Another month and dinner with the crew. Only five of us this time. Hope to see everyone next time…read more Some of us wanted to try the new restaurant by the great Kru. Chu Mai was a nice looking place. So vibrant paintings and art in the back. The bathrooms were a little weird. One door and I think three bathrooms for any type of person. Well I had reservations so we were seated right away. In the back at a big table. We started off with some of their specialty cocktails. I got the Golden Child since it had Cognac in it. Very strong and I liked it. There were two that got the Chu Mai Tai. which they enjoyed. The last one was the Boy with the Dragon Tattoo , which was bitter a little too much. We got several plates to share. The BO Tai Chanh, was just ok. Eliza wanted the shrimp chips. The Bun Rieu Capellini was ok to. We got two orders of the Mui Choy Kau Yuk , pork belly. It was flavorful . Finished with the vegetable fried rice and added an egg. We noticed that all the serving sizes were pretty small. I know it's from Kru but come on. Most of the dishes we could of made ourselves. Nothing to write home about. We were disappointed. Oh well. maybe they will come up with better items later. but for now I would pass on this place. At least we came once. Great for my UYE but not great for the food. I would give a 3 star if that. We still had a fantastic time with the crew, catching up. Till our next food outing.

Wow! Taste of Land Park was such a wonderful time!…read more So, I just relocated to Sacramento from the Bay Area this year. I heard about this event in my 'hood from little signs posted around. Not sure where else they advertised, but there was a pretty healthy crowd. I heard from one of the vendors that over 600 people showed up! And one of them was fabulous Yelper Karen K. (+ her husband :) who I got to meet for the first time - pretty sure I heard people raving about her fly sunglasses all over the event ;) I love food tasting events like these and have been to several in the Bay Area. I gotta say, Taste of Land Park can compete with the best of them. Not only was the entry price cheaper ($45!) than the tickets usually are for this sort of thing, the portions were HEFTY at every vendor, there was a huge variety of food available and the vibe was super chill! It really felt like a neighborhood event - it wasn't in the middle of Land Park, which made a huge difference. It was just on 10th street in the middle of people's houses, which gave it a secluded block party feel. Shoutout to the band playing - they were pretty legit and had a horn section! Also, no long lines!!! A chronic problem at these events is that you end up waiting in huge lines at each vendor, and by the time you're through the line, they've run out of food anyway. Lol. Not the case at ToLP - vendors were super well prepared & generous. Pretty sure I could've gone for seconds at almost every vendor if I wasn't so freakin' stuffed after the first go around! Ernesto's Mexican even gave away free tote bags to bring food home with!! I'm not much of a drinker, but there were also a lot of wine tasting options available. I only sampled one glass of wine (told you I'm not a big drinker) and it was awesome. They also had a local craft vendor section, but the prices there were a little out of control. One pillow was as much as the entry ticket to Taste of Land Park! Lmao. Passed on those... I didn't see a sign/brochure with all of the vendors listed, so here are the vendors I remember: + Vic's Ice Cream: Man, they even gave each person a cone. They had four flavors, I had the raspberry ribbon which was delicious & my new flavor pick when I go there. I need to give Vic's major props as I just went to an ice cream social for the Belle Cooledge Library that they also sponsored. Gotta love a business that gives back to the community! + Raleys: Had a serve yourself bar with fruit, multiple desserts, cheeses, olives and flavored water. They had a blackberry & goat cheese crostini that was one of my favorites of the event. + Nugget: They had HUGE portions of grapes! Also a huge variety of cheeses, desserts and some selections from their deli section. The supermarkets really turned up!! + Ernesto's Mexican: Like I said earlier, they gave out tote bags which was awesome. I really liked their rice! + Burgess Burgers & BBQ: One of the most popular vendors at the event. Despite their popularity, they never had a huge line and served people super quickly! I didn't try any of their BBQ but their potato salad was REALLY good and the coleslaw had a great flavor too. + Selland's Market: Really enjoyed the noodle salad here. They had a couple other salads to choose from. + Freeport Bakery: Always a favorite!! They had a really huge variety, I had the fruit tart and buttercream cake which were delicious! They encouraged people to take multiple cakes which was so generous! + Masullo's Pizza: Instead of pizza, they served their bread with a variety of dipping sauces. Good choice and great flavors! + Can't remember the name of the bistro, but they served a salmon dish that seemed to be the crowd favorite. It was a delicious & refreshing choice for the hot day :) + Oh yeah, and someone served a very spicy olive pasta... can't remember who, but it was good. Sorry, since I didn't try most of the wine, I don't remember who was there. Lol. Now that I think about it, there wasn't a single bad dish served. The food was really on point! Taste of Land Park was a great intro to Sacramento food & a wonderful way to show off the neighborhood. I'll definitely be returning next year! See you there Karen :)

