The Kitchen
2225 Hurley Way #101
Sacramento, CA
(916) 568-7171
thekitchenrestaurant.com
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editorial profile:
Dining at The Kitchen is an experience unlike anything else you will encounter in the Sacramento region. Part supper club, part theater and part cocktail party . . . an evening at The Kitchen is a lengthy gastronomic adventure for palate and mind. Located just off of Fair Oaks Boulevard, this unique treasure of a restaurant will sweep you off your feet and right into another world. Reserved months in advance, the dining room offers one seating per night. Door are open just long enough to allow the 50 lucky guests of the night to enter, then they are shut, curtains pulled across the glass, and the excited crowd is suddenly contained in a festive bubble of conviviality. The focal point of the dining room is a completely open demonstration kitchen, framed by a counter seating area and surrounded by tables high enough to afford an excellent view of the chef.
Once diners have had enough time to chat and drink a glass of wine (or two), the show begins. Chef de Cuisine Noah Zonca (and, occasionally, owner and original Kitchen chef Randall Selland) will—in a loud, theatrical voice, with lots of hand gestures—introduce himself and the entire staff. He’ll detail The Kitchen’s philosophy (which is, basically, “anything you could possibly want, just ask—we can probably provide it”), offer an evening-long invitation for guests to wander wherever they desire, including the food prep areas; and describe the night’s menu, step by loving step. Everything you’d want to know about the meal—where ingredients were sourced, how dishes are prepared and why they are presented they way they are—will be revealed in a presentation both lively and passionate. By the time Chef Noah has finished narrating the dessert presentation, every cell in your body is yearning to eat. Try to remember to pace yourself, and don’t devour too much of the restaurant’s fabulous, warm bread, because there’s a multicourse meal to eat your way through before the (very long) night is over.
Dishes are complex, involving many components; mind-blowingly creative, and absolutely sublime. They’re also astoundingly rich, and it’s likely you’ll feel like the Michelin man by the time you waddle out. One of the most entertaining portions of the evening is the sushi “break,” where patrons leave their seats after the third course and wander out to The Kitchen’s tiny, wall-enclosed patio for a sushi and sashimi feast. Surrounded by fairy lights, beautiful greenery and well-contented, happy diners, it’s easy to forget you’re on the corner of a busy Sacramento city intersection. Memorable culinary highlights from a recent visit (and there are many) include an ethereal, deeply flavored Dungeness crab bisque; and a fresh housemade agnolotti, stuffed with a light herbed goat cheese and black truffles, and adorned with an incredibly delicious tempura-fried egg yolk. And if you’re a red meat lover, you’ll rejoice—as I did—over the kitchen’s marvelous Piedmontese beef Tenderloin, served (the night we were there) with a tender mushroom tart and a complex duck bolognese sauce. Desserts are always a treat. I marveled at the intensely flavored berry and kiwi sorbets, served in teeny scoops alongside a warm orange-chocolate-macadamia custard cake.
Staff members are extremely accommodating to food allergies, dietary limitations or simple dislikes. If you’re a vegetarian, they’ll create a separate vegetarian meal for you. If you want seconds, or thirds, of a particular course, they’ll scramble to bring it to you. The wine list is filled with unusual, hard to find selections, and the wine steward is ready and willing to recommend a bottle just right for you and your party. It’s an environment promoting genteel gluttony, and it’s very easy to overdo it—I know, both times I visited The Kitchen I couldn’t eat anything the following day until dinnertime. It’s also extraordinarily expensive for the Sacramento region: Dinner is a set $125 per person, not including any beverages (except water, coffee and tea), tax or tip. That’s a shocking amount, until you consider that a visit to The Kitchen is truly a multihour vacation, offering a very unique experience and a great deal of fun. If your schedule’s too busy to allow time away on a conventional vacation, this may well be the next best thing. — Kira O'Donnell
Insider tip: Be aware that when you call for a seat at The Kitchen, your reservation will be secured with a credit card. The restaurant requires a 48-hour cancellation notice, and if you cancel with less than 48 hours notice, you will be charged a cancellation fee of $50 per person.
Reservations: Required (call early!)
Payment methods: Personal checks, Discover, MasterCard, Visa
Alcohol: Beer and wine only
Corkage fee: $20 for the first 750 ml bottle, $30 for the second bottle and $40 for each additional 750 ml bottle
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