IlluSTrATION BY kATE mITrANO
Lunchtime feels cheese dOG, 85 °c bakeRy caFe
Order the braised pork shank at Cacio plated with sauteed greens, creamy polenta and a generous ladle-full of savory braising liquid.
Homestyle Italian
by Stephanie Stiavetti
Cacio
7600 Greenhaven Drive, Suite 23; (916) 399-9309 Good for: An Italian date night Notable dishes: Cacio e pepe, braised pork shank
$$$
PHOTO BY STEPHANIE STIAVETTI
Italian, Pocket-Greenhaven
Located in the Riverlake Village Shopping Center at the corner of Greenhaven Drive and Pocket Road, Cacio hides in plain sight among a gym, a beauty salon, a frozen yogurt place and a handful of other businesses. From the outside, it looks like any small strip mall restaurant, but stepping through the door envelopes you in a profound feeling of hominess. Cacio is cozy to be sure—read: small—but owners Jonathan Kerksieck and Katie Kinner-Kerksieck imbue every inch of the space with a warmth you’ll be hardpressed to find elsewhere. Padded banquettes are lined with comfy throw pillows, shelved and hanging knickknacks abound, and a soft, golden light fills the whole place with a cheerful vibe. Walking in the door feels like you’ve just stumbled into your best friend’s kitchen. The food at Cacio is just as satisfying as the atmosphere. My first visit was punctuated by an enormous braised pork shank ($18) that showed up to the table like a caveman club atop a bed of greens, creamy polenta and generous ladle-full of savory braising liquid. The shank was cooked slowly to voluptuous tenderness under Kerksieck’s watchful eye; it was easily one of the most satisfying meat dishes I’ve had in the past year. Second up was cacio e pepe ($13), the Roman cheese-and-pepper pasta dish for which the restaurant is
named. Well executed from both technical and experiential standpoints, the dish was creamy and well-sauced without a single identifiable chunk of cheese. (Anyone who has been served a broken or under-melted bowl of cacio e pepe will understand why this is worth mentioning.) Also added to the mix was a simple cup of country bean soup ($8), which sang with flavor and warmed our rain-soaked joints from within. A second visit was just as successful, with a roasted green salad ($10) bright with arugula, endive, almond, blue cheese and a surprisingly luxurious lemon-shallot vinaigrette. The bucatini and meatballs ($15) arrived topped with fresh basil and a dollop of creamy cheese, plucking every possible savory note on our palates. A small-ish bowl of macaroni and cheese ($10) was also a hit, or rather a velvety dream of fontina, ParmesanReggiano, dry mozzarella, pancetta and roasted garlic. Then came dessert, dubbed “chocolate ganache,” ($8) consisting of grilled bread, olive oil, sea salt and the aforementioned ganache. This is the second time in recent memory I’ve been served a dessert in Sacramento that involves grilled or toasted bread with some sort of side sauce. While I appreciate the eye toward reducing food waste, bread and dipping sauce is not a satisfying $8 dessert ($4, possibly). But for eight bucks I expect to be served a dish that involves a little more effort and doesn’t so closely resemble … bread. Plainly put, the final word on Cacio is, Yes! Go. There. Now. The food is incredible, they’ve got a solid wine list and the atmosphere will make you feel like you just stepped into your auntie’s kitchen in the middle of a family holiday. Ω
Lunch at 85 °C Bakery Cafe recently hit all the nostalgic feels. Comparable to a pig in a blanket, the Cheese Dog ($2.20) reminded me of grade-school lunch. A frankfurter is snuggled inside a blanket of soft bread baked with cheddar and mozzarella cheese, mayo, ketchup and parsley sprinkled on top. I was dubious about baked mayo and ketchup, but it works. The ketchup adds a likened sweetness which undercuts the carb overload. More like a guilty pleasure than a culinary revelation, the Cheese Dog was a perfect precursor for the cakes, tarts and Asian baked goods I secretly wanted all along. 5591 Sky Parkway Suite 411, 85cbakerycafe.com.
—amy bee
Fit for a Queen Queen’s Old FashiOned, FOx & GOOse Public hOuse A London-style pub located in downtown Sacramento, Fox & Goose serves English breakfast staples such as grilled bangers with baked beans and flaky crumpets with sweet Devonshire cream. At night, the bar at F&G serves up creative cocktails that take classic recipes and add a little kick. Take the Queen’s Old Fashioned: Muddled maraschino cherries and orange slices are paired with Bulleit bourbon, ginger syrup and Angostura bitters. Sweet cherry notes cut through the full bourbon mouthfeel while the ginger and citrus flavors add some brightness and acidity. Once the ice cubes melt a little, this bevy’s pungency relaxes a bit. It’s a cocktail I imagine her majesty would enjoy on a warm, sunny afternoon on the green. 1001 R Street, foxandgoose.com.
—stePh ROdRiGuez
THE V WoRd
Taco touchdown The Super Bowl is nigh, which means so is the best part of the game—no, not the ads—the Vegan Super Bowl Party at El Papagayo. It has become a tradition at the brightly decorated, family-run Mexican restaurant at 5804 Marconi Avenue in Carmichael. Those interested in pairing “the big game” with a big meal Sunday, February 3, from 3 p.m. to 8 p.m. may purchase a ticket in advance for $25 via Eventbrite. El Papagayo could not confirm what will be included in the all-you-can-eat spread as of January 29, but previous years’ buffets included tacos, sopes, enchiladas and mole. Take a peek at its regular (available year-round) vegan menu at elpapagayo916.com to get a taste. The restaurant is also advertising $4 shots of Jameson whiskey, Tito’s Handmade Vodka and Beefeater Gin on game day, all of which are vegan-friendly (yup, even Beefeater) according to Barnivore, the online vegan-alcohol database. But please drink responsibly—no one wants to see a taco fumbled.
—shOka
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