Amber "Girl with the Most Cake" S.'s Profile

If June Cleaver opened her home for business, it would probably look like Sugar Plum Café. This white picket-fence lined café is actually a converted home, and that's exactly how you feel as you approach. Except for a tiny banner waving precariously in the wind, you wouldn't even know there was a business presiding inside.

The warm, homey feel will trick you into believing that those pies and cupcakes you're seeing in the petite display case were baked by June Cleaver, too. Pretty cupcakes billow high with clouds of vanilla frosting topped with freshly cut pink flowers in the shade of a baby's cheeks. The pie crusts puff, ready to burst over mountains of high-piled fruit. And the savory smells wafting from the kitchen warm your nose and tickle your tongue, like walking into the house as mom is pulling dinner from the oven.

You may still believe you are at June Cleaver's home as you are greeted by a cashier dressed sweetly in head-to-toe vintage. Have you entered the 1950s?

No, you are certainly not in June Cleaver's home. The moment you meet the chef and read the menu, you know you are indeed planted firmly in 2010.

On a recent visit, as I step up to the counter to order, I inquire about the Whoopie Pies. The chef, hearing me make my purchase, emerges from the kitchen, dreadlocked hair pulled back neatly in a pony tail, beard bobbing as he speaks. He tells me with a literal "Whoop!", "You must pronounce it 'WHOOP!-ie pie!'" So, I do. I'm sure that sound was never uttered by The Beaver himself, let alone June.

The tone has been set. I'm in vegan territory. The diet comes with a culture: communal; earth, plant, and animal-friendly; outside the norm; and utterly inviting. Please check all snobbery (and rules about keeping elbows off the table) at the door. June Cleaver does not work here.

Not yet ready to decide my order, I ask about all the pastries, which are gleaming with halos in their little pastry case. The cashier walks over and describes everything to me individually. "Those are really good," she says genuinely after describing each item. I gather I can't go wrong no matter what I choose.

So, I choose them all! Well, almost. I take a red velvet cupcake. A 'WHOOP!-ie pie!'" A maca-roon, and a cupcake topped high with vanilla icing and an edible poof of pink flower.

With pastries tucked safely inside brown paper bags, I am now ready to order my lunch. This is easy. I let the smells wafting from the kitchen and the overflowing plates in front of the other diners guide my decision: nachos.

As for the food... I take it to go. I am currently munching madly on my bursting to-go box of nachos. The vegan cheese and sour cream taste just like the real thing. The chips are plentiful and loudly crunchy. I'm half-way through the pile and my stomach is already content. This is a hearty helping! But I just keep eating. I can't stop. They're too tasty. Just one more. Just one more. Just one... oops! They're gone.

Despite its use of faux chicken in my nachos, Sugar Plum Café is serving up quality fare. The ingredients are fresh, the flavors delightful. My favorite (so far) is the vanilla frosting-topped cupcake with edible flower. The frosting is creamy, sweet, and smooth. Underneath, the moist, white cupcake has a hint of cherry-bright almond.

I'm not crazy about my "Whoop!-ie Pie." The creamy filling, like the frosting on my cupcake, is superb! But the chocolate cakey cookies are a little dry. My thoughts on the red velvet cupcake are exactly the same: good frosting, but the cake is too dry.

But don't let that stop you from enjoying a delightful meal at Sugar Plum Café. There are plenty of wonderful items to choose from, and the prices are reasonable. I paid $11 for my nachos, and I could have easily split them with someone. Other lunch items include a roasted vegetable Panini for $9, house made vegan burgers for $11 and salads for $8.

If you like good, fresh food, you're bound to enjoy Sugar Plum Café. But tell me if you spot June Cleaver. I'm sure she's hiding around there somewhere!

Bandera is cozy from food to atmosphere, yet also sophisticated in its simplicity. The wide wood-paneled walls offer a rustic, pioneer feel, yet the crisply-dressed staff in white chef coats embody the classiness of this joint. The waiters don't miss a beat. They don't shout your name when your table is ready. They simply collect you from the bar and cheerfully escort you to your table. If you drop a bit of sauce on the white paper table top, they swiftly wipe it away as if it never happened. (Oh, if only someone could come to my house and do this!)

You might expect to pay a pretty penny for service like this, but the price is fairly reasonable. You can order a sandwich or salad for around $12-14. But if you've got a little more to splurge, enjoying some variety from the menu is highly recommended.

The ala cart menu, for instance, offers a single enchilada for $6. My husband and I split it as an appetizer. It comes Christmas-style with two sauces: red and green. Both are excellent. The red isn't your typical enchilada sauce, though it certainly has the similar spicy notes like you'd find in other red sauces. Yet, lurking amidst the pleasant heat is a mysteriously round flavor that I couldn't quite place. Not caraway. Not cumin. What was it? When I asked, the waitress told me it's a house secret. I can see why. It's wonderfully unique.

