Don't Dine & Dash in Old Sacramento by by Barbara L. Steinberg©
Taste
Old Sacramento isn’t just about grabbing a quick bite on the run. Although, for those on a tight schedule, there’s more than enough places to dine and dash. Personally, I never considered it a dining destination. What a mistake! My list of 1,000 places I must eat before I die just increased!
After a long day exploring, I was famished. Looking for something quick, I still wanted a sit-down experience. By sheer luck I walked into the new Delta House, part of the Old Depot. Owner Dean dishes up incredible fish tacos, fish and chips, clam chowder, and other seafood offerings—all from scratch. Fortuitously I wandered down Firehouse Alley to find Café Giapetto, also six months new. Though accessible from Front and K streets, the Firehouse Alley patio was my entry point. This Italian grotto serves the favorite three Ps: pasta, pannini, and parmigiana.
Not everything is new in Old Sacramento. And sometimes old is good. Stylish as ever, The Firehouse Restaurant is fine dining at its absolute best. On the opposite end of the scale, Fanny Ann’s Saloon is still completely dark and rickety. Famous for their Jiffy Burger (that would be peanut butter) and five-pound bucket of Buffalo wings, how did they ever fall off my dive Doppler?
I moseyed into The Back Door, circa 1969. How could I have missed this off-beat back alley bar and restaurant? It has everything from 80-something “Nick the Legend,” with 30-plus years of bartending wizardry, and Lee Diamond Live, the ultimate lounge act, to homemade biscuits and gravy and prime rib French dip. I plan to be a regular at this throw-back to another time.
With so many tasty opportunities it’s impossible to name them all here. Before this quest began, I could scarcely name one. For wine lovers, Discover California provides wine tasting at their subterranean wine bar and the Delta King hosts a wine school. Sacramento Sweets—family-owned and operated since 1964 has honed their candy prowess—the homemade candies are divine. My personal fave...macadamia nut brittle...OMG!!!!
And when it comes to waterfront dining, Old Sacramento has all the best views: Joe's Crab Shack, Rio City Cafe, Tower Bistro, and, of course, the Delta King.
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