Woodland Food Truck Mania

Woodland Food Truck Mania takes place usually on the first Sunday of the month. It's a food truck gathering put on by SactoMofo, a popular group that organizes food truck events. I had been to this event many years ago, but it fell off my radar for a little while as Sundays tend to be very busy for me. I enjoyed coming to Food Truck Mania so much that I've decided to carve out more time to make return visits. It's such a great food event that I have to come back!

Food -
I'm sure that the food trucks vary from time to time at this gathering, but the ones that were onsite on my visit were superb. Ma Sarap was there serving up traditional Filipino dishes. Jenn and my mom both got the chicken adobe which had a very authentic Filipno taste. It was definitely something that don't get to experience often. Being a fried food fan, I went for their fried chicken skins. I mean... the skin is the best part! Am I right or am I right? So basically it's just the fried part of fried chicken. It was as delicious as it sounds.

I also was able to try some fried ravioli with meat sauce as well as a gigantic Philly cheesesteak. Both items were perfection. The only bad thing was that my stomach was too small to get everything in. Thankfully, I did save a little room for dessert. I split a large egg puff with fruit and ice-cream with Jenn. The item was made extremely well and was perfect for sharing - a great way to end the meal.

My only regret is that there are far too many great options and only one of me to try and eat all of it. If I see some of the food trucks that were here next time I will be sure to give some new things a try!

Service/Atmosphere - 
The atmosphere was phenomenal. Basically, two streets are closed off to traffic and tables are set up right next to the food trucks. People can order and find a spot to enjoy their food. It gets dark very quickly during the winter months, but that is not a problem. The event organizers set up these giant flood lights to illuminate the area where people are eating. Perfect.

Alongside all of that you'll see entertainment happening around you as well as booths and music to enjoy.

Price -
The food trucks that are at Food Truck Mania aren't on the cheaper side. Most of the meals you purchase will be around the $12-15 dollar range. Drinks are also priced at a premium here. You can end up spending quite a bit of coin if you want to give lots of different items a try.

Special Tips and Recommendations -
I totally recommend coming to this (and other similar events) with a group. That way, people can buy all sorts of different food from different trucks and then try everything family style! It's a great way to budget and get everything you want a taste of.

Bottom Line - 
It's totally worth it to come out to Woodland Food Truck Mania. There's delicious food and a fun and festive atmosphere all around!

Letter Grade

A

The lighting here sets a really nice mood.

Fried ravioli with meat sauce for dipping.

Cheese steaks, lots of options.

I went with the standard cheesesteak.

Chicken sandwich and fries.

Fried chicken skins.

Plenty of places to get dessert.

This was satisfying.

There is now DIM SUM at UC DAVIS!

After being in Davis for over 20 years, I don't think I'd ever thought there would be a traditional dim sum place there. But you know what... it happened! Push carts and all are rolling around the former Applebee's location. Well Season has taken over and is brining this authentic Cantonese style of restaurant to cow town.

Food -
Dim sum is very specific. If you're going to get dim sum, you're going to be looking for things like pork buns, har gow, shu mai, and the ever popular chicken legs. And yes! Well Season has all those items and more. Coming on a weekend, the dim sum ladies were rolling their carts around the restaurant and serving a packed dining room.

The dim sum at Well Season is good - not the best ever - but definitely good enough to frequent. It's a lot better than I thought Davis would ever get! The dim sum in general has less of a greasy sheen than most other places. It may be a little less flavorful and authentic, but I think people who don't want to feel really lethargic after the meal will appreciate Well Season's light on the grease approach.

As always, we enjoy ordering a few noodle dishes from the kitchen to round out the dim sum meal. The Hong Kong style noodles were great. It had the right taste, and if you're into seafood, you'll enjoy their version of it. The wet chow fun was excellent as well. The sauce was well-balanced and complimented the noodles nicely. The chow fun dish was one of my favorite things from our meal.

My only disappointment from the meal were the rolled noodles with beef. I thought the texture of the noodle in that dish wasn't as velvety as most places have them. But that's just a small gripe, the overall meal was above my expectation.

Service/Atmosphere - 
Weekends will always provide for a festive atmosphere with many people. At around 12:30, the restaurant was packed with a crowd outside waiting to be seated! The interior of the restaurant is decently spacious as the owners of well season basically just hollowed out the entire Applebee's restaurant so they could put in as many tables as possible. You can hardly tell it was once the place that you'd eat good in the neighborhood.