As an entrée, I ordered the blackened fish sandwich, which is moist and filling and could compete with most good fish sammies. The Thai-inspired coleslaw that comes with it is outstanding, filled with loads of cilantro, peanuts, and bit of sweetness. That coleslaw alone is worth returning for again and again.

Bandera also offers a nice selection of fresh (not sugary) mixed drinks and a rounded selection of microbrews to complete the meal.  (Sorry, I didn't look at the wine. But if it's in keeping with the rest of the menu, I'm sure it's quite nice.)

For simple, yet creative food served with the highest of quality, I couldn't recommend Bandera more. It makes for a lovely night out.

Two words: morel mushrooms!

Three more words: Lagunitas on tap!

Golden Bear's Chef Zoeillin produced top-quality fare last night. Those morel mushroom apps covered in a glorious, thick cream that mimicked cheese and drizzled with olive oil and asparagus vinaigrette were brilliant. The orchid-garnished platters certainly defy Golden Bear's former reputation as a frat boy bar.

Yet, the formality didn't take over the laid-back bar vibe. Traditional apps like house fries keep Golden Bear grounded, while still satisfying the harshest food critic, because Zoeillin serves them up with house-made, finger-licking ketchup.

Hats off to Chef Zoeillin for this wonderful improvement to Midtown!

And hats off to Olivia for hosting a great night that was fun for me and my mouth!

And hats off to Musical Charis. Great sounds!

No. That's what you need to say the next time someone invites you to eat at Roma. Why this pizza receives rave reviews from so many Sacramentans is beyond my wildest imagination. Sure, the place smells great. But the flavor is flat all around.

The pizza at Roma is almost always blackened at the crust, which is large and awkward. It's not a tasty crust that you'd eat once you've exhausted the cheesy parts. It's bland. I noticed many a table with piles of leftover, uneaten crusts left behind. If nobody likes it, why is there so much of it? It's also too thick, so the crust and toppings just don't balance in your mouth.

Next comes the noodles that are called pasta. When both my husband and I ordered a plate of spaghetti, we received a plate piled high with noodles and a mere dollop of sauce, as if it were a condiment rather than the main component of the dish. Two bites into the dish, I had depleted my sauce allowance and was left with nothing but flavorless noodles. Boring! I could make that at home.

Finally, the garlic bread. Made out of what looked like hot dog buns, I at least anticipated a salty, garlicy experience. Yet again, I was let down. Where's the garlic? Butter and a few sprinkles of parsley do not a garlic bread make.

Roma is a big disappointment. Just say no.

That glistening slice of pizza you see will make you cry when you bite it. It's that good! What a wonderful, simple idea by Hot Italian, known for their seasonal creations.

This pear, gorgonzola, honey pie hits all the right notes for winter. The chewy, gooey cheese forms the salty base to ground your mouth. Next, prepare for bold punches of that wonderfully raw, pungent blue cheese--not too much; just a sneak. All the while, the honey is dashing along behind, coating your tongue in golden, sweet rain. The crispy sweet pear is just a bonus of sugared delight. The happy medium of these salty, sweet, and bitter flavors makes for the perfect experience. Oh yeah--and did I mention this is pizza? Just one more reason to rejoice!

Just read in today's Sac Bee: Amarin is CLOSED!! :( What a loss.

When you open the door, you're met with the smells of India: garlic, cumin, curry, and spice. Inhale. This is one of my favorite experiences of Indian cuisine. It's truly a five-sense experience. The smells. The warmth of your hand wrapped around a spicy cup of hot chai. The bright colors and patterns adorning the space. The high hum of the traditional music. And importantly, let me not forget the tastes...

You can order from the menu or head straight to their expansive buffet ($14/person). I always opt for the buffet to enjoy a flavor-frenzy without end. I choose the spiciest red sauce for dipping and adding to more mellow dishes. I like all the breads, but naan is my favorite. The yeasty, warm,  chewy bites truly comfort, especially when covered in rich sauces and lentils.

I love Kaveri's chana masala--a hearty, tomato and heat sauce covering tender garbanzo beans in new flavors that shoot across your mouth with every chew. I also adore their dal, another tomato-based sauce, but lighter on the heat and more subtle on the spices, yet fulfilling for its simplicity. The eggplant curry also ranks high. On this occasion, they used the small, Asian eggplants, cooked until tender with their stems still on, paired with mellow curry flavors and perfect for sopping up the heat of other spicy dishes.

No Indian meal is complete without a handful of fennel seeds and sugar from the dish at the counter. This is an instant shower burst for a hot mouth. The perfect ending to a perfect meal.

Prepare for the sublime at Hidden Kitchen, run by Dennis and Mary Kercher. They offer gourmet dinners from their home kitchen, seating no more than 10 folks at once. The couple got the idea from an article about local foodies running "Ghetto Gourmet" "pirate restaurants" in their basement. Instead of going to a traditional restaurant, costumers come to the owners' home. There, up to 40 diners seated on pillows cram into the chef's personal living quarters for a taste of true epicurean fare.

