By Gloria Glyer
Photography by ron schwager

Indulge in the perfect setting, impeccable service and historical ambiance.

Dining out should be a celebration. To enjoy it in the most elegant manner, choose The Firehouse. Nothing to celebrate? Just going to The Firehouse in Old Sacramento will make you feel like you’re celebrating.

In the spring and summer, the outdoor courtyard is the Mecca. On the dark and stormy day the Divas did lunch at The Firehouse, we were seated in front of the fireplace, which was aflame in all its gas glory. But we could look out at the rain-splattered courtyard and enjoy the ambiance of both.

Sammie Davis (“Honest,” he said. “Here is my driver’s license.”) performed waiter duties above and beyond the call of duty. He and his backup servers refilled water and wine glasses with alacrity.

The menu had just undergone a seasonal change, so perhaps executive chef Irie Gengler was still fine-tuning some of the dishes. Our order included all of the appetizers on the menu: duck soup—perfect for a rainy day, venison satays, smoked-salmon crêpes, crab cakes and boquerones (anchovies) on puff pastry squares. Each elicited ooohs and ahhhs for presentation, but mixed feelings on the most important part: taste.

Although the soup was chock-full of wild mushrooms, it lacked definitive duck flavor. The crab-cake cylinders were just like the ones we enjoyed at The Firehouse in summer 2001, right down to the Thai chile sauce. The sauce brought a welcome bite to the cakes, which seemed to consist of more filler than crab.

Most interesting was the shredded phyllo encasing the venison satays, which were served with a sweet but not overpowering sauce. There’s venison on the entrée menu, too, but if you want to try venison, choose the satays.

The smokiness of the salmon was a bit overpowering for the crêpes, which were made with fromage blanc and Tsar Nicoulai American sturgeon caviar. The anchovies on puff pastry were very fresh-tasting and palatable. A mix of red pepper strips and arugula added a colorful touch, but there was not enough lemon-vodka crème fraîche to spark up the pastry squares.

The lunch menu features pumpkin seed-encrusted sea bass, a portobello mushroom tower (a good vegetarian choice), a sophisticated cheeseburger and prosciutto-crusted chicken breast. Global touches are evident: a mole sauce and fried plantains accompany the chicken breast, while a pickled Asian slaw with paper-thin slices of zucchini and caramelized ginger partner with the braised baby ribs.

The cheeseburger was a winner, although the focaccia bun was a bit too thick. Herb- and hoisin sauce-infused, the burger is grilled to order and topped with apple-smoked bacon and caramelized red—not yellow—onions, a pleasant surprise. The mixed french fries—traditional spears and waffled slices—were the best touch of all.

The mignons of venison were served with a Firehouse specialty: molasses potato purée, which varies from day to day and may include different potato varieties, even squash. Seasonings, too, may vary from nutmeg to cardamom. The baby ribs are so tender that the flavorful meat falls off the bones. One complaint: The food was not hot enough.

Pastry chef Andrea Alvarez prepares a nice selection of desserts designed to satisfy all tastes. Two crème brûlées were offered: one traditional, the other flavored with chai tea—interesting, but the traditional was better. Raspberry preserves gave a welcome tang to the Valrhona chocolate gâteau with bittersweet chocolate mousse; caramelized bananas and crème de banana anglaise gave an innovative touch to the chocolate macadamia nut financier; an intense tropical-fruit coulis gave the panna cotta life; and phyllo crisps formed the layers for the fresh berry napoleon. All desserts are $7.50.

The Divas Speak

Bernice Hagen performed sommelier duties by choosing a Brancott Vineyards 2003 Sauvignon Blanc from the Marlborough region of New Zealand, in honor of Joan Leineke, who is taking a trip Down Under next month. “I love the Sauvignon Blancs from New Zealand,” Hagen said. “This one is a perfect balance.” Of the David Bruce 2002 Petite Syrah, she said: “This is a great balance and smooth on the palate.” Hagen picked the sea bass as her favorite dish, but she also thought the cheeseburger was “delicious,” even though she doesn’t generally eat burgers. She wanted to like the duck soup. “I didn’t get duck flavor, but I don’t want to see this come off the menu,” she said. “I would like to see the chef rework the soup.”

Leineke praised the dishes’ presentation, which outdid the food, except for the hamburger. “Delicious burger, as were the fries,” she said.

Peg Tomlinson-Poswall found the ribs excellent and the fries great. “It’s such a pretty restaurant—and the chef is cute,” she noted, also praising the service. But, she added, “the mashed potatoes with the too-bland venison satay were kind of a surprise for an appetizer serving. The sauce on the chicken mole was cold and the chicken was overcooked.”

Paulette Bruce-Miller added her voice to the chorus of praise for the burger, but she didn’t care for the chicken breast. The setting? “Beautiful.”

Gayla Mace weighed in, saying, “The setting has a classy old world sophistication. The patio is so beautiful, even just to look at from inside, and the service was excellent.” Her favorite dishes: the ribs, sea bass and crème brûlée. She appreciated the presentation but found the venison satay and venison mignons too gamy.

For the rest of this story pick up a copy of Sacramento magazine's February issue.