Every year about this
time we journey to the source from where all silly things emanate in
our state, our state capitol. We just got back from our mid-year
legislative meetings in Sacramento and I'll tell you later about our
great legislators and some of the not-so-greats - but first, the
important stuff.
Considering the size of the city of Sacramento, there are a lot of really great restaurants to visit - must be that lobbyist/politician thing. There's a Morton's Steakhouse, Joe's Crab Shack down by the river, the Firehouse in Old Town and the Old Spaghetti Factory by the Convention Center. But for the past 8 years or so, our Region has made a tradition (habit) of having a Thursday night dinner at Sacramento's oldest restaurant, Frank Fat's.
Frank
Fat was one of Sacramento's early pioneers, an immigrant
from Canton, China. Starting as a dishwasher but rising rapidly in the
areas social and business structure, Frank established a small eatery
in 1939 just a couple blocks from the state capitol. It soon became
known as California's 'Third House', where Senators, lobbyists,
governors and the rich and powerful gathered to draft legislation and
work out deals. It is rumored that a good many state bills were
originally authored on Frank Fat's
napkins and even today your dinner companions are likely to be a who's
who of our state hoody-hoos.
Because
there's usually 40+ of us, we claim the upstairs banquet. That frosted
round window you see up there offers a peek at the large screen TV over
the bar so aficionados can keep up with the game (last week
it was the Lakers/Celtics first game that distracted us). The food is
fabulous - from Honey-Walnut
Prawns, to Frank's
NY Steak, Ginger
Chicken and Peking
Duck. Here's the topper. Frank's is famous for their
desert and no meal is complete without a slice of their heavenly....Banana
Cream Pie! I know - what kind of Chinese food is that?
First time diners always think we're pulling their leg when we talk
about the pie but man is it good. Chunky with bananas, flaky crust, a
meringue that melts in your breath. Fortunately a couple of our ladies
are light eaters so I generally end up with a couple slices and even
though I can barely make it back home, it's worth every calorie.
Over the years one of the Fat family has always been a fixture at the restaurant. First it was the indomitable Frank himself, then his son Wing and later son Weyland. Even today, when they own and operate 1/2 dozen restaurants in the area, you are likely to be greeted by grandson Kevin and served by a great grandson or nephew. While there's much to see and do in Sacramento, don't leave without rubbing elbows with the pols at Frank Fat's and enjoy a slice of banana cream pie for me.
Another
family owned treasure in Sacramento is Sandra
Dee's Bar-B-Que & Seafood Restaurant. Also just a
short walk from the capitol down 15th, you start to smell the hickory
smoke wafting from Sandra
Dee's when you're still a couple blocks away. Sandra will
tell you she comes from a cooking family and learned the art from her
grandma at an early age, contributing to the family food festivals and
learning how to put a little love in every meal. Today the restaurant
is owned by Sandra and her husband Jeff, their two sons and two
daughters and usually a niece or nephew and the cousin in the corner
playing the piano non-stop. You just know you've come to BBQ heaven
when you set foot inside here.
Considering the size of the city of Sacramento, there are a lot of really great restaurants to visit - must be that lobbyist/politician thing. There's a Morton's Steakhouse, Joe's Crab Shack down by the river, the Firehouse in Old Town and the Old Spaghetti Factory by the Convention Center. But for the past 8 years or so, our Region has made a tradition (habit) of having a Thursday night dinner at Sacramento's oldest restaurant, Frank Fat's.
Frank
Fat was one of Sacramento's early pioneers, an immigrant
from Canton, China. Starting as a dishwasher but rising rapidly in the
areas social and business structure, Frank established a small eatery
in 1939 just a couple blocks from the state capitol. It soon became
known as California's 'Third House', where Senators, lobbyists,
governors and the rich and powerful gathered to draft legislation and
work out deals. It is rumored that a good many state bills were
originally authored on Frank Fat's
napkins and even today your dinner companions are likely to be a who's
who of our state hoody-hoos. Because
there's usually 40+ of us, we claim the upstairs banquet. That frosted
round window you see up there offers a peek at the large screen TV over
the bar so aficionados can keep up with the game (last week
it was the Lakers/Celtics first game that distracted us). The food is
fabulous - from Honey-Walnut
Prawns, to Frank's
NY Steak, Ginger
Chicken and Peking
Duck. Here's the topper. Frank's is famous for their
desert and no meal is complete without a slice of their heavenly....Banana
Cream Pie! I know - what kind of Chinese food is that?
First time diners always think we're pulling their leg when we talk
about the pie but man is it good. Chunky with bananas, flaky crust, a
meringue that melts in your breath. Fortunately a couple of our ladies
are light eaters so I generally end up with a couple slices and even
though I can barely make it back home, it's worth every calorie. Over the years one of the Fat family has always been a fixture at the restaurant. First it was the indomitable Frank himself, then his son Wing and later son Weyland. Even today, when they own and operate 1/2 dozen restaurants in the area, you are likely to be greeted by grandson Kevin and served by a great grandson or nephew. While there's much to see and do in Sacramento, don't leave without rubbing elbows with the pols at Frank Fat's and enjoy a slice of banana cream pie for me.
The food is exceptional,
plentiful and cheap. Order up some fried chicken
and you get 1/2 a chicken plus cornbread biscuits and 2 sides
of lovely items like red
beans and rice, collard & mustard greens, spicy string beans,
creamy mac & cheese or hush puppies. One of our
heartier eaters was straining to put away just 1/2 slab of baby backs the
other night, another swore that the fried catfish
was the finest she'd had since leaving home in Louisiana 20 years ago.
Speaking of Louisians, ask for a taste of their gumbo or Shrimp Creole
- Mmmmm-mmm.
For my part, I had 1/2
order of rib tips in
hot Q along with a couple of hot links that
had me sweatin' and swilling cold Anchor Steam by the flagon. I really
wanted to sample their peach
cobbler, sweet potato pie or red velvet cake but there was
just no way I could have eaten another bite and lived to tell about it.
So next time you're in Sacramento, there's a lot of fine places to eat but make sure you make a little time for the classics - the original Frank Fat's and a little down-home country eatin' at Sandra Dee's. Tell 'em Gino sent ya. It won't do you any good but next time I stop by it might get me a little sumpin' sumpin'.
So next time you're in Sacramento, there's a lot of fine places to eat but make sure you make a little time for the classics - the original Frank Fat's and a little down-home country eatin' at Sandra Dee's. Tell 'em Gino sent ya. It won't do you any good but next time I stop by it might get me a little sumpin' sumpin'.
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