtown, Binchoyaki Izakaya Dining serves up a variety of Japanese cuisines centered around skewered meats cooked over charcoal. There was plenty of street parking available in the area with no meters that have you covered for two hours. As we entered the restaurant, a cheerful server quickly sat us at a table for two inside the restaurant. The server provided us with a dinner menu and showed the specials menu along with the grill menu. The dinner menu consisted of a variety of familiar and not so familiar Japanese dishes, while the specials menu adds additional unfamiliar options. The grill menu consists of a variety of different meats, and a choice to have the meat cooked with their special sauce or just salt.

On this visit, we decided to order the Buta Moyashi ramen, Menchi katsu curry, NY strip loin skewer with sauce, pork belly with salt, bacon wrapped asparagus with salt, chicken thigh with sauce, pork sausage with sauce and with salt, and two rice balls. The NY strip loin skewer with sauce, pork belly with salt, and bacon wrapped asparagus arrived first as part of our grill order. All of the skewers were fairly small for the price paid. The NY strip was tender and juicy, but was quite salty. The pork belly was also tender, but was also quite salty. The bacon wrapped asparagus was tasty, but it falls short in comparison to a similar larger version available at Disneyland for a better price. The Buta Moyashi ramen was very salty, but the broth had a lot of body. If you can look past the saltiness of the ramen, the flavors were actually pretty good. The Menchi katsu curry was quite interesting because the beef katsu was quite pink on the inside, which tasted very juicy, but I can see how some people may find it too rare. The egg on top made it look very nice atop the curry, but the dish was missing some carbs. The side of cabbage with sesame dressing really did not fit the bill with the curry. We were still hungry, so this was when we decided to order more items from the grill. Unfortunately, the waiting process for the final grill items was quite extensive. By the time we received the food, we were already full from just sitting around. The chicken thigh with sauce was quite tender and juicy, but was salty. The pork sausage had a distinct crunch with each bite, and the meat was quite dense. Unfortunately, both the sauce and salt variations of the sausage were both overly salty. The grilled rice ball looked really cool, but tasted a bit odd with its burnt sugary flavor. Each bite tasted like caramel covered rice, which was an odd combination with the salty meats.

Overall, Binchoyki serves up some interesting looking food, but falls short in terms of flavor, price, and service. After the initial orders, service really tanked, as water refills were not acknowledged until late, and grill food orders took an extensive amount of time. If you like salty food, then you came to the right place. With each grill item ranging in price from $3-$13, your bill can quickly increase from the short skewers. Given another opportunity, I would want to eat something else with better flavor and better value. If you are really into the grilling aspect of Japanese cooking, then this may be the place for you, as long as you are willing to shell out the money for it.

Jun 30

Station 16

1118 16th St

Sacramento, CA 95814

Rating: ★★½☆☆ 

Located in the heart of midtown, Station 16 serves up various American and Asian Fusion dishes to all. Plenty of seating was available on a holiday Monday morning, so finding a table was easy. Although Station 16 is better known for their seafood, on this brunch meal, I opted for a classic breakfast burrito. The meal arrived fairy quickly after ordering, and was plated well. Luckily, I did not need to use the provided utensils because of how dirty they were. Unfortunately, the burrito was falling apart quite easily. The burrito as a whole tasted quite bland, but the meat was slightly salty. The house potatoes were cooked well and had a slight crisp to them. Overall, the meal was pretty standard and underwhelming, and the tableware cleanliness was unnerving. Station 16 may have good seafood, but brunch was disappointing.

Jun 07

Curry Corner

4680 Natomas Blvd

Sacramento, CA 95835

Rating: ★★☆☆☆ 

Located in a busy shopping plaza in Natomas, Curry Corner serves up Indian lunch and dinner buffets at affordable prices. When we entered the fairly busy restaurant on the weekend during lunch, we were promptly provided a table while we started to gather food from the buffet line. There were a variety of curries and veggie items available, but I really only went for the meat. The butter chicken tasted the best, but the chicken pieces were small and thin. The tandori chicken had a nice smokey flavor, but was pretty dry. The curry meatballs were way too salty. The chili chicken was tiny bit spicy, but was not that flavorful. They did have the dessert balls in syrup, but the sweetness was a bit off.

