Tex Wasabi's (2243 Arden Way, Sacramento, CA 95825)

  Suishi and BBQ...Interesting.  Great layout, great food, and very friendly service.  This is another establishment of Guy Fieri.  I started out with the Chipotle BBQ Pork Soft Tacos.  Corn tortillas holding together sweet & spicy chipotle pork, topped with corn salsa, cabbage, and chipotle sour cream.  Simply put...the perfect appitizer.  We also sampled the brisket, which was juicy and tender.  The suishi was great, but the best rolls were actually "off-menu".  I suggest you ask your server what the sushi options are that aren't on the menu.  I recommend the Dirty Magazine.  You absolutely must try Tex Wasabi's!

Tex Wasabi's

Johnny Garlic's (10505 Fairway Drive, Roseville, CA 95678)

Okay, being a fan of Guy Fieri....I just had to try out his own restaurant while I had the chance.  The atmosphere was great.  Good lighting, good beer selection, friendly service...now onto the food!  Our group started out sharing the Kobe Sliders made with Wagyu beef and topped with sweet onions and a cilantro-lime aioli.  It was the perfect bite to start the night.  We also tried the Garlic Potatoe Chips, which were crisp and loaded with flavor.  While others ordered a salad, I opted to try the Roasted Garlic soup.  Simply amazing.  Plenty of garlic flavor without being over the top.  Made nice and creamy without any heavy cream might I add.  Ok, onto the main course.  The menu offered a wide selection, perfect for those "picky" eaters.  We took the waiter's recommendation and tried the Chipotle Shrimp & Hotlinks pasta that had fried leeks, pene pasta, smothered in a chipotle cream sauce.  Talk about a taste explosion!  The sausage was juicy, shrimp cooked perfectly, and the sauce offered a nice spice.  You absolutely must try out Johhny Garlic's if you get the chance.

Johnny Garlic's

The Golden Bear (2326 K St., Sacramento, CA 95816)

The Golden Bear is located in the middle of Sacramento central, but away from the "downtown" area.  The place is small, but pack big tastes.  There's a big porch with tables, where we found locals playing cards and drinking.  The inside seating is limited and tight, but well worth it if you can grab a table.  I had "The Taco" to starting things off.  Two soft tacos filled with slow simmered chicken, house chili rub, lettuce, cotija, and pasilla crema.  Taste was amazing and well balanced.  For dinner I had one of thier pizzas.  They do have a normal pepperoni and red sauce pizza, but it's thier sauceless pizzas that I suggest you try.  Thier Sausage and Slaw pizza packs amazing taste combinations.  First, the crust...thin, crisp and perfectly cooked over fire.  The pizza is topped with house-made pork sausage, slaw, and an red onion marmalade.  Slaw, on pizza?  I know, right?  It perfectly balanced out the tastes.  Fair prices and good service.  I recommend you give this one a shot if you have the chance.

The Golden Bear

Arch Street Tavern (85 Arch Street, Hartford, CT)

A perfect place for a bite and beer to escape the winter.  The place was well lit and inviting.  The service was very friendly and worked to meet your needs.  Good selection of beer and variety on the menu helped our group meet everyone's needs.  I started off with an order of Buffalo wings, which were right on par from what I expect of my wings.  Good buffalo sauce and just the right spice.  Nothing to complain about here.  My main course was thier house made rueben sandwich.  The meats and kraut were just the thing I was craving and Arch Street Tavern delivered.  The fries where...eh.  My colleagues got the Irish Nachos which looked like a cross between a baked potatoe and fresh nachos.  Never the less, they were good.  I definately recommend you drop in to this gem on the corner.

Arch Street Tavern

City Steam Brewery (942 Main Street, Hartford, CT 06103)

The atmosphere of the place was rustic, warm and inviting.  You could tell from the moment you walked in that they made thier own beer, which is always a plus in my book.  I visited this place twice during my trip to Hartford, so my review isn't just based on a "bad night".  The service was slow and they always felt they had better things to do than service our table.  That being said, the beer was great.  They had a great little Amber Ale called Naughty Nurse that was perfect for the cold weather.  At this point I probably should have just got a salad.  The food was underseasoned and overcooked.  The fries were the most tastless side I've ever had.  I ordered one of thier signature items called the Bacon Triple Decker, which is a burger that has grilled cheese sandwiches at the buns.  They should have stopped with the grilled cheese because the burger overcooked, dry, and underseasoned.  On my second visit I did, however, get the Hickory burger which was tastey.  Other members of my group ordered various other items with the same regretful feeling afterwards.  My suggestion is to get the Hickory Burger (ignore thier signatures...), side of chips and a Naughty Nurse to wash it down.  I would only suggest going here if you are looking for some good beer, because there is better food to be found....there has to be!

City Steam Brewery