Just Milkshakes and Coffee at Milk House in Old Sacramento

I've been wanting to try Milk House for a few months now and I'm glad I got the chance to go on this hot summer day. It was actually the perfect refreshing confection to beat the heat. Milk House is located in Old Sacramento very close to the river - you can't miss it. If you find yourself in Old Sac, I'd definitely suggest hitting this place up!

Food -
There are only two food items you can get at Milk House - shakes and coffee. Well, I guess you can ask for the ice-cream that they use to make the shake, but that's neither here nor there. If you're coming to Milk House you're either getting a shake or a cup of coffee... or both!

The shakes at Milk House are all named after former presidents of the United States. It's fun to see which president they pair with what shake. I won't ruin the surprise for you, you're going to have to go there to see what president has what shake. I will say, however, that the shakes are delicious. Sometimes when I have a shake I get this artificial taste. That is not the case here. The shakes have a smooth, milky quality to them. They are balanced well and may be one of the best shakes in town!

The coffee at Milk House is certainly for the coffee lover. I felt that the coffee had a rich, complex taste that is typically reserved for nice coffee houses - not milk shake shacks! The coffee selection is simple, but elegant.

Service/Atmosphere - 
When I came to the Milk Shake it was during a slow time during the week. There were just a few customers and only one person behind the counter. Thankfully, the person there was very friendly and helpful. She was also quick with making the orders so that the wait time wasn't a factor at all.

The Milk House is not a large restaurant and is modestly decorated. You'll see a few presidential themed decorations around its interior, but that's about it. The entire space is clean and modern - a definitely departure from most places around Old Sac.

Price -
Don't expect to spend just a few bucks here at Milk House. The small (VP) size of shakes are about six dollars with the large being eight. Coffee will run you three to four dollars for a cup. So yes, it's not cheap. Given its location and the speciality of the items, I can see why you are paying a premium. So just know that going in.

Special Tips and Recommendations -
If you like your coffee sweet like I do, you're going to have to tell them to make your coffee extra sweet. This isn't the stuff you get at Dutch Bros! I just love to have a fun, sweet, cold coffee on a hot day as a nice refreshing drink. That's not the kind you get here. I think it's for more serious minded coffee drinkers. So be warned!

Bottom Line - 
I love the simple concept of Milk House. Having shakes be their main drawing point is unique and fun. It definitely goes with the Old Sac vibe, but puts it in a new spin. Though Milk House lands on the pricier side of things, I do believe it is worth the visit.

Letter Grade

B+

The whip cream on the top of the shake is so smooth and velvety.

Doesn't this iced coffee look super refreshing?

There really isn't any seating inside, but outside there are plenty.

Could this be the best shake in town? You tell me!

I LOVE the Caramel Apples at Rocky Mountain Chocolate Factory in Old Sac!

I favor savory foods to sweets... but the sweet confections at Rocky Mountain Chocolate Factory in Old Sacramento are just too good to pass up. Of particular note are their wide variety of caramel apples. You'll be blown away by the different kinds that they have for you to try. Into other sweet delights? I'm sure Rocky Mountain Chocolate Factory will have you covered.

Food -
I have to talk about the caramel apples at the Rocky Mountain Chocolate Factory. They are simply AMAZING. You can see all the varieties they have from the outside of the window. Go inside and check out the menu of options. They go from traditional caramel apples to nut covered to chocolate covered to specialty flavors like cheesecake. Each apple is delicately made. I suggest asking for the apple to be sliced so that it is much easier to eat. The slices are a perfect apple crunch to them with a thin layer of chocolaty coating. The combination is perfection. I could eat these all day long - no joke!

Other than the caramel apples, as the name suggests there is a huge amount of chocolates to purchase. Look in the case and you'll find truffles, bars, brittle, and tons of other sweet creations. Make sure you have a sweet tooth though because these chocolates will be sweet! On my visit to Rocky Mountain Chocolate Factory I chose to get a number of items some of which were a tad too sweet for my liking.

If you're in a more romantic mood, Rocky Mountain Chocolate Factory also sells chocolate covered strawberries! I like the apples better by far, but these strawberries still taste magnificent and have that romantic factor that a caramel apple wouldn't have.

