Sac: Auburn Blvd, Roseville to Sacramento!

[bennyboy1]

Lets do a thread about one of the longest streets in the area.. This one will be Auburn Blvd and places within four blocks of Auburn Blvd.

First up, California Burgers in the KMart shopping center at the Roseville end of The street. South of the Riverside Blvd exit off I80.

Funny place, it is a burger King remodeled but the food is nothing like fast food. evrything is cooked right there and the wait can be a long one.

Not just burgers, but one of the most complete menus around. Breakfasts, steaks and yes burgers. Some mexican foods too.

The burgers are great. The breakfasts are pretty good too, might be the best around for both. One of the better stops off of I 80 I think.

[PolarBear]

BB, what a great concept, I'd thought about something similar for a couple of thoroughfares down here in the central valley, e.g. Belmont Ave, which stretches from Pine Flat Lake on the east to Mendota on the west, unfortunately it's sparse for eateries except for the segment through south Fresno. Best bets seem to be the taco trucks on those paralells.

But taking your concept a little further, what might one find on Hwy 20 from Colfax over to 101,
152 west from Hwy 99 is pretty much just Los Banos. There have been a few reports of BBW on 132 eastbound, iirc, from the Bay area to the valley.

Sorry, didn't mean to hijack this thread, just brought back some old memories.

[bennyboy1]

Yeah that is a great idea. Hiway 20 especially. (Ardellas in Willits is the deal though).

Auburn Blvd is one long street here and there are tons of good and some great places. I have been to most of them too, living in the area for ever.

[alanbarnes]

I'll bite. On or near the stretch from Winding Way to Greenback:

Tony Baloney's for the meatball sub.

Xochimilco for menudo and the house-made flour tortillas.

Pho Bac Hoa Viet (f/k/a Bamboo). For the pho, sure, but the roast duck soup is the hidden gem on the menu.

Wiener Works. You like it more than I do, but it's still worth a mention. Beer-steamed dogs, and a "small" order of fries that uses about a bushel of potatoes.

Star of Siam. I just stumbled on this place, so am still working my way through the menu. But I think I like it a lot.

Sounds like a week's worth of lunches to me...

[bennyboy1]

Tony Baloneys...MMMM Meatball sandwich. But with tip and no drink the bill just for the sandwhich was over 12 bucks. They lost me. I ahve been eating at TB's since I was a little kid and there is no way I will go back there. 12 bucks for a sandwich with tip and no drink?

The rest of their subs are great too, the ham and cheese was my second pick. Also it appears that they do not have that great minestrone soup they used to have.

Xochimilco is great too, Pretty authetic food, gets really loud there on weekends. One of my favorite places for Mexican food.

There is a Pollo Loco round there too. and for fast food it is hard to beat El Pollo Loco.

Right by Weiner Works (Which RAGES!!!) is the Taste Of Brazil. Read good things about it, but haven't been. It is a Chucasseria (?) and the meat is served on skewers, right?....

[alanbarnes]

I'll grant you that $10 for a meatball sub is on the high side. But it's not much more than a hot dog and small fries at WW. Guess it all depends on what your expectations are, price-wise. Somehow a sandwich seems like more of a high-ticket item to me, but I can see others having the opposite opinion.

El Pollo Loco (as a chain, not this particular location) seems to be constantly slipping in quality over the last 15 years or so. It's still pretty good for fast food, but it used to be absolutely awesome. Even now, their restaurants in Mexico blow the NOB locations out of the water. The new In-n-Out, although just over four blocks from Auburn, is my current go-to for fast food in the area.

Taste of Brazil is supposed to be awesome. But it's a rodizio (easier to spell than churrascaria, which is the style of service) (thanks, Wikipedia), and self-restraint has never been my strong suit, so I've resisted the urge. One of these days, though...

Just around the corner is Noble, a new vegetarian restaurant that's supposed to be really good. Kind of the opposite of ToB - it sounds like the kind of place I should check out, but that just doesn't call my name.

Okay, let's see - heading southwest from Winding Way...

[Vinaya]

>Taste of Brazil is supposed to be awesome.

ToB rocks like a big rocking thing. They have a buffet with salads and sides, plus the guys wandering around with roasted meat on swords. (Seriously.) I've been with a large group and they took good care of us and I've also been with a party of 4. Either way, the service is good. But yeah, keep an eye on your token, it's easy to go overboard.

