Sac: 4 Guilty Pleasures!

[bennyboy1]

Sacramento Bee columnist Allen Pierleoni wrote an article Friday about his four guilty pleasures in town.
http://www.sacbee.com/117/story/95775...

Which got me to thinking about what my 4 guilty pleasures in the Sacrmento area are. Suprisingly, some of mine are frm the same places as his are (but with different menu items).

Mine:

1.Weiner Works. #5(?) Mustard, onions and tomatoes. I love the buns here. Some think they are too much but for me they are perfect for the snappy beer steamed dogs.
Add an order of small (yeah right) hand cut fries and it is heaven.

2. Combination pizza (meat) at Roma's. I am one of the people that have been eating pizza here forever. IMHO, it is the best pizza in Sac. The crust is just burnt enough on the bottom. The toppings are very generously applied. Overlapping meats!

I love the dinner salad here too. The perfect meal with pizza.

3. Hot and Sour soup, The Mandarin. Very complex flavors, unlike most H&S soups you can find elsewhere. The food here is great, but the soup is a stand out by itself.

4. The "Big Sam" roast beef sandwich at The Plaza Hof Brau. Thick sliced roast beef sandwich. Generous portions, fresh bun. Dipped in au Jus. Put some horeseradish on it and yum. What can I say, I love hof brau food.

Gone But Not Forgotten:

The meatball sub at Tony Baloney's. Perfect meatballs, covered in the best sauce with fresh grated parmesan on a toasted roll. Best I ever had.

[bennyboy1]

Four More (I really had hoped that everyone from Sac would have piped up in this thread)

The Wings at the Rubicon. best wings in Sac, no doubt about it. Hot and ssweet. Great beer and great food all the way around, but their wings are just perfect.

Happy Hour chicken tacos at the Hacienda Del Rio in Folsom. For a buck and a half, they are really good.

Squeeze with Cheese. Squeeze In. Don't get here very often but what a great burger.

The Salad bar at Sizzler. I love the bleu cheese dressing. They always have the freshest stuff. peppper grinder.. Fresh fruit and a wide variety of things you do n't usualy see like Jimica.

[melly]

I love Mandarin too. It's way out of our way to go there too..but great food. Next time, I'll order that soup!

[AzDumpling]

So, how is the Squeeze Inn?

[jennyfur]

I heard from radio that the College Oak location IS open.
-jennyfur

[bennyboy1]

Yes it is. 10 to 6 M-Friday. I wrote Tony an email and he just responded.

So include theri meatball sandwich as among the still here!

[gsshark]

Wow! Tony Baloney's. I worked there when I was in high school. Made the sauce fresh once a week, then froze it. Same with the meatballs, pizza dough, his take on calzones (he called them "spuckeys" and the soup. I had a blast working there, learned a lot about cooking and food prep, and about how to run a business. I'll miss that place.

[bennyboy1]

I loved Tony's. I remember when he had stores all over. Del Paso, Roseville, North Highlands and the College Oak location. Once upon a time he had the most attractive servers around too.

His soup was really good too. And his salad dressings (available at Raleys I think now) are as good as it gets too. I miss this place still. I really loved the ham and cheese sandwich too, Compared to the Sub-in-a- Box places, there is no comparison.

[dustchick]

Gosh, you guys are taking me back. Tony Baloney's was definitely my mom and dad's guilty pleasure when I was growing up. I can still taste that red sauce... mmm...

[elkgrovestella]

Is the College Oak location still open or re-opening?? My mom said she had heard something through the grapevine.

[bennyboy1]

I don't think so. maybe a new owner or a new place. I know that Tony himself was pretty much done and his family did not want to do it anymore.

But I am curious, stranger things have happened.

[gsshark]

If I know Tony, and I do, then the answer to your question is an absolute "maybe." Although, the last time my dad talked to Tony, all he wanted to do was take care of his horses, and enjoy some time with his family. I doubt he will get back into the business.

[susancinsf]

Thanks for some good leads...but I am curious as to why you think hot and sour soup would be a guilty pleasure?

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Plaza Hof Brau
2500 Watt Ave, Sacramento, CA 95821

Mandarin Restaurant
4321 Arden Way, Sacramento, CA 95864

Wiener Works
5207 Madison Ave, Sacramento, CA 95841

[bennyboy1]

Because I drive by a bazillion other chinese places to go to the Mandarin. Just for the soup. For me, living in Folsom, that area is about as far away as San Francisico is in time and aggrevation......(okay maybe not a guilty pleasure, but still)

[susancinsf]

gotcha....sort of like I felt driving to Fresno for chinese:

http://www.chowhound.com/topics/520276

maybe I felt a little guilty, but it was worth it! :-)