Service is ok for a dim sum restaurant. The ladies that push the carts do their jobs just fine. Flagging down someone for menu items or getting the final check can be tricky as everyone is running around, but that's just like any other dim sum place on the face of the planet.

Price -
Well Season comes in moderately priced for dim sum. It's always great to go with a large party so that you can split the cost of the meal between everyone. For our party of six, everyone came out to be about twelve bucks each. That's nice for a group of our size, and we all left pretty full.

Special Tips and Recommendations -
Don't overlook the sweet dim sum plates. One of the best items that I had was the 'egg yolk' bun. This is a medium sized bun filled with this runny yellow filling. When you open it up it just starts oozing out. The yellow filling is sweet and oh-so-good! Make sure you try some if you come to Well Season!

Bottom Line - 
If you're in Davis and enjoy dim sum, your prayers have been answered! It's awesome to have a local dim sum place that serves up good dim sum and is close.

Letter Grade

A

Beef with soft noodles.

The ever popular pork buns.

Wet chow fun.

Hong Kong style noodles.

Crispy taro dish.

El Patio comes to Davis

A few Woodland restaurants have ventured into the Davis food scene, but not many. El Patio travels down the 113 to give the folks in Davis a taste of their Mexican cuisine. The menu is full of favorites such as burritos, enchiladas, and tacos as well as tortas, Mexican style burgers, and salads. El Patio occupies a prime location in downtown that is hard to miss. Stop in if you'd like to have try what the people of Woodland have been enjoying for years!

Food -
The menu at El Patio is traditional Mexican food with a few special treats thrown into the mix. On my visit to El Patio I really enjoyed the enchiladas. I was able to get one beef and one cheese and they were heavenly. The wrap was soft and the enchilada sauce was perfect. I probably could have eaten double what I got as they were that easy to eat!

The super nachos were also very enjoyable. They come loaded with cheese, guac, sour cream, and the meat of your choice. All this topped a crispy bed of corn chips. The order was perfect for sharing - the entire family went to town on these.

A surprise for me were the fish tacos. The fish inside comes fried to golden perfection in a portion that was a little larger than I expected. The flavor was on point. I also had the shrimp taco, but given the choice I'd go with the fish all day long.

Overall the food at El Patio is quite good - it certainly has a cleaner, less greasy feeling than many other places. If you're into that style of Mexican food I think you'd enjoy El Patio.

Service/Atmosphere - 
Both the service and the atmosphere were top notch at El Patio. My interaction with the staff was excellent and they were very attentive and friendly. I felt that the staff was excited to be in Davis and that they wanted to give great customer service. In terms of atmosphere, I enjoyed the actual 'patio' inside of the restaurant. It's almost as if you're sitting in a neighbor's yard - excellent concept that works well. I found the inside of the restaurant to be very clean - something that I really look for in a place that I eat at.

Price -
Pricing is moderate at El Patio. I would say that the food prices are that of a mid-priced sit down restaurant (which it is). I believe the quality of the food pairs well with the price. Look to pay between nine and twelve dollars per person when enjoying a meal here.

Special Tips and Recommendations -
Not a lot of places have taco salad anymore, but El Patio does. I know of only one other place in Davis where you can get this famed 'salad'. I wouldn't say it's the healthiest option out there, but the fact that it is on the menu is pretty cool. Every so often I really want a taco salad.

Bottom Line - 
El Patio makes a superb addition to the restaurants in Davis. The food there tastes clean and fresh, and the atmosphere in the restaurant matches that as well.

Letter Grade

A-

You'll know you're there when you see this big window decal.

Salsa and condiments for you to partake of.

Super nachos smothered with cheese, guac, and cream cheese.

A duo of fish tacos.

The enchiladas here are legit.

The massive California burrito.

Churros.

The IM in BurgerIM might stand for Is Meh...

BurgerIMs have been popping up all around the Sacramento area. I've previously been to the one in Natomas, but I didn't get a great sense of the food there since I was in a hurry that day. I went to the new BurgerIM location in downtown Davis to give it another go. I'm always excited when Davis gets some new eats... will BurgerIM be the next big thing? Sadly, methinks not.