Overall, for $10, the lunch buffet was a good deal. However, the food quality was not really there. Service was excellent, and our waters were continually refilled. If I was in the mood for Indian buffet, I would still suggest going to Pooja’s in West Sacramento instead.

May 28

Ettore’s European Bakery & Cafe – Part 2

2376 Fair Oaks Blvd

Sacramento, CA 95825

Rating: ★★★★☆ 

Since the previous visit to Ettore’s consisted of only dessert, we had to come back to try their lunch. As we entered the restaurant, we looked past the delicious desserts to the right and headed left to the ordering counter. After reviewing their menu, we were ready to order.

Today, we decided to try their Hamburger and Grilled Chicken Wrap. Their hamburger is served on a fluffy cheddar scallion bun along with a substituted side of fries. Of course, I had to add bacon and remove the mushrooms and tomatoes to enhance the flavor of the beef. In doing so, I ended up eating one of the best burgers that I have ever ate. Ettore’s lives up to their 2013 Sacramento Burger Battle winner fame. The beef was juicy and flavorful. The bacon was crispy and flavorful. The combination of the cheddar scallion bun and herb mayo works wonders with the meat and veggies. This burger alone is worth eating again on another visit. The fries were freshly cut and cooked, which make the entire meal seem healthier while being delicious. On the other hand, the grilled chicken wrap was more on the mellow side. There was a good balance between lettuce and chicken inside, but the house Caesar dressing was quite mild to the point that the wrap tasted quite bland. The accompanying pasta salad tasted very healthy and was not something that I was used to eating.

Overall, Ettore’s knocks it out of the park with their delicious amazing burger. Service was great yet simple because after we placed our order, we found our own table and poured our own water, but the food was delivered professionally. Unfortunately, we were too full to make our way to the bakery side of the facility to indulge in dessert. If you have not had the burger from Ettore’s, then you must make the trip here for that reason alone. We will return.

May 14

Hankook Tofu House

9521 Folsom Blvd

Sacramento, CA 95827

Rating: ★★★★☆ 

Located off of Folsom Boulevard near Bradshaw Road, Hankook Tofu House serves up traditional Korean cuisine with a focus on tofu soup. Located within sight of another Korean restaurant that we frequent, MoDuRang, Hankook takes a different approach to Korean food by relying on their tofu soup and service. When we arrived, we were quickly seated by the hostess to an available table. After a quick review of the simple menu, we were ready to order.

Today, we decided to order the kimchi pancake, beef bulgogi, dol-sot bibimbab, and pork tofu soup. In accordance with traditional Korean meals, we were presented with an adequate array of banchan, or side dishes. Out of these side dishes, the Korean pancake and japchae noodles were the tastiest. The potatoes were more on the grainy side. The kimchi pancake had a great balance between flour and kimchi. Each piece was quite flavorful and held up very well. The beef bulgogi arrived on its sizzling platter with copious amounts of steam rising. The beef was very tender, and I liked how the onions were mixed in with the meat for extra flavor. The dish was saucier than at other restaurants, but was quite delicious. The dol-sot bibimbab also arrived in its sizzling stone pot filled with fresh tasty ingredients. Once mixed together, the entire dish tasted fantastic, but the eggs were a bit rubbery and overcooked. The pork tofu soup arrived piping hot at a perfect spice level and was tasty. There were ample amounts of pork in every bite.

Overall, Hankook Tofu House serves up delicious Korean dishes at very competitive prices. The restaurant reminds me of the formerly open 88 Tofu in South Sacramento, where we were a frequent customer before they closed down. We received good service that was better in the beginning, but  weaned off as we ended the meal. The restaurant was quite busy and seemed to be working on a catering order. Without a doubt, we will still return to this establishment, and we suggest you do so as well.

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