Service/Atmosphere - 
The folks working at the shoppe were friendly and were helpful in helping us choose what to get. I found the service to be friendly and competent. As for the atmosphere, you're getting the classic Old Sacramento wood tones on the inside. You'll be transported to a time long past once you step into the Rocky Mountain Chocolate Factory. Look around and you'll see products being made as amongst the vast varieties of sweets on hand.

Price -
Premium candy and caramel apples like this don't come cheap. The caramel apples rum from five to seven dollars each. I would say that is pretty pricy for an apple covered with some chocolate. But I'd be willing to shell out this price as they are just that good!

Special Tips and Recommendations -
So that you don't break the bank, I suggest going for one or two caramel apples to share amongst a group of people. That way, everyone can get a slice or two and try different varieties. The same goes for the other treats in the store, just get a small amount of a single item unless you are dead set on something in particular!

Bottom Line - 
If you're in Old Sacramento and you want to satisfy your sweet tooth then the Rocky Mountain Chocolate Factory is the place to go. It's a small shoppe but there are a ton of sweets that will dazzle and amaze you once you go inside and check them out!

Letter Grade

A

Rose with a couple of white chocolate covered treats.

There are many different kinds of Truffles to select from.

Feeling like some toffee? They've got that for you!

Nothing beats their caramel apples... soooooooo goooooood!

Willie's Hamburgers in Old Sacramento

Checking out Old Sacramento is always a good time. The shops and restaurants there all have a really cool and unique vibe to them. Willie's is one that you can't miss as you walk down the wooden sidewalks. They serve up hamburgers, fries, and drinks for those who need to fill up while enjoying their time in the area.

Food -
Willie's appeal is their focus on traditional American hamburgers. You can get a variety of hamburger types with various toppings. Chili is probably the most famous of the toppings as they have a portion of their menu dedicated to it - and you can also get it on top of their hot dogs and fries as well. Being here in California, I had to go for the bacon and avocado version of their burger. Bacon and avocado are a great combination, and a favorite amongst Californians!

I put my order in along with a medium fry and waited for my meal to come up. When it arrived I was greeted with a nice portion of fries and a burger that had quite a small meat patty in it. The ratio of meat to the other ingredients was shockingly small. And biting into the burger just confirmed that notion as I did not get much of a meat taste out of it. It really made me say "Where's the beef?!?!?" I had read a few other reviews stating that the burger lacked flavor - and I can see why. The meat portion is just not enough. If you're going to go for a burger here, you should probably get one with multiple patties just to get the balance correct. As a single burger, the meat gets lost in the bun.

The french fries were a pretty big positive though! The medium size was an excellent portion and the fries came out nice and crisp. Willie's serves up a shoe string type of fry that is addictive to eat. I found myself really enjoying them.

Service/Atmosphere - 
I came in at a time when there was hardly anyone in the restaurant so I expected service to be pretty quick. Unfortunately, I found myself standing waiting at the register for a good 2-3 minutes before someone came to take my order. After that the wait for the food felt like it was a bit too long as well. The customer service was pretty average as well as they weren't very friendly. They weren't unfriendly, but it was just a bland experience ordering here.

As for the atmosphere, I really like the decor and ambiance. In fact, that's the reason I was drawn to Willie's in the first place. The restaurant has an inviting look that matches perfectly with Old Sacramento. I only wished the food matched the actual vibe of the restaurant.

Price -
Being in Old Sacramento, you just have to expect the prices to be a bit higher than your standard place. For a small burger like what I got it was between 4-7 dollars. I added bacon and avocado so it was more. With medium fries and a drink the total was nearly fifteen bucks! It's not unheard of, but you're definitely not coming here if you want a cheap burger on a budget.

Special Tips and Recommendations -
Apparently, they give out free beignets when it is rainy. I went in and they didn't give me one with my order. Perhaps you have to actually ask for them before they give it to you. I really don't know. It's something I want to try to get the next time it is rainy.

