A Cow Town Boy's Big Food Adventure

[Carolyn Tillie]

Even though it is the capital city of California, Sacamento - a modern metropolitan - is teased as a "cow town". 

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I always thought that area in Central California by Harris Ranch was the only Cow Town...

Although I have also heard it called <sorry for this> Causchwitz

[Jensen]

New Hong Kong Wok Restaurant

Address:  5019 Freeport Blvd, Sacramento, CA 95822 

Phone: (916) 454-2828

[...]

  Their Cantonese BBQ items are good, and jook (congee),

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I haven't had any jook since moving here (well, except what I've made myself) and, believe me, I miss it!

Thanks for the heads up! I think I see a trip to South Sac in my future...

[annachan]

There is one place in San Francisco, Denny's Cafe (not the chain) that comes close to the price. They have 3 breakfast specials daily for $2.35, including coffee or hot tea. It also offers afternoon tea specials for the same price.

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Would you have the address of this Denny's Cafe, Anna? Tks.

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5530 Geary Blvd, between 19th and 20th Ave

It's open at 8am daily and closes at midnight, except for Fri, Sat, which it opens till 3am

Breakfast specials are from 8am-11am, afternoon tea specials are from 3:30pm-6pm (I believe). It has great lunch and dinner specials, too, starting at $4.95, which comes with soup, garlic bread, coffee/tea and entree.

[Tepee]

Thanks, Anna. Will fit in a stop there.

[Lois]

I haven't had any jook since moving here (well, except what I've made myself) and, believe me, I miss it!

Thanks for the heads up! I think I see a trip to South Sac in my future...

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Jensen, you can also find jook at Gam Lei Sig, 918 S Street, (916) 446-6888.

[hzrt8w]

Those Chinese restaurants near the downtown area (between X Street to about R, from 3rd to about 10th) are really run down from what I observed.

The newer eateries are clustered either along Broadway (Fook Lum, New Canton) or Freeport Blvd. There are 7 to 8 restaurants along Freeport and they *all* serve jook:

New Hong Kong Wok - this is the one I like, very close to Hong Kong style

Yeung City - ate there also, jook is also good

Far East Cafe - this one is from the old school, has been around forever. I used to eat there (ie >20 years ago) but don't think of them much nowadays

Jade Garden - this one is also from the old school. I haven't eaten there but my wife and MIL like their wonton noodles. They do offer jook.

Lai Wah - this restaurant first opened about 22 years ago. I liked it then because they were among the best in town. But things are not the same any more. Right across from the Municipal Airport.

Yummy Guide - opened only a year ago, right across from McClauchy High School. They do offer jook but it is just so-so per my taste.

Leegacy - they offer just about everything (western style and Cantonese stir-fries). I believe they do have jook.

Jumbo - they make very good Cantonese seafood dinner entrees and chow fun, chow mein (Hong Kong style). I am not sure if they offer jook, but you can call them to find out.

Oh, New Canton on Broadway has jook too, I am fairly sure.

[hzrt8w]

TK Noodle

Address: 6930 65th St # 131, Sacramento, CA 95823

Phone: (916) 422-3888

TK Noodle is a chain. They originated in the San Jose area and now has over a dozen locations. There is one in Sacramento on the 65th Street. I really like some of their noodle offers. For a quick meal, $4 to $5 a bowl of noodle soup. Fast and delicious.

TK Noodle (Sacramento) store front.

The menu is printed with pictures in English, Chinese and Vietnamese.

I have tried but don't think much of some of their offers like wonton, beef briskets, char siu, and shrimp. But there are 2 items that we really like. This is the Satay Beef Rice Noodle (kway teow) Soup. The Satay soup base is very good.

This is the other one that we like: Curry Duck Rice Vermicelli Soup. The curry soup is heavy in coconut taste. It is just right.

There are many different condiments on the table: soy sauce, hoisin sauce, vinegar, chili sauce, etc.. I particularly like their satay chili sauce and pickled jalapenos. Mixing the two, I am realy to take some heat...

I believe their noodle is chiu chow (Teochew) style. They also serve daikon cakes fried with eggs (a Teochew dish).

[Tepee]

I believe their noodle is chiu chow (Teochew) style. 

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Which one? Those pictured don't look Teochew to me. There are no satay or curry Teochew noodles as far as I know. Only Kuey Teow Terng which is fish ball-based flat noodles soup. This restaurant must be opened by a Teochew Nang from Msia or Spore.

Edited October 1, 2005 by Tepee (log)

[hzrt8w]

Kee Wah Bakery

386 Barber Lane

Milpitas, CA95035, USA

408-383-9288

A pleasant surprise... I was on my way to Monterey on Saturday for a camping trip and dropped by Milpitas for lunch, I found that Kee Wah has opened shop in this busy Milpitas mall.

