The list of his regulars reads like a Rolodex of Sacramento’s culinary elite. Randall Selland. Molly Hawks. Ginger Elizabeth. Now, two years after opening the sophisticated expansion of his celebrated restaurant Kru—known for its exquisitely crafted sushi—top chef Billy Ngo is going underground, literally, for a new venture with a concept as unpretentious as he is: a basement ramen bar. How did a Chinese boy born in a Hong Kong refugee camp become a thirtysomething star of Japanese cuisine? The story, it turns out, is written in ink. On his skin. And luckily, for those who haven’t seen him naked, it’s also told in the pages that follow.
It is, by all appearances, an urban utopia. Come this spring, more than 500 people will work there, more than 200 will live there, and thousands more will dine and shop there. Its innovative tenant mix ranges from an insanely popular “doughnuterie” to a gourmet dog food shop and an Internet-based boutique where you don’t leave with the clothes you buy. And this bustling village within a city—elevated by art and cutting-edge architecture—all exists within a two-block span in the coolest district in town. Could the Ice Blocks be the new model for modern living in Sacramento?
How do you combine public art with a skyline-defining structure and create an international tourist destination for adventurers? One very careful step at a time.
Tiger—a new bi-level restaurant and bar on K Street—reinvents the dining wheel with dim-sum-style trolleys that roll out inventive craft cocktails and tasty New American bites.
A new architect has been selected to design a $172 million bridge planned for the Sacramento River. Early ideas include observation decks, High Line-style landscaping and a soaring arch. We weigh in. You can too.
The ’50s sure are nifty for Bailey De Young, who stars in "The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel" as Imogene Cleary, the title character’s best friend and fellow mid-century mom. With season two of the hit Amazon show launching in December, we catch up with the Sacramento native (and 21st-century mom) about playing a not-so-desperate housewife, the (very good) reason she skipped this year’s Emmys—where "Mrs. Maisel" won best comedy series—and catching the acting bug on the Music Circus stage at age 11.
Region’s greetings! From a mid-century modern birdhouse built in Nevada City to sweet chocolate toffee crafted in Gold River, here are eight locally made presents that are sure to make the holidays merry and bright.