Food -
The menu at BurgerIM looks really, really good. In fact, it reminds me a little of Burger Lounges menu. There are a ton of tasty options to select from, and they all sound great! The issue comes when you actually get the food to your table. See, while the flavors are somewhat there, the food is really just so-so in execution. I'm sad as I think there is a lot of potential for this restaurant, but the food - especially the burgers - need a big kick in the pants.

The burger patty and the bun (pretty much 90%) of the burger need improvement. I really want a juicy burger patty that has a delicious tenderness to it. These patties are not that. They are a bit dry and they are shaped as if they came from some sort of patty pressing factory. It just doesn't have a good look to it. And as for the bun... the bun ruined my eating experience. It wasn't rotten or out of code, but it was just too much bread. I felt that was all I was eating as I chowed down on my burger.

To make matters worse, they don't really have fries here. The fries are floppy potato disks. Some are nicer than others. You will find some with a nice texture while others have an oily feel. I'm not sure who thought of these disk-shaped fries, but it was not a great idea. Fries are good as they are already! Sometimes you don't need to be different for different's sake.

Service/Atmosphere - 
The snazzy menu is lit up well, but the overall ambiance of the restaurant is just average. It's not particularly inviting inside the dining room as everything is pretty much metal and grey. My one bright spot during my visit was the gal at the register. She was awesome in helping me select what to get and had a very pleasant attitude about her.

Price -
BurgerIM doesn't break the bank when it comes to the food. I'd say to expect to pay a moderate amount for what you get. This isn't a fast food joint where you just get cheap burgers and fries. It's a sit down restaurant with aspirations of being a trendy place to get a burger. For my burger, 1/2 fries/rings, and a drink, it was a little over twelve bucks.

Special Tips and Recommendations -
I'd skip the fries altogether and just go for the onion rings while dining here. The onion rings have a nice crunch and fry to them. They were the item I actually enjoyed the most during my visit to the restaurant.

Bottom Line - 
I'm not sure if BurgerIM is a place worth visiting. They have some nice bells and whistles, but when it comes to getting the food right, they do it kinda wrong. There are other burger places in town to get a great burger - go to those.

Letter Grade

C

The menu is pretty snazzy.

The burger is a medium sized one.

You can get 1/2 fries and 1/2 rings if you like.

This is what the 'fries' are.

Delicious and Fresh Mexican Food at Sol in Woodland

Woodland is full of good Mexican restaurants, so it really takes something to stand out. Sol gives its patrons a beautiful place to eat with fresh and tasty dishes that you'll feel good about. Located all the way down Main Street on the edge of Woodland, Sol can be difficult to find, but it's worth seeking out as this restaurant will definitely hit the spot!

Food -
Sol's menu is expansive with a wide array of Mexican dishes to select from. You'll find pretty much any of your favorite Mexican items on the menu. I personally enjoyed the enchiladas and the flautas. The enchilada plate came with 2 enchiladas filled with my choice of pork, chicken, beef, or cheese. I personally selected one with chicken and one with cheese. The enchiladas were exactly what I wanted as they were extremely flavorful - I just wanted to keep taking bite after bite! The flautas were amazing as well. I loved how light and crispy they were. Both plates came with a side of rice and beans with cheese. I'm not sure if there's any better side than Mexican rice and beans... so good! The beans came in a little tortilla shell that was pretty fun to eat out of. Overall the food was excellent.

Service/Atmosphere - 
Sol has a beautiful dining room that has a traditional flair to it. It's comfortable and cozy and makes for a great dining experience. If the weather isn't too hot, Sol has patio seating so that diners can eat outside.

My only small gripe about Sol has been the service. The wait staff is good, but I find that the time it takes to get a table and have them come by can be a little longer than expected. It's not a terrible wait, but I think service could be a little speedier.

Price -
Dishes at Sol are moderately priced. You can expect to pay around ten to twelve dollars a person. Like many Mexican restaurants, Sol provides chips and salsa for the table when you come in. The food portions match up well with the cost so I feel that you get your money's worth when you come here.

Special Tips and Recommendations -
I really enjoyed the light and crispy flautas here. If you've never had them, I'd say this dish is one that you should get. It was actually recommended to me by a friend and she was spot on. The flautas are so great!

Bottom Line - 
Sol is an excellent Mexican restaurant in Woodland. Their menu is full of delicious dishes that will capture your attention. Though it is deep in Woodland, I think it may be worth a visit to satisfy your Mexican food cravings!

Letter Grade

A

Sol has a really nice atmosphere. The menu matches well with the decor.

