Taste: The region's latest food, drink & restaurant news for October 7
A new wine bar opens in Woodland while a midtown wine bar gets outdoorsy, Ten22 toasts to a tasty anniversary, Blackbird Kitchen + Beer Gallery tumbles down the rabbit hole, and midtown and Folsom are about to get their just desserts.
Uvaggio
Andrew Linden and Jennifer Schroeder will highlight Northern California vintages with Uvaggio, the first wine bar in Woodland, which will open its doors October 30th, with a grand opening from 4 p.m.-midnight that will include live music and a raffle to benefit charities that support victims of local fires. Small bites plates will also feature regional offerings like the Fromage Bianco with goat cheese from Sonoma’s Laura Chenel drizzled with local honey and Winters’ Mariani almonds served along with a baguette, as well as a salumi and brie plate with cured meats from Esparto-based Manas Ranch and French triple créme brie from Marin. Uvaggio will also allow hungrier patrons to bring in food from other restaurants. The impressive selection of nearly 50 wines includes the Glorious Gewurz (gewürztraminer) from Sequoia Grove in Napa Valley as well as local offerings like a sparkling viognier from Capay Valley Vineyards. Open Wed.-Sun. beginning Oct. 30. Hours vary by day. 703 Main St. Woodland. uvaggio.net
58 Degrees and Holding
The Handle District’s renowned wine bar and bistro is adding more dining space by expanding its outdoor patio to accommodate an additional 20-30 guests. The current patio in the front of the restaurant will extend toward 18th Street, covering a 5 foot by 15 foot portion of the sidewalk, and a new 10 ½ foot by 28-foot portion will feature a rustic–industrial design with a high-top bar and a mixture of reclaimed-wood and metal dining tables that will complement the brick and exposed metal interior. Along with the extra seating, 58 Degree is also planning to expand its menu with more entrées and family-style meals (this month’s featured dish is braised ham hocks with red beans and braised greens paired with a bottle of wine). The patio is expected to debut in November, with a launch party to follow. 1217 18th St. 442-5858. 58degrees.com
Ten22
In celebration of its sixth anniversary, Ten22 will offer a special menu with six plates for $6 each on Thursday, Oct. 22, including a baby spinach salad with toasted almonds and grilled apple sausage drizzled with balsamic syrup, classic mac ’n cheese topped with braised pork belly, Southern style cornmeal-crusted fish served with sea salt fries and dill aioli, and a braised beef brisket with three-cheese polenta and natural jus. The menu also features $6 drink specials, including the Pear-alyzer (made with nutmeg, muddled pear, lime vanilla syrup, rum and a splash of soda) and the Ten22 hard cider with bourbon, cider syrup and a splash of ginger ale. 1022 2nd St. 441-2211. ten22oldsac.com
Blackbird Kitchen + Gallery
On Oct. 23, this downtown hot spot will transform the neighboring alleyway into the wild storybook world of Alice in Wonderland for its pre-Halloween “West End Wonderland” costume party to reveal Blackbird’s recent renovations (as well as its pending re-opening), which include a 30-foot-long redwood bar and semi-permanent parklet. Mad hatters can partake in eats from midtown’s Federalist Public House & Beer Garden, and live performances from local DJ’s Erin Best and Kyle Guenza, the reggae band Sac Storytellers, Indie rock band Merdog, and punk rock band The Svvells from San Francisco at this “dirty alley” party. In true “Wonderland” style, the evening will also feature a troupe of drag queens from San Francisco and several mysterious surprises, including the “Eat Me’s” and “Drink Me’s”. A suggested donation of $10 includes a beverage. 5 p.m. 1015 9th St. 498-9224. blackbird-kitchen.com
Icing on the Cupcake
After closing its doors for part of 2014, the Rocklin-based dessert shop Icing on the Cupcake is now expanding, with plans to open two new locations by early 2016. The new spots – which will be located at 2379 Iron Point Road in Folsom and at 1730 J Street in midtown – were chosen based on customer feedback via social media, word of mouth and orders. The shops’ interiors will stick to décor similar to the bright, cozy Rocklin location with a soft pink and chocolate brown color scheme and cases of cupcakes as the centerpiece. Customer favorites like red velvet and chocolate mint cupcakes will anchor the menu, with a rotating selection of seasonal flavors like pumpkin and sweet potato holiday, as well as signature pies, brownies and cookies. icingonthecupcake.com
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