Feb 24

Cattlemens Restaurant

2000 Taylor Rd

Roseville, CA 95678

Rating: ★★★★★ 

With multiple locations in the Sacramento area, but none in Sacramento proper, Cattlemens serves up various American dishes, while specializing in steak. We decided to visit their Roseville location since we were going to be in the area anyways. I had made a reservation off their website the day before, so after we arrived, we just had to wait for a server to seat us at a table. While waiting for a table, we overheard the hostess taking calls from people who wanted to call ahead for a table having to wait at least four hours due to the busy holiday. We were quickly seated by the hostess at a large table split in the middle with a divider. We had a little time to review the menu before our server arrived. The server was very nice and attentive.

Today, we decided to order the iced tea, strawberry lemonade, and the dinner for two that included an artichoke cheese dip appetizer, 6oz filet mignon, 14oz rib eye, Pete’s pan cookie, and grand canyon cheesecake. The ice tea tasted refreshing and unsweetened. The strawberry lemonade tasted delicious with just the right amount of sugar for it to not be too sweet but undeniably tasty. The meals also included salad with a choice of dressing as well as a loaf of bread. The entire salad tasted fresh and went well with the provided ranch dressing. The sourdough bread was sliced in half and sliced some more to pull apart. Each piece of bread was warm and fresh, which went well with the soft butter. Our artichoke cheese dip came with more delicious warm bread, which went well with the sliced artichoke and melted cheese. The filet mignon was cooked perfectly to order and was served with a baked potato. Each bite of the beef was tender and meaty. The baked potato had sour cream inside, but no butter, so we took butter that we already had on the table for the potato, which tasted great. The rib eye had a stack of fried flavorful onions on top, which complemented the dish well. The meat was extremely juicy, but a little too fatty at times, but is expected for a cut of rib eye. The mashed potatoes also went well with the dish. Both beef dishes tasted even better with the Cattlemens barbecue sauce that was available on the table. The meal also came with some dinner beans, which tasted much like chili, but we were not in the mood to eat it, but it did taste good. We then tried Pete’s pan cookie, which had an ample amount of vanilla ice cream atop of warm cookie. The cookie tasted delicious and was both chewy and crunchy. The abundance of ice cream was very welcoming and delicious. Unfortunately, we were too full to eat the cheesecake at the restaurant, but were able to eat it later. The cheesecake was creamy and tasted heavy. There is enough crust across the cheesecake and each bite tasted fulfilling. The slice was actually fairly tall, so there was plenty to eat.

Overall, Cattlemens serves up delicious tasting meals at reasonable prices and great portion sizes. Service was great today considering how busy the restaurant was. I definitely want to come by to order the 2lb porterhouse steak. Due to the great service, great tasting food, and various menu options, I can definitely recommend Cattlemens to any steak-lover.

Feb 21

ABC Bakery

1309 Florin Rd

Sacramento, CA 95831

Rating: ★★★★★ 

Located in the Bel Air shopping center on Florin Road, ABC Bakery is one of the most popular Chinese bakeries in Sacramento. On this visit, we not only wanted to pick up some buns to go, we also wanted to try their various takeout dim sum options. When we entered, there were plenty of staff helping plenty of people. Various staff in the back were preparing more buns or bringing out more trays of food.

Today, we decided to order the Siu Mai, Har Gow, BBQ pork rice roll, sweet rice chicken, and egg custard. The Siu Mai came out of a large steam tray. Each dumpling was very large and steaming hot. The entire dumpling was made of pork with some bits of mushroom. The dumpling was seasoned well and not overly salty. The Har Gow also came from a large steaming tray and was filled with large amounts of shrimp. Each bite tasted fresh and savory. The BBQ pork rice roll came in a nice small tray from the steamer rack and came with a side of soy sauce. Each bite tasted fresh and had plenty of meat, but the rice roll was sticking quite a bit and broke apart at times. The sweet rice chicken came with an ample amount of fillings including chicken, Chinese sausage, egg yolk, and roasted pork. The rice was nice and soft and the entire item tasted delicious. The egg custard is presented very cleanly with a nice smooth custard filling and a thick flaky crust. I liked how the crust stayed together very well and did not fall apart.

Overall, ABC bakery serves up some delicious takeout dim sum dishes that warrant many return trips. Although I did not mention the taste and quality of the BBQ pork buns and hot dog buns, previous tastings also represent the delicious flavors of this dim sum trip. Prices are reasonable and service is great. If you are craving for some delicious takeout dim sum or buns, head to ABC bakery. FYI, there is no fee for credit card purchases over $18.