There are lots of options in the menu.

Sol is located in a plaza next to a Raley's grocery store.

Chips and salsa will be brought to your table when you come in.

The dishes are exactly as you would expect.

Hella Halo's Halo-Halo!

Hella Halo is a food stand that serves up Halo Halo, a popular Filipino cold desert that is full of delicious sweet treats. Since Hella Halo isn't your typical restaurant, you won't find them every day of the week, and you won't find them in the same place either. You'll have to check their Instagram for where they will show up next! So if you haven't already followed them, check out @hellahalo_sac on Instagram for all their latest news.

Food -
What you'll find when you arrive at Hella Halo is a small menu of different styles of halo halo. If you haven't had it before, it's a mixture of many ingredients such as ice-cream, crushed ice, evaporated milk, ube, sweet beans, coconut strips, sago, fruit, flan, and a few more that I can't think of off the top of my head. It has a uniquely Asian flavor that is quite exotic and good. I love it because there is so much variety available in this single dessert.

Being a cold dessert, halo halo is perfect for Sacramento. This amazing concoction will cool you down on those hot summer days out in the city. The OG is their standard halo halo, but you can also get other varieties such as a matcha version for those of you who enjoy something a little different.

Hella Halo serves up other delicious Filipino food items alongside their halo halo when they are out and about. You'll just have to show up to find out what they have in store for you!

Service/Atmosphere - 
I found the folks manning the Hella Halo booth to be very friendly and joyful - and very easy to talk to! They are great about answering questions and seem to have a passion for their food. You can tell that they love serving up this delicious food to their patrons.

Being a food stand, Hella Halo will most likely be situated near other food stands also selling their unique creations. You can't go wrong with an atmosphere like this!

Price -
The halo halo desserts go from eight dollars and up. It's not the cheapest dessert out there as compared to a milk shake it seems a bit high, but you are getting ingredients that are not common to the Sacramento area. The dessert itself is actually quite large and will definitely be able to top you off if you have the whole thing.

Special Tips and Recommendations -
I suggest going for the OG halo halo before trying any of the other specialty flavors as it's always good to get a baseline taste of what the original should taste like. If you come with a group, then try to get as many different ones as possible and share!

Bottom Line - 
Halo halo is such a great dessert and perfect for us here in Sacramento. Hella Halo does a really nice job of giving its customers top notch versions of it. Go ahead and check them out on Instagram so that you can find out where they will pop up next!

Letter Grade

A

Hmmm, somebody really wants to get their hand on halo halo.

"Not your Lola's Halo-Halo" What's a Lola?

Here's their Instagram, go and look it up!

You're gonna need a big straw and a spoon to fully enjoy your halo halo.

Someone I know is looking forward to coming back for more.

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!

Manchurian Hakka Cuisine in West Sacramento

Manchurian Hakka Cuisine takes the Panda Express approach and applies it to Chinese Indian food. The result is a quick and easy way lunch or dinner, but some of the 'must have-ness' is missing from the actual taste. I was really looking forward to this restaurant, but in the end I was left a bit wanting from my experience.

Food -
The food at Manchurian Hakka Cuisine is on-par with what you would find in a mall's food court. The entrees are laid out behind a glass for you to see. You can select one to three entrees in a plate along with fried rice or Hakka noodles (or both). It's good that you can see the food in front of you, because that way you can avoid the food that looks like it has been sitting out there too long.

Since the food isn't made to order, there is the problem of some entrees losing their freshness sitting out under a heat lamp. Like at a place like Panda Express, choose dishes that look the freshest for the best experience.

Manchurian Hakka Cuisine does offer a few select entrees that you really don't see anywhere else. The most unique entree must have been the fried broccoli with Manchurian sauce. I sampled it and found that it was a little like Tempura, but less crispy. The Manchurian sauce was savory, but not so much that I wanted to go back for more. The Hakka noodles are also a specialty here, I believe. These noodles are thicker than your typical chow mein noodles at Panda Express. They are less oily, but lack some of the flavor you'd want from them.

If you do want something more familiar, Manchurian Hakka Cuisine also has a sweet orange chicken entree as well as a beef dish and egg rolls.

Service/Atmosphere - 
The restaurant was nearly empty when I came in during regular lunch hours. It was very well kept and clean, which I appreciated. The entire feel of the restaurant was that of a chain restaurant - but not in a bad way. The decor was nice and I appreciated the quality of the dining room's presentation.

