Secret Menu Items in Local Restaurants
Fancy a covert mission? We do, which is why we went undercover to uncover the following secret and off-menu items. Go now, on your own mission to sample these delicacies—no codenames, disguises, or secret handshakes required. In no particular order…
It’s no secret that Roseville’s La Provence is constantly on its toes when it comes to drumming up new and interesting French-inspired dishes. Currently—along with many other indulgent masterpieces—they’re serving up sous vide Baby Octopus with Grilled Chorizo accompanied by marbled potatoes, a chorizo and chili oil, and a delightful preserved lemon aioli. It’s fine dining at its best. laprovenceroseville.com
St-roll into Folsom’s Hisui Sushi and ask for The Yost Roll. It’s the ultimate palette pleaser. Shrimp tempura, spicy tuna, crab, fried asparagus, avocado, and fresh ahi tuna make up this compact feast. But wait—there’s more! It also boasts mushrooms, jalapeños, tobiko, spicy garlic aioli, and unagi sauce. Doesn’t that sound like one satisfying mouthful? hisuisushi.com
Citrus Toro is an über delicious chef’s special that’s available at Mikuni in Fair Oaks. Fans of citrus will lap up this special creation of white tuna toro sashimi smeared with garlic, garnished with orange slices, green onions, and chili powder before being delicately finished with a ponzu and miso dressing. Talk about a feast for the senses. mikunisushi.com
Canon in Sacramento takes their libations to a whole other level. Once you’ve made your way through their eclectic cocktail menu, ask for the Factory Sour. This robust and tropical concoction was inspired by the Trinidad Sour and is a heady mix of Cynar, Smith & Cross Jamaican Rum, lime, orgeat syrup, and Maraschino liqueur presented in vintage crystal—just to be fancy. Sit by the fire pit on Canon’s newly renovated patio and slowly savor it. canoneastsac.com
Visconti’s Ristorante in Folsom has mastered the meatball and you, lucky diner, can add it to any menu item or as a side option to any dish. What many don’t know about their Baked Meatballs is that they’re twice baked, which includes being topped with parmesan and mozzarella cheese before being baked in the oven until sinfully melty. Have them in a sandwich, with spaghetti or plain, in all their delicious glory. viscontisristorante.com
At Sacramento’s Hook & Ladder, a hit amongst diners in the know is the Hawaiian Pizza. Everything is made in house, down to the dough. The pizza features coppa, fresh mozzarella, tomato, pineapple, and pickled Fresno peppers. And because variety is the spice of life, the chefs will sometimes rotate in other meats onto this already perfect pizza, all from their assortment of in-house charcuterie. You know what that means? You’ll have to go back again, and again…and again. hookandladder916.com
Sushi aficionados at Kru, Sacramento, enjoy adding decadent toppings to their nigiri. A popular combo is their Wagyu Beef Nigiri, featuring wagyu beef from Kagoshima, Japan, with shaved Italian summer black truffles (Kru’s selection of truffles varies throughout the year and is sourced from Oregon, Italy, Australia, and France). Frequent diners also enjoy adding quail egg onto the nigiri, caviar onto Uni Panna Cotta, and shaved truffle onto Shiro Maguro Toro and Bluefin Toro. What a wonderful world we live in! krurestaurant.com
In their quest for perfection, Sienna (El Dorado Hills and Roseville) has deftly crafted a Blackened Salmon entrée that’s all kinds of wonderful. Served with rainbow quinoa, heirloom cherry tomatoes, English cucumbers, torn basil, goat cheese, and toasted almonds, this bright and beautiful medley is tossed in an intoxicating basil-honey-lemon vinaigrette. Clean, fresh flavors await you at Sienna. siennarestaurants.com
Pining for penne? Just ask for the Penne Toscana the next time you visit Vaiano Tratorria in Granite Bay. This comfort food favorite takes shape with the browning of crumbled sausage and the addition of red onions and red wine, following a generous helping of homemade meat sauce that’s ultimately tossed with some toothsome penne and fresh spinach. Don’t know about you, but we’re salivating. vaianotrattoria.com
We know you love everything about Sellands Market Café in Sacramento and El Dorado Hills, but have you come to know and love the Owen Pizza? Named after co-owner, Josh Nelson’s son, this savory pie is anything but boring. You’ll find that béchamel sauce, mac and cheese, bacon, and jalapeños go pleasantly well together. If you’ve got young ones tagging along, they’ll be equally pleased with the kids’ version, too (sans jalapeños and bacon). sellands.com
By Tara Mendanha