Greg Sabin

Casa Lola, a new Mexican restaurant Downtown, is more than a solid place to eat. It’s more than a spot with extraordinary service, more than a restaurant run by pros.

More than all that, it’s a lot of fun.

When I told my wife Casa Lola reminded me of Disneyland, she said, “Like in a bad way?” No, I said. In the best way.

It reminded me of the imagination, service and entertainment value of an in-person Disney event.

Every wall, plate, seat and light fixture at Casa Lola feels like it was imagineered.

Floor-to-ceiling murals with jaguars and hummingbirds seem to pop right off the walls. A Spanish-style veranda hangs over the passthrough, overflowing with bougainvillea and palm fronds. Heavy wood and leather-strap furniture look straight out of Acapulco.

The term “beloved” gets thrown around too much with small businesses. Lou’s Sushi and Vic’s Ice Cream earned it.

Lou Valente worked 30 years behind local sushi counters. Regional publications called him the best in town a decade ago. But disagreements with partners closed his restaurants.

Now Valente is back. His new place, next to Low Brau at the MARRS building in Midtown, lets him sling his boundary-breaking hand rolls and present a phenomenal cocktail program developed by his Low Brau partners.

Scott Ostrander and Paul DiPierro bring a cutting edge to Origami Asian Grill, their East Sacramento favorite. With a new enterprise, Gami Burger, the duo rolls out a different formula.

Focusing on the familiar and getting two separate locations up and running fast, the Gami team is already dishing out comfortable favorites.

Ostrander and DiPierro started Origami Asian Grill in 2018. They took Michelin-star know-how and applied it to dishes such as Sichuan fried chicken and ramen. The fried chicken is tops in my book.

During the pandemic, restaurants adapted or declined. Origami adapted, occasionally featuring a Gami Burger pop-up. The meal hit the spot with diners seeking consolation. Burger pop-ups became one of Origami’s most popular pandemic-era productions.

Eight years ago, Allora was a new thing. Deneb Williams and Elizabeth-Rose Mandalou put together a fine-dining concept in a town where fine dining was thin. In the years since, Allora stayed true to its roots and found a restrained and beautiful approach to everything it does.

At Allora, every element feels special and curated. Every glass, every plate, every ingredient, every bottle of wine, every interaction. A night at Allora is a special thing not to be missed.

Like many fine-dining restaurants, Allora has a tasting menu where diners select three, four or five courses. I love the four-course option with appetizer, pasta, main and dessert paired with a novel European wine.

hu Mai, the new restaurant by Chef Billy Ngo, excites on every level. The space pops, the dishes wow. With casual dining and take-out dominating restaurant openings these days, this elegant spot stands out. 

Ngo is a force with three award-winning Japanese restaurants: KRU Contemporary, Kodaiko Ramen & Bar and Fish Face Poke Bar. Ngo’s lineage, however, is Vietnamese and Chinese. Chu Mai celebrates that lineage. It celebrates Ngo’s mother and the Asian American culinary experience.