Dennis, whose father was a baker, loves to cook. He and Mary signed up for a meal with the Ghetto Gourmet, and with the twist of a fork, their lives were transformed. They now operate a similar model in their own home, minus the "ghetto." Their meals begin with a complimentary champagne toast in their home. The evening truly begins as guests converse over fine food, seated at a regal dining room table complete with wooden chairs (no pillows on the floor for this crowd!). There's absolutely nothing "ghetto" about the formal Hidden Kitchen experience, (and at a recommended $75 per person, I should expect not!).

We started with two paired goat cheese crostini, each smooth, creamy, and mouth-watering. One was smeared with homemade garden pesto, the other nestled beneath a luscious, slow-roasted tomato that left flavor notes dancing vividly from tongue to throat as I chewed. These toasts were paired with a fruity Sauvignon Blanc, compliments of Rail Bridge Cellars. The highly drinkable white met with compliments across the table.

Next course: a roasted vegetable ratatouille terrine, which was an artwork in both presentation and flavor. The zucchini, eggplant, and bell pepper each held a crisp bite, while resting graciously within a zippy tomato gelatin.

One of my favorite courses of the evening was the fennel and green apple slaw, served on top of a breaded pumpkin wedge over powerful gorgonzola fonduta. This dish stood out for its ability to capture everything a mouth craves in one bite: smooth, chewy, crunchy, and crisp, but also sweet, tart, bitter, and meaty.

We also enjoyed a rich, earthy mushroom broth that was served with the next two courses: foraged porcini ravioli and black cod wrapped in crispy potato over braised leeks. The cod was so moist it nearly melted in my mouth as though it were a mashed potato itself. These were paired with a bright, light Rail Bridge red called "Lattice 2004." The hearty mushroom musk created deep flavors whose broad strokes filled my mouth, but which were light on the stomach.

Dessert landed on our plates like a poached egg on toast. This delightful play on the eye was actually an anise cake topped with lemon pudding and lemon curd. I preferred to enjoy each taste separately in order to prevent the anise from overpowering the lemon. The winner of my private contest was the happy lemon curd, skipping yellow and delight in a citrus swirl around my mouth.

The dinner was not over yet! Next, we savored donut-like bites of fried, moist ricotta that eased the palette with a hint of sugar, lemon, and nutmeg. This was accompanied by Dennis's homemade cream liquors. I tried the almond, which I swore was made of chocolate. The roasted nuts and rich cream sent my mind back to chocolate milk shakes at the local diner.

I'm not sure which was most memorable: the food or the conversation. I still savor both. Dennis's and Mary's ability to create an atmosphere where each is a highlight of the meal is testament to their winning idea. This is an experience worth repeating.

Spicy, crispy-shelled, flavor-dance on your tongue, deep taste experience samosas are no more. Voted "best samosas" by News & Review in years past, these tasty tidbits have been sent to their grave, no longer to be served at Dragonfly. Rest in peace.

They still do, however, offer a sushi roll of which I am fond. Their "mango madness" comes served with tuna, mango, and candied walnuts. This salty-sweet combo melts in your mouth, giving you two favorite flavors in one roll. It's like candy plus dinner--always a winning combination!

I also enjoy their grilled tofu skewers appetizer with firm, nutty tofu and a bright peanut dipping sauce.  The spicy tuna roll offers another mouth adventure worthy of the mellow flame it provides.

Overall, their food is fair. Yet their prices can't be beat--they always offer specials on appetizers, drinks, and rolls. Their drink menu is fun--mango mojitos and other fruity concoctions slide down nicely, especially when the weather allows for patio dining.

Don't give up on this spot yet. Although I may not forgive them for removing my favorite samosas from their menu, it's still a fun place to eat some bargain-priced sushi (when they are offering specials, of course).

Happy mouth moments are ready to be had at Burgers & Brew. From their careful selection of microbrews to their mouth-watering burgers, your mouth will be glad you went.

I recently shared the smoky tofu burger with my pal. (That's right. At Burgers & Brew, "burgers" don't just mean a pound of dripping red meat or a dried-out faux vegan patty.) The waitress brought our burger already cut in half, and boy, were we sorry! After one bite, we wanted the whole darn burger to ourselves. Next time, to heck with sharing! The tofu was firm, but moist, and marinated in a husky, smooth, and tangy BBQ-style sauce. The sharp aioli on the wheat bun paired perfectly with the tofu tastes.

On the side, we ordered the spicy curly fries. These reminded me of childhood--sort of like the fries you could order at a fast-food joint, only crisp (instead of take-out soggy) and with just the right amount of salt. Dipped in ketchup, they headed straight for my mouth at about a mile per minute.

There was just no turning back from this meal. Sitting outside on a warm summer night, listening to the live jazz performance, and washing down gargantuan bites of comforting, flavor-packed food with an icy cold beer... It just doesn't get much better.

I would give them 5 stars, but the service can be slow. I'm pretty sure they're in the kitchen eating lots of yummy burgers.