Foodie Friday – One place that’ll make you sweat (in a good way)

CURRY CORNER

White wine and spicy foods makes my mount water just thinking about it.  Thai and Indian are some of our favorites.  We have some friends in Natomas.  They told us they had a go-to spot around the corner, so they grabbed the food, and we brought the wine.  The wine was nothing to brag about, but that’s the thing, it can be a mediocre wine, but with Tikka Masala, you will want to find a Bollywood playlist and start dancing.  I must admit, I love spicy food, but my body is also well calibrated because I now start sweating when the spice hits–a natural air conditioner of sorts.  Oh, and we ordered the medium spice!

Curry Corner is the place, filled with locals from Natomas and perhaps India?  This tends to be a good sign.  Kinda like when going to Chinese food and the restaurant is filled with white people… not a good sign.  The smells and tastes of Indian cuisine take me back a few years, when I had the privilege of traveling to North East India with my father.  If you have a hankering for Indian food and are in or near Natomas… hit it!  And don’t forget the white wine.

ZINFANDEL GRILLE

I have some older clients looking for a home in Arden Park, so I took them to lunch at “Z Grill.” – That’s what call it and leave off the “e” because that’s how I spell “grill!”  It was perfect, as there is a mix of business and older folks here during the lunch rush.  I wanted to them to get a taste of the nearby flavor.  Z Grill is a mainstay, close to my office, client lunch and happy hour are a frequent occurrence.  They have a great selection of appetizers and small plates.  For lunch they are known for their steak sandwich, which is what I order most of the time, unless I’m feeling like being healthy and grabbing a salad (which are also delicious – beet salad, mmmmm!).  This time they had an interesting mushroom and cheese salad as a side – sounded funky, but turned out to be unique to me and something I might order again.  If you want a solid meal with classic American flare, this is the place for lunch or dinner.  You might even dress up a bit in the evening or for a special occasion – they have an extensive wine list too.

AT HOME

I may have mentioned that I cook at least twice a week when my wife takes my son to his parkour class (shout out to The Haven / The Way PK!).  I try to have dinner ready when they get home.  I can’t take all the credit since my wife does most all of the shopping and planning of meals.  In fact, I am so thankful and appreciative that she does these tasks and takes care of the family so well and keeps us heathy (and I also know she may read this, which will make her smile!).

Tuesday I make a seared yellow fin tuna with asparagus and sourdough toast for the boys.  Trying to continue to cut back on the carbs.

Thursday I BBQ’d chicken that had already been marinating in an Asian sauce – maybe more like Teriyaki.  I roasted a bunch of brusell sprouts with bacon and whipped up some Batsmati rice.  Tip – sometimes following the recipe and suggestions on the package is the best way to go.  This rice pack had a few ways to prepare it.  I sauteed it first with some garlic and then simmered it in vegetable broth, finishing the rice with a lemon zest.   Everyone seemed to love it.

[looks like slop, but the family was licking the plate! Oh and my wife put some Kim chi on her plate too].

What are some of your favorites you’ve prepared at home lately?

BEER SHOUT OUT

I love one of our new routines… take son to Jiu Jitsu, wife and I got get a beer and talk (mini date!).  This week we dropped into Sactown Union Brewery. I knew where it is because I’ve been before, but if you haven’t, it’s kind of a funky location.  Beyond that, I do enjoy a few of their beers.  Since IPA’s have gone over the top, in my opinion… What I mean is, the just keep going up, up ,up in the bitterness department and sometime booziness too.  Now people are brewing hoppy pale ales and ambers and even pilsners, and it comes as refreshment [to us all, except for those who just can’t get enough hops and IBUs).  Kolsh too has made a comeback as a light, thirst quenching beer, and Sactown Union has a decent one.  I also like their Centennial Falcon (Pale Ale with Centennial hops).

Cheers,

Keith Klassen, Real Estate Broker – 916.595.7900

Specializing in residential sales and property management