J Street is one of my favorites in Sacramento. Even before we moved here we would visit and we'd…read morealways end up exploring J. It became my starting point for finding anything else in the city. Now that we live in Sacramento it's also one of our most used exits heading into the city. You can get off the 5 on J and the city just opens up to you. First you'll find DOCO and the arena, you could also choose to head off to Old Sacramento. You'll see a variety of restaurants, some only open on the weekdays and some that have become staples of our community. Keep your eyes open for gorgeous and fun murals along the way as well. As you continue, you'll pass Cesar Chavez Plaza and park where there's plenty of parking for nearby adventures. The SAFE Credit Union Convention Center is only a short distance away, followed by the Sacramento Memorial Auditorium. Continue your drive and you're in the heart of Midtown with more shopping, food and entertainment. Also, love that Midtown has free parking on the weekends. As you continue past well known businesses like Mike's Camera Shop, Rick's Dessert bar, Ginger Elizabeth, Jungle Bird and more you'll start leaving Midtown and make your way to East Sacramento. Don't worry, there's more to love as you continue. The Sacramento Turn Verein where you'll find annual Oktoberfest celebrations. La Trattoria Bohemia, Pachamama, the newly relocated Allspicery for tasty food, drinks and ingredients. There is a lot to discover on this street. If you drive far enough this one way street becomes two lanes and then disappears into H Street, ok it didn't disappear, it merges and becomes part of H street and then Fair Oaks Blvd. But what really matters are the memories we made along the way.

I'm always down for a good brunch, and thanks to Priya R., I was able to experience that at the…read morebeautiful Sienna in EDH. First impression when I walked in to this Tuscan-styled restaurant was, "wow, this is nice". It's an upscale environment with a casual vibe. I loved it. I felt like I was at a posh resort somewhere, not within any close radius to Sacramento (that's a good thing), but where flip flops were acceptable attire. Keep in mind this was brunch. I'd definitely dress up for dinner though. Let's keep it classy, folks! All the staff were friendly and welcoming, from the hostess to the omelet chef to our server Silas. He was great at refilling our bottomless mimosas (included in the $23/person buffet). Our party of 8 was seated in the semi-private Coriander room, aka "the fish bowl". It's floor- to- ceiling glass walls gave us enough privacy to really enjoy each other's conversation and not be distracted by any other patrons. I felt like a very important person as I was eating my 3rd plate of buffet food and sipping on my mimosa! Food was delicious. I had no complaints about anything I tried-and I pretty much tried everything. Don't judge. The "usual" breakfast items included diced country potatoes, bacon (OMG SOOO GOOD), sausage links, French toast (perfectly done), waffles, biscuits and gravy (different from any other b&g that I've ever had and worthy of a "must try" label), cinnamon rolls, and a made-to-order omelette station. They also had eggs benedict and a veggie benedict (tomato/spinach/egg), a refreshing spinach and mandarin orange salad, caesar salad, fresh fruit salad, bagels and lox (beautifuly rolled up smoked salmon and capers and a bowl of whipped cream cheese), a pepperoni flatbread (a little too greasy) and a breakfast flatbread. But the real brunch winners for me were the blackened pork tenderloin over mashed potatoes and the chicken enchiladas. The pork was tender and well seasoned and the garlic mashed potatoes had a perfect consistency. The enchiladas were thick and full of cheese, green chilis, and moist chicken. Sienna provided a a perfectly relaxing, intimate, and fun way to get to know my fellow Yelpers Priya, Devo and Scott, Frankie and Manolo, and Angel. Thank you all for a wonderful brunch!