Feb 17

Five Guys – Part 2

768 Ikea Ct

West Sacramento, CA 95605

Rating: ★★★☆☆ 

Since I have not eaten at Five Guys for a long time, I felt it was time to do a follow-up review. On this visit, The restaurant was not that busy and all the staff were friendly. The cashier was helpful in creating my order with any customization.

Today, I ordered the regular bacon cheeseburger with regular fries and drink. The regular burger came with two beef patties, bacon, cheese, lettuce, ketchup, and mustard. You can use any combination of toppings available on the menu. Prices on the menu are fairly high for what you get. The meat patties are fully cooked, and are still be bit juicy, but the meat tasted bland. The entire burger as a whole did not have much flavor. The buns are fresh and the whole burger is wrapped in foil, but I found myself breaking the foil multiple times, so I had to make sure I did not eat any metal bits. The regular fries was a substantial portion that even poured into the bag. The fries tasted extremely fresh, but tasted a bit bland. I felt like the fries could have used some more salt.

Overall, Five Guys was disappointing since the food lacked in flavor and the prices are fairly high. Service and quality are on point, so there are still some positives here. If you are tired of the other chain burger restaurants and want to try something different, Five Guys may be your choice.

Feb 14

Claim Jumper

1111 J St

Sacramento, CA 95814

Rating: ★★☆☆☆ 

Located in busy downtown near the convention center, Claim Jumper occupies the spot that used to be McCormick & Schmick’s. As Claim Jumper is another Landry’s restaurant, if you are a member of the Landry’s Select Club, you will get priority seating, free birthday offer, and point accumulation. Our group did not have a reservation, but as a Landry’s Select member, we were bumped up to the top of the wait-list. Unfortunately, the restaurant was extremely packed for a Saturday night since there was a convention that weekend. There have been multiple groups with reservations one to one and a half hours past due who were getting seated before us. Our group still ended up having to wait around an hour before getting seated. The hostess sat us at a fairly small round table for our group, but it managed to fit our dishes. Our server was very informative and animated, willing to answer any questions.

Today, we decided to order the crab cake appetizer, Parmesan chicken, and a side Cesar salad. The side Cesar salad arrived first, and came as part of the entree at no additional cost. The lettuce seemed fresh and there was an adequate amount of crunchy croutons, but the entire salad was overdressed. The crab cake appetizer was a fulfilling size and had a bit of heat due to some chopped peppers along with chopped onions, tomatoes, and a lot of crab. After eating a few bites, we noticed that the dish was overly salty, but the crab did seem fresh. The outsides of the cakes were crispy with its panko bread crumbs. The Parmesan chicken came on top of a bed of thin spaghetti. The sauce was creamy, but did not have much of any flavor or salt. The crust on the chicken was soggy and was not crispy at all. The chicken was juicy and the chunks of tomato on top added flavor, but not enough to complete the dish.

Overall, Claim Jumper failed to deliver fast service or provide enough communication during the busy period and the food was mediocre. Service by the server and related waitstaff was great, but prices were on the high side for what you get. Service may be inconsistent since another table who was seated right before us did not even get their food by the time our group was leaving. If you have other choices for American food, I suggest you go there because Claim Jumper did not do well tonight.

Feb 10

Freshly Baked Eatery – San Jose, CA

152 N 3rd St #101

San Jose, CA 95112

Rating: ★★★★★ 

Located in Downtown San Jose, Freshly Baked Eatery serves up delicious sandwiches on freshly baked bread including their own rotisserie turkey. With only street parking available, we were able to quickly find a space right in front. Unfortunately, this restaurant only operates during the weekdays from 10:30-2:30, which makes it hard to get to when visiting. As we entered, we passed by an ATM in the lobby since the restaurant only takes cash. As we approached the counter, staff took our order and answered questions. The sandwiches are created behind the counter as we ordered. By the time we paid, both sandwiches were ready.

Today, we decided to order the garlic herb and the classic. Both sandwiches were surrounded by delicious soft bread with nice crispy crust. Each bite of the sandwiches consisted of multiple layers of texture and flavor. The bread came apart perfectly with each bite and was not tough. The bread has hints of sourdough flavor. The garlic herb sandwich had a distinct flavor infused into the meat, combining perfectly with the layers of lettuce and sauce. The classic tasted just as good, but included roast beef, ham, and turkey. All of the meats tasted fresh and flavorful. Each bite into the bread tasted warm and delicious.

Overall, Freshly Baked Eatery serves up some amazing sandwiches on even more amazing bread. Sandwich prices are reasonable and service and speed are excellent. If you are in the San Jose area or are heading to San Jose on a weekday, you definitely need to visit Freshly Baked Eatery.

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