Allora

Featured: Inside Sacramento – East Sac
2019

Elizabeth-Rose Mandalou, who owns Allora with her husband, chef Deneb Williams, recently jumped at the chance to open an East Sacramento restaurant after a popular family of florists retired and vacated their elegant contemporary brick building. Allora is definitely fine dining at its best. The Italian-inspired dishes are artistic and architectural in their beauty, sophisticated in their flavors and jewel-like in their proportions. The menu focuses on seafood, like the deceptively complex Insalata di Mare that jumbles together cold shrimp, calamari, crab and mussels, all perfectly cooked, seasoned and served with a stunningly beautiful salad of shaved asparagus and pea tendrils. Almost every dish is finished with flowers to pay tribute to the original family that built the space. A small but diverse selection of pastas, all house-made, highlights the kitchen’s impressive skills without showboating. Mandalou, an advanced sommelier, opts for a noteworthy selection of varietals from California, Italy and beyond to stand up to the onslaught of elegance and sensations. It’s no surprise that this is Williams and Mandalou’s third restaurant. Allora shows a steady hand and wealth of experience. We all hope that this impressive couple will help keep Sacramento in the national culinary conversation for years to come.