I used to live in Natomas and it was a good experience. If I remember correctly I lived there for…read morearound 2 years. I was located in North Natomas in one of the planned communities. My favorite part of living in North Natomas was the Community. Everyone was so friendly and respectful. We had a Club House with part of our community. The Club House had a gym, pool, and lounge areas. I used the gym 3 times a week Monday, Wednesday, and Fridays. Then in the summer I'd add in the pool for my aerobic workout. The people were very cordial. I never had to fight for gym equipment or a lane at the pool. I was living the life back then. My other favorite part of living in North Natomas was the public library. I went there once a week to check out books, this was prior to the online system, or prior to me knowing about the online system where you can order books online and get them in digital or audio versions. The library couldn't have had a more generic name. It's called the North Natomas Library. I believe the local school shared the library. My favorite restaurant while living there was Shalimar Restaurant. They serve authentic Indian and Pakistani Cuisine. They are part of a shopping center, and have their own shared parking lot. They don't have any really close parking spaces, so if it's raining be prepared to walk a bit and bring your umbrella. We went several times when it was raining and it was a trek. They are across from the Target Shopping Center. I belive Buffalo Wild Wings in in the same shopping center as Shalimar Restaurant. The drive to downtown wasn't bad, without traffic on a Sunday afternoon it is 17 minutes. I always left for work an hour early to ensure I made it on time. I'd then just sit in my car and meditate till it was time to walk to work. The walk was maybe 10 minutes so I had plenty of time to relax before work.

Whether it's North or South Natomas, there is plenty to discover. I love that this area is close to…read morethe city, but has the added benefit of businesses with parking lots. I'm not a big fan of street parking so being able to pull into a parking lot and explore different businesses is always welcome in my book. On top of great local businesses, Natomas has a great set of parks and park systems that make getting out in nature, bike riding, or enjoying the playground with kiddos easy and fun. I've also found some great dog parks in the area that have become regular spots for my dog and I. Whether you live here or are passing through it's worth a quick search on Yelp to see what kind of fun you can discover.

Aw, Such A Great Time For Beer & Babies!…read more SITREP I have to qualify this by saying that NO BABIES were drinking! (Just to make this point clear). THE SETUP And part of the reason for this excitement was to celebrate the impending parenthood of our dynamic Community Manager (CM) Alex L. and his dynamite wife Diana S. We wished them much joy for the impending birth of their baby which is scheduled over the weekend. BEER But! Having said all of the above, we have to give MAD PROPS to Yelp Eliteness Jessica L. for her outstanding arrangement of this fun event to investigate New Helvetia Brewing Company and it's dynamic offerings of brews! Of which I had a great flight - courtesy of outstanding newbie Elite himself, John H. Which included, to wit: * The Buffalo Craft lager! Smooth, Refreshing, like a Prairie Field soaked under a citrus Sun * The Molly American Red Ale! More body, more taste, and yet still light * The (916) Pale Ale! I think my favorite of the night, and the one that will ring me back to New Helvetia; and finally, * The Homeland Stout! This was a pleasant foundational brew, and is it was, this was the featured foundation that all the *Coffee*-brews were based upon during this Beer Week 2015. Good stuff too. KUDOS A big shout out to Jessica L. for creating such an awesome UYE and to Katie G. for incorporating such a fun Baby Shower component to the evening's fun! THE LOWDOWN New Helvetia is a great place to gather for some fun celebrations!

