Taste: The region's latest food, drink & restaurant news for June 30

This week is chock-full of exciting food news. An Irish pub, a gluten-free bakery and a seafood restaurant have opened their doors. Plus, a popular midtown wine bar revamps its menu, a Roseville soda company launches online, a comic book/coffee shop combo sets its sights on the grid, and a new Japanese restaurant plans to open its doors in downtown Sacramento.

New Dawn Bakery

Owned by husband-wife team Ben Lanzorotto-Leek and Katy Davis, Auburn’s New Dawn Bakery opened its doors in May to serve customers five days a week. (The bakery had been open Saturdays only since February, and has had a regular presence at the Nevada City Farmers Market for two-and-a-half years.) Named after the owners’ daughter Leah Dawn, the shop has developed a cult following for its wheat-free (as well as its paleo, vegan and refined sugar-free) treats like cinnamon rolls and the Samoa bar (a crumbly shortbread cookie with a coconut filling and a rich chocolate ganache topping), as well as cakes, cupcakes and breads like the popular homestyle sandwich loaf. 1102 Lincoln Way. Auburn. 530-563-6039. newdawnbakery.com

Oblivion Comics & Coffee

Oblivion Comics & Coffee won the latest round of the Downtown Sacramento Partnership’s Calling All Dreamers competition on Monday, June 27. The brainchild of Sacramento graphic designers Laura Benson and Neil Estaris, the concept will fuse geek culture with a cafe atmosphere, selling new, vintage and special edition comic books from both independent producers and publishing powerhouses like Marvel and DC. The cafe side of the to-be-determined location (Estaris says they are eyeing K Street), will feature a small pastry menu and a full list of Chocolate Fish coffee drinks with comic-themed names like Captain Americano. oblivioncomics.com

Pitch and Fiddle

This Irish pub off of Watt Avenue, formerly the FireDance Lounge, has flown under the radar since it opened its doors last December. The relaxed bar atmosphere features sporting events on several 50-inch, high-def TVs, 16 rotating draft beer selections, and a solid menu of Irish pub fare, including classic items like Dublin fish and chips and a shepherd’s pie loaded with ground beef, lamb and mashed potatoes. You’ll also find nontraditional menu items like Irish Tacos with corned beef, cabbage slaw and a lemon mustard aioli, as well as a burger made with sustainably sourced beef and tortiglioni mac and cheese topped with bacon. 8704 La Riviera Dr. 573-4782. pitchandfiddle.com

Revolution Wines

Newly revamped with a renovated kitchen and updated menu, this midtown winery is hosting a grand reopening celebration at the end of July to coincide with the release of its new varietals. A family-style dinner and wine tasting event on Friday, July 22, will feature dishes prepared by executive chef Theodore Gibanov, including pelmeni (stuffed dumplings) and bacon-wrapped pork chops. Saturday’s festivities will involve live music, cellar tours, barrel tasting along with plates like lamb meatballs and fried green tomatoes in lemon-herb aioli. July 22 dinner: $65 for members ($75 for non-members). Seating at 6:30 p.m. July 23 event: $35 ($30 for members). 5-10 p.m. 2831 S St. 444-7711. rev.wine

Silk Road Soda

This Roseville-based beverage company just made its line of low-calorie, organic Persian soda available nationwide on Amazon. In 2012, founders and Sacramento State graduates Payam Fardanesh and Srijun Srinuanchan set out to create a carbonated beverage based on a recipe from Fardanesh’s grandmother, and have since distributed their products to grocery stores in the Sacramento region and throughout the West Coast. Avid customers can now find Silk Road sodas—which come in flavors like pomegranate, pear and cucumber—on Amazon’s online marketplace in single or multi-soda packs. silkroadsoda.com

Station 16

Station 16, a new midtown seafood joint, held a soft opening Wednesday, June 22, in the space on 16th Street formerly inhabited by Sapporo Grill. Chef-owner Minnie Nguyen (who also owns South Sacramento’s Firehouse Crawfish) hopes to officially open in mid-July, drawing in midtown crowds with an extensive menu of seafaring eats, including oysters (served baked, grilled, fried or raw), and signature skillets featuring shellfish (mussels, prawns, crab, etc.) cooked in a cast iron pan in either roasted garlic butter or a spicy, aromatic sauce called "The Works." The roomy interior creates a modern-industrial ambiance with details like cushy red booths and an American flag painted on a sheet of metal. 1118 16th St. 228-4042. sacstation16.com

Takumi Izakaya

This new Japanese restaurant—on the bottom floor of the 800 J Lofts building in downtown Sacramento—will soft-open July 8 and host a grand opening July 16. Taking over the former site of Sushi Paradiso, Takumi Izakaya is the third restaurant from a team of owners that also runs Bonzai Sushi in the Pocket-Greenhaven neighborhood and Banzai Japanese Kitchen in Davis. Chefs will prepare dishes on Japanese oak-burning grills at the front of the restaurant, and the menu will include Asian-inspired tapas, ramen and traditional sushi plates, along with sake and whiskies from Japanese distilleries like Yamazaki and Nikka. 826 J St. facebook.com/TakumiSacramento

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