I gotta have a piece of the "curry puff". Hmmm.... great as always. Their bakery items are the best compared to all the bakeries I have been to in California.

Kee Wah produces many of the "Hong Kong" style bakery items, such as Pineapple Bao, Ham and Egg Bao, Hot Dog Bao, etc.. Some 20 varieties to choose from. The best, IMO, are their curry puffs, chicken pies, egg tarts, and Cha Siu So (BBQ pork roll). They top my favorite "AA Bakery" in San Francisco Chinatown, though their prices are much higher.

They still have boxes of mooncakes left. I thought they may discount them because the season is already over. No... still selling at the list price of US$27.00 for a tin of four. Same price for any flavor.

After taking a look at their updated website, I found that they opened not only one but two locations in Milpitas. It must have happened only recently as I have not seen their presence in the Bay Area until now...

Kee Wah locations

[hzrt8w]

In response to a question posted by Less-is-More:

Plus next time we're down, we'll try out the Happy Garden Restaurant. Is that your favorite for Chinese Food in Sac? Any good ones in Roseville? Auburn? So far all the chinese food we've tried in Nevada City is bland & very Americanized. (The Kung Pao didn't have any hot peppers in it, we think because they have a lot of white senior citizens who frequent the place.) We've resorted to PF Changs in Roseville...

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IMO: the best Chinese restaurants in Sacramento are within the city proper. Many cluster around Freeport and Fruitridge. Some are along Stockton Blvd between Fruitridge and Florin. My list of favorites (all are Cantonese seafood type of restaurants), not ranked:

- New Hong Kong Wok ((916) 454-2828, 5019 Freeport Blvd) (Near Fruitridge)

- Yeung City Seafood Restaurant ((916) 736-3131, 4940 Freeport Blvd) (Near Fruitridge)

- Jumbo Seafood Restaurant ((916) 391-8221, 5651 Freeport Blvd) (Near Fruitridge)

- Leegacy Cafe ((916) 393-8830, 1910 Fruitridge Rd)

- New Canton Restaurant ((916) 739-8888, 2523 Broadway) - they serve Dim Sum

- Daimo Chinese Restaurant ((916) 369-8915, 9555 Folsom Blvd) Now named "Hoi Cin"

- Nathan's Chinese Cuisine ((916) 683-8298, 9105 Bruceville Rd # 2a)

- Fortune House Seafood Rstrnt ((916) 443-3128, 1211 Broadway)

There are no known authentic Chinese restaurants in Roseville or Auburn to the best of my knowledge.

Edited January 5, 2006 by hzrt8w (log)

[Less-is-More]

In response to a question posted by Less-is-More:

My list of favorites (all are Cantonese seafood type of restaurants...

I'm assuming "seafood type" means they specialize in seafood. Do you have favorites that specialize more in meats or are broad in their menu offerings? Any great Hunan restaurants in Sac? Thanks

[hzrt8w]

I'm assuming "seafood type" means they specialize in seafood. Do you have favorites that specialize more in meats or are broad in their menu offerings? Any great Hunan restaurants in Sac? Thanks

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Cantonese "seafood type" means they make good seafood dishes, Cantonese style. Many have live fish, lobsters and such in fish tanks inside the restaurant. They do offer many beef, pork, chicken, duck, even lamb dishes as well besides seafood.

Hunan... I don't usually dine in Hunan style restaurants. Their food style does not agree with the taste in my family. And I usually am disappointed about the quality/authenticity of American-Chinese Hunan style dishes anyway. There is one Hunan restaurant that I have tried. Forgot the name. It is located near Elk Grove on the east side of I-99. Exit either Laguna/Bond, or Elk Grove Blvd. It is located in a small shopping mall. Exit Elk Grove Blvd first. If you don't find it, drive along Stockton Ave to Bond Road. It's one of the two. It's the only Chinese restaurant in the mall. The food is not bad from what I recall.

Edited January 5, 2006 by hzrt8w (log)

[hzrt8w]

[...]  There is one Hunan restaurant that I have tried.  Forgot the name.  It is located near Elk Grove on the east side of I-99.  Exit either Laguna/Bond, or Elk Grove Blvd.  It is located in a small shopping mall.  Exit Elk Grove Blvd first.  If you don't find it, drive along Stockton Ave to Bond Road.  It's one of the two.  It's the only Chinese restaurant in the mall.  The food is not bad from what I recall.

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I think the Hunan restaurant that I have been to is "Hunan Garden Restaurant":

Hunan Garden Restaurant