Berni, Berdi, Berci!…read more SITREP Bernie came, Bernie saw, and Bernie conquered our hearts last night at the Bernie Sanders 2020 Rally in Cesar Chavez Park! https://www.yelp.com/biz_photos/uye-feel-the-bern-rally-bernie-2020-cesar-chavez-park-sacramento?select=5kTCYC98osE2iI_PfQgO8g&userid=3mNz5nQFTIBQm0oU5mBR0w THE SETUP It's very cool to get a National-level Candidate running for President make a stop in Sacramento and share their vision for the future of our great country. I have to give Bernie mad props for making that effort. MRS. BERNIE It was a treat - and I always admire - seeing the significant other of any candidate to take the time to go barnstorming with their partner. She is even used to introduce her husband at rallies - that's pretty cool. https://www.yelp.com/biz_photos/uye-feel-the-bern-rally-bernie-2020-cesar-chavez-park-sacramento?select=BVbxrAOOPt-vbYyP9BxrWQ&userid=3mNz5nQFTIBQm0oU5mBR0w MY THOUGHTS THIS ELECTION CYCLE I have not as of yet thrown my own personal support behind any single candidate, and I may be no closer even a the week just before the California Primary in March 2020. But still, this is the best time to put in the effort, to research the candidates platforms, compare them to the rest of the candidates, do some serious analysis about "elect-ability" (or not) and the see how it how pans out. I do know this: * I will NOT be voting for Joe Biden in the Primary Election; and, * I will NOT be voting for Donald Trump in the General Election. My friends are free to derive whatever they want from those two nuggets of information. CHARLES T. IN DA HOUSE! My coworker Charles T. actually got INVITED to sit on the stage behind Bernie (because, he's so handsome and all...) ;) https://www.yelp.com/biz_photos/uye-feel-the-bern-rally-bernie-2020-cesar-chavez-park-sacramento?select=T3b0JHmmBvij71tfO_7dMA&userid=3mNz5nQFTIBQm0oU5mBR0w THE LOWDOWN Thank you Bernie for making a stop in Sacramento, and I wish you the best of luck on your continued campaigning. We shall see what happens next year....

REVIEWER #1 Okay, so…read morewhen I hear a Taco Festival I am expecting the BEST well known Taco Trucks to be there...Right? Well I was so wrong! ARGH. Good thing I didn't make this only the only event to attend on a lovely Saturday, OH BOY! I would have been disappointed. I walked in around 12PM and it was a good amount of people. They had about 10 booths and it was along the streets of Del Paso Blvd which they had most of the areas blocked off. It cost $10 to get in, plus you had to pay for the food and drinks. I was kind of excited to see what tacos trucks they would have there to represent the festival and the options were not high end or nothing to brag about: *Jimboys Tacos- Tacos were aight but nothing to brag about. However the taco shell was nice and crunchy. The seasoning was salty, which was unbearable after the 5 bite. *Azteca Street Tacos-Long to pay and wait for food was a disaster! *Tina's Tacos Catering-Sold out by 1PM!! WTF?? They also have other vendors there such as: *Issa's Gelatos- No Yelp page for this business *Snowie- No Yelp Page for this business *Spirit Cakes- Selling their cakes and cookies *Little Rich's Italian Ice *Pork Daddy's BBQ No bathrooms or porta pottys in the area. Wtf? With the hot weather and all the water I just can't believe it! Also no trash cans so people are just throwing all their trash on the floor...so disappointing! Conclusion of the story-They cannot get 3 stars!! Only 2.5! And I'm being generous! I heard they were not doing well last year and I see the status hasn't changed. Would I come back next year? NA, I can get tasty tacos in my area for much cheaper and tastier! ..NOT WORTH COMING Review # 38/196

Most of the food was sold out by 7pm and I missed all the good stuff. If you plan on going go…read moreearly! Most stated they were sold out by 3pm! Great food and relaxing atmosphere. I got a kick out of the roosters that run around!