Bottom Line - 
Willie's appearance is higher than the taste of the food it serves up. It's also a pricy place to eat for the amount and quality of food you get. I really wanted to like Willie's a lot more than I actually did. I'd unfortunately recommend other stops in Old Sacramento over Willie's Hamburgers.

Letter Grade

C-

I was hoping for this to be really good.

The interior of Willie's is very nice!

These fries were excellent tasting.

Going in for a bite.

I-Shanghai is a SURPRISE Asian Restaurant in Old Sac

Xiaolongbao. They have it in Sacramento. And not in a place that you'd think of getting it either. These tasty broth filled dumplings can actually be found in Old Sac. Yes... you heard me right OLD SACRAMENTO HAS IT. And you know what? The xiaolongbao and other dishes there are pretty darn legit.

Food -
I-Shanghai serves up Shanghai-style dishes, most notably xiaolongbao. If you're unfamiliar with what that is, let me tell you! Xiaolongbao are these dumpling things that are basically pockets of soup broth with some meat (pork is a popular option) inside. They are best when fist served so make sure you eat them right away. Just beware that they will be piping hot! When you bite into the dumpling the broth will come out giving you a unique eating experience! The most notable place to get xiaolongbao is a place called Din Tai Fung. It's a very famous chain that is pretty pricey. The xiaolongbao at I-Shanghai don't quite match the quality of Din Tai Fung's, but it doesn't match the atmospheric price either. For a nicely priced version of xiaolongbao, these are great.

The rest of the food items here are familiar Chinese dishes that range for all over China. There's fried rice, veggie and meat dishes, as well as a variety of soups. Everything we ordered tasted great - I didn't have any complaints regarding the food at all. It was either what I expected or even better than I thought it would be. The dishes that came out of the kitchen showed a bit more care in how it was prepared - and that comes through in the taste. Each dish also was presented nicely, which is a nice change from some places that just plop the food onto a plate and serve it out to you.

I-Shanghai also serves up dim sum, but I wasn't able to try it on my visit here. I'll have to return and see how the dim sum stacks up to the other places around Sacramento. I'm actually very eager to give this a shot since I was so impressed with the quality of the other menu items that I ordered.

Service/Atmosphere - 
It is sooooo easy to miss I-Shanghai if you're walking through Old Sac. It is literally a hole in the wall! When you're on front street, all you see is a door with some Chinese food menus next to it. There is a sign above that indicates that the restaurant is there, but it is oh-so-easy to pass by without seeing it. When you enter, you walk down this narrow stairway until you get to the real entrance to the restaurant. The restaurant is surprisingly big and clean and well decorated. If there was any restaurant to not judge by its 'cover' it would be I-Shanghai. The dining area has a modern Chinese vibe that isn't cheesy like the Chinese restaurants of old.

In terms of service, the waitress was very nice and patient. We came at a very off hour so there were very few people eating at the restaurant with us and the we had her entire attention as we dined. I have heard that service can be quite slow though when the restaurant is at peak operating hours. And that doesn't shock me as the food here is excellent. I can see a lot of folks coming here to eat!

Price -
I found the prices at I-Shanghai to be pretty reasonable. Many of the entrees were around the eight to ten dollar mark - which is very typical of Chinese dishes. Appetizers run around five to seven dollars while the xiaolongbao go from about twelve to fifteen dollars. Keep in mind the that xiaolongbao comes in a big bamboo steamer basket and will be plenty to share - it's definitely not a 'for one' type of dish to get.

Special Tips and Recommendations -
Of course my recommendation for I-Shanghai would be to get the xiaolongbao. Select dishes that you like to eat off the menu and get a basket of xiaolongbao for the table to share and enjoy. I think that's the best way to go. Also, I would make sure to come at a time that is off peak as I hear on peak hours can be a pretty long wait time.

Bottom Line - 
I-Shanghai is a gem of a Chinese restaurant in Old Sacramento. It's a surprising place that delivers real Asian flavors and tastes, and is one of the only places in Sac to offer some legit xiaolongbao. This restaurant is definitely worth a visit.

Letter Grade

A

This is what the xiaolongbao looks like.

Beef noodle soup.

Fried rice.

Duck.

Mushrooms over Chinese Greens.

Watch them make the dumplings.