The one worker that was manning the counter area was helpful as I came in. He happily answered the questions I had about the food and offered to let me sample whatever it was that I wanted to help me make a decision.

Price -
For a two item combo plate with rice and Hakka noodles and a drink, the total came to be a little over ten bucks. The pricing at Manchurian Hakka Cuisine is very much on par with what you would find at other fast food Asian places of the same ilk. Folks on a budget can get a nice meal for not a lot of money.

Special Tips and Recommendations -
If you are a fan of truly spicy food, I suggest the chili chicken entree. I enjoy spicy food and I was surprised at the level of heat coming out of this entree. It was much hotter than any other item I would find at other similar restaurants. The heat level definitely surprised me and I even overheard other customers talking about how hot it was! If you're a heat fan, give it a try. If you don't like things too spicy, I would definitely avoid it!

Bottom Line - 
Manchurian Hakka Cuisine is a pretty average restaurant. If you want something with more character, this isn't the place to go. This restaurant is really for folks on the go who want something quick and easy, but a little different than your typical food. I'm not sure if I'd return here as it doesn't warrant a special trip out.

Letter Grade

C

Half noodles and half vegetarian fried rice.

Fried chicken pieces in Manchurian sauce.

Shoku Ramen Bar has Your Noodles and Your Sandwich Covered

Shoku Ramen Bar is a hidden away little spot to get ramen and other delicious items for a price that won't leave a huge hole in your wallet. Nicely portioned dishes and a wide variety make Shoku a place that you should seriously consider checking out if you're in the neighborhood.

Food -
The man attraction at Shoku is the ramen. And of that they have many varieties. I tried the spicy black garlic chashu ramen tonight and it was excellent. The broth was spicy (but not overly so) and had a delicious richness that I felt elevated it. It was also packed with extras like seaweed, corn, egg, and more! Also on the menu is ramen with other proteins such as chicken, beef, or tofu. There's even a plain ramen if you don't want any of that for a pretty cheap price! If you're more of an udon fan... guess what... they have udon on the menu as well!

To go along with your ramen, you probably want some appetizers, and Shoku has them ready for you. Many of the mainstays are available such as edamame, wakame, and gyoza. The gyoza can be prepared either pan fried or deep fried. It was nice to have a choice and I asked for pan fried. In hindsight, I think the deep fried version would have been a bit more enjoyable. I'm a big fan of chicken karaage and gave that a try tonight. It had a different style of fry to it than usual. Not bad, but it's not the type I prefer. My friend saw that they had octopus on the menu and gave that a shot. She thought it was a little too sweet for her taste.

One menu item that I thought was very unique were the sandwiches they offered. You can select pork or chicken. The meat is served tonkatsu style with vegetables. It had a good size to it and I felt it could make a pretty decent meal.

Service/Atmosphere - 
We came on a slow day of the week, so the servers had some time to really wait on us and make sure everything was good. The servers were excellent and talkative. It was great to ask them a little about the restaurant and their favorites on the menu. They were really awesome.

The restaurant itself has a cut look to it. It's not overly fancy, but the decor does the job well and the booths have a comfy feel to them.

Price -
Price is probably the best aspect of Shoku. The items are very reasonable. The ramen I ordered was $8.95 and that is the highest priced one. I mentioned already that it was full of good ingredients and can fill you up. I thought it was a great deal! The sandwich is also priced well at just $5. I'm not sure if they'll adjust pricing up soon, but if they don't, I'd say that Shoku has some of the best deals in town.

Special Tips and Recommendations -
I recommend the spicy black garlic chashu ramen that I ordered. In fact, both me and my friend ordered it as it looked the best. Our server came over and actually said it was her favorite as well. So with that amount of recommendation, I'd say it's the one to get! If you're afraid it might be too spicy... well... it isn't. It's an enjoyable amount of spice that only the extremely sensitive should be wary of.

Bottom Line - 
A great price with friendly service and good portions makes for an excellent place to eat. If I lived closer to Shoku I could see myself stopping by quite often for a nice lunch!

Letter Grade

B

The branding for Shoku is very well done.

You can get a number of bottled drinks from their cold case.

The octopus appetizer.

Chicken karaage is a bit of a different preparation.

You can order sandwiches off the menu and they are quite a good size.

The ramen is filled with ingredients.

Gyoza that was pan fried. Deep frying also an option.