[bennyboy1]

The block between California Burgers and Antelope.

First up is the Lodge. Old School (as in really old school) breakfasts. I have not been in a long time, but I cannot imagine it has changed any since then. A throw back style coffee shop.

In the shopping center on the west side there is a new Chinese restaurant, Asiana Chinese Bistro, replacing (HALLELUJA!) the chinese smorgi (yes, that was the spelling) that was there forever. I have been here once, loved the soup and the Kung Po. Like most chinese places, it is hit or miss dish by dish. This place did seem to have a very diverse menu, with many fish dishes etc. I am not very adventurous wiht Chinese, so ....

Still in the same center, there is Big Joes BBQ. Awesome. My favorite BBQ place in Sac. Pretty reasonable with the prices too, good lunch specials. Just a funky little place (like it should be)with lots of take out orders.

In the same center;

Felipes, mexican. Pretty good mexican food. Haven't been a while, but pretty good. Nice chips and salsa, reasonable prices. usually a two for one in the E Book too.

Referees bar and grill. Sports bar with typical bar food. Lots of motorcycle enthusansts frewquent this place.

[bennyboy1]

From Antelope to Old Auburn:

Sams Burgers. Former Lou's Burgers. I ate there about two weeks ago and this place has gone way downhill. I have eaten here hundreds of times, I grew up in the area and had a shop right next door. I will not be coming back. The old school drive-in gone wrong..

Then we have Jolly Burger ccloser to Old Auburn. This is good drive in food. Again, I ahve dined here many times. the owner is great guy and he really cares. He has tried to sell the place, had a guy burn it down, then wait for the beuracracy to do their thing and re-opened in the last couple of years. And still he has a great burger and I love the tacos. Total family drive-in like they used to have. the Root Beer Freeze is outta this world...

Then we have Mr Pickles. At Sylvan Corner, Auburn and old Auburn. Franchise sandwiches. This one is better tha the others cuz it is in a cool building.

Behind Pickles, is Wonderful Chinese Restaurant. I eat here often, it is as good as any, and on some dishes they are great. the Won Ton soup is outstanding. They do great asparagus dishes and the shrimp kung pao is pretty good. my #2 go to chinese lunch spot.

[alanbarnes]

A new place for you to try: Asian Pearl Sacramento. Opened in March. Traditional Cantonese and dim sum. Just east of Manzanita.

[bennyboy1]

Been there. Was going to go by and take a couple of photos before i post but;

Great. Keep in mind that I mostly only have lunch when at Chinese (can't beat the price). And mostly Kung Pao. The soup was great.
This place was pretty good. Better than most. One thing I did notice on the menu is the more traditional dishes and lots of fish dishes. And a chinese menu. Kind of like a downtown chinese place, more than a suburban one. It is right next to the Phoenix casino, so they are catering to the asian population that frequents that establishment.

So I am guessing that they are going to be more authentic than the usual places. The food certainly looks it too.

[alanbarnes]

Although the place does have the typical American-Chinese dishes on the lunch menu, its strength appears to be the more traditional Cantonese stuff. Where else in this part of town are you going to get frog congee, marinated jellyfish, fish head in a clay pot, or beef with goose intestines?

It's going to take me a loooong time to work through that menu.

[bennyboy1]

Right I noticed all that and thought wow, here in the burbs? This seems like a downtown place or even a SF chinatown place....

[bennyboy1]

Forgot one; new Shanghai restaurant. Across from the strip mall with Asiana, Referees and Joe's BBQ.

IMO, the best chinese in the area. Old school, but the recipes are different somewhat. Pretty typical chinese but better overall than others on the street.

I alsoahve not revied the new place that used to be in the old pizza place across from the strip mall. they seem to do real good business in a place that has had a string of failed restaurants. I have heard good things too but have not been myself. I think they are breakfast and Lunch only...

[bennyboy1]

Anotehr place at Sylvan Corners is Ciro's Pizza. Longtime pizza place, the Original Ricos. Great pizza. Not Romas good, but for the most part, the best non chain pizza for miles. Nice crust, a little crispy and burned. Lots of toppings., nothing skimped. The sauce is kind os sweet and some may not like it, but for me I think this pizza is tops in the second tier of Sac pizza places.