Over the River

The Eatery
2155 Town Center Plaza #E110 – West Sacramento

Words by Adam Saake | Photos by Nicholas Wray – http://nicholaswray.com/

It’s easy to forget how spread out Sacramento is in terms of our city’s layout. I’ve said this before, but dining isn’t just limited to our downtown and Midtown areas and in fact (although not for long) it doesn’t even make up a good chunk. The surrounding neighborhoods offer so many great options for cuisine that it really pays to venture out and see what you can find. An easy destination is West Sacramento, which is just over the river and home to such notables as The River Cats, Whitey’s Drive-In and “Tongue and Chic’s” most recent visit, The Eatery.

Owners Jess Milbourn, who is also head chef, and wife Monda Korich who holds down the front of the house, opened just shy of a year ago in August 2011.

“Business has been great,” says Milbourn, a tall and friendly-faced chef. “Ups and downs like anything else, but overall people seem to enjoy it.

And the packed house last Tuesday afternoon was proof that people are enjoying the food at The Eatery, an inconspicuous restaurant squished between other businesses in the West Sacramento shopping center, Town Center Plaza. West Sacramento is still developing its dining options, and The Eatery is one of the trailblazing restaurants serving food of a higher quality with local and seasonal in mind. That should be a given, considering that West Sacramento is home to some of the most fertile farm land on the West Coast. Milbourn, like a lot of Sacramento chefs and restaurants lately, has partnered directly with West Sacramento’s Humble Roots Organic Farm.

“We get a real one on one connection with the farmer and the land,” says Milbourn.

Both Korich and Milbourn had worked in the restaurant biz since they were teenagers and as Milbourn puts it, “We were of the mindset that we could do the same job we were doing for someone else for ourselves.” As residents of West Sacramento, they decided to keep their hunt for a space close to home and after looking at a few places in and around town, they eventually settled on their current location mainly out of financial necessity as well as the convenience of the space already being built out as a restaurant.

“The Eatery was our interpretation of what you might find as a true bistro in France, but in America,” explains Milbourn. “‘Mom and Pop,’ and serving simply prepared, high quality food in a casual setting with a beverage selection to match.”

Simple is the key word here. The term “comfort food” is often thrown around in this business of eating, and I often wonder if the definition is a general one. Are the same dishes that make me feel at home, at my mother’s table, equal to the ones that bring you close to home? I don’t have the answer to that but I think it’s safe to say that it’s a feeling more than anything. I get that feeling by just looking at The Eatery’s menu. There are quite a few hearty, stick-to-your-ribs-type options like the risotto with asparagus and mushrooms. Meatloaf with mashed potatoes and gravy or rib eye steak with creamed spinach and scallop potatoes will surely tame your appetite. The gut buster of them all (I dared not attempt) were the disco fries ryan, a heap of French fries topped with bacon, melted cheddar cheese, chicken gravy and a sunnyside up egg. Yowzers! But, never fear all ye light eaters. Sautéed mussels with tomatoes, garlic, lemon, white wine and herbs may tickle your fancy. Sandwiches are also available and considering the source of the produce, salads are a must have at The Eatery. The spinach with grilled pineapple, chipotle cheddar and toasted almonds stuck out from the list and were fresh and cool; perfect for a hot summer day. Keep your eye out for fish specials that have included halibut with bacon consommé and cauliflower, and Passmore Ranch sturgeon pops up on this menu as well.

“We really love what we are doing and are amazed every day that we get a chance to make people happy with our restaurant,” adds Milbourn. “Ultimately, the eatery is for its patrons. We want our guests to have fun, eat and drink well, leave full and want to return.”