South Restaurant in Sacramento CA

Regional Dining Discussions SF Bay Area, NorCal, Tahoe
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http://www.weheartfriedchicken.com/menu

Went to a meeting in Sacramento California this afternoon (and it took 2 hours instead of the usual 40 minutes), then went to South for dinner. Husband had meatloaf and I had catfish, and red beans and rice.

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They now have table service instead of having you order at the counter and finding a seat.

They require masks ( California started a statewide mandate today), and they have outside seating but it was raining and there was quite comfortable distancing inside.
Husband enjoyed his meatloaf well enough, but for some reason this seemed like the best catfish I’d ever eaten! At least in part because it seemed like it made it from the fryer to my mouth almost instantly.

We also had a bucket of chicken and cornbread to go.
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Well it took two hours ! Also it was son’s birthday. t post most of this on WFD too.
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Hands off the table until photo shoot is done :grin:
I don’t eat catfish/fresh water fish but the crust does look very nice.
Who is eating the takeaway?

For some reason the whole post is repeated twice.

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Here again! This joint is jumping, on a Wednesday night, picking up my sister at the Sacto airport.

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!

Food Later

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Oops. I ate it.

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I flat-out guffawed at that!

How was it, that which you ate?

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I had the catfish and it was good, but better when eaten right away, in the restaurant. We also brought home fried chicken and jambalaya. I didn’t try the jambalaya, but the chicken holds up and tastes good for days!

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I really like their hush puppies.

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Yes! My sister, visiting from North Carolina, and who doesn’t like hush puppies, liked these! She says they are " lighter" than what she is used to.

I’d forgotten I had added them to our order while I was waiting, for a snack on the way home.

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Sacramento soul food standout South is closing. But wait, there’s a new restaurant on the way

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Exclusive: Why star restaurant South is closing despite a Sacramento judge’s order Read more at: https://www.sacbee.com/food-drink/restaurants/article262745497.html#storylink=cpy

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While most of us here focus on the food at restaurants, many tend to forget that a restaurant is first, foremost, and last a business.

And more importantly, a business operated by real live human beings, none of that metaverse or robot stuff.

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Uggh. There’s a new show on Food Network called “Me or the Menu”…I think from the "90 day fiance " folk.

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Most restaurants fail because of the people (either bad management or bad relationships), not because of the food.

In fact, the quality of the food most oftentimes is hardly significant to the success or longevity of a restaurant. If it matters at al…

Just look around your 'hood, how many restaurants can you actually name where the food is truly the star of the show.

A handful? Sure. But the majority are around because of (1) location (easy for people to grab a quick bite) or (2) price (cheap ingredients or large portions) or (3) service (quick, efficient and friendly – never underestimate how a nice smile makes the sh!ttiest food taste mighty damn fine)

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Hmmmmm.

We only get take out in our neighborhood, and I believe it’s for the food. Mostly taquerias, sometimes Thai.

We travel to Napa, Sonoma, and San Francisco for dine in, and I think that’s for food as much as service. Not all that convenient.

I think we traveled to South in Sacto for the food when we are in Sacramento, so I guess it was convenient, but the service was good too. Sort of a reward for having go to Sacramento. :grin:

But I think I get your point. I definitely get that running a business is not always about the owners definition of quality.

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Just think of all those other restaurants in your 'hood that you never order from. Those are still around, right?

The key here is “travel” to … And truth be told, Napa/Sonoma is a food destination and, even there, there are probably more mediocre restaurants than true destination ones.

LOL. I think one definitely needs a reason to go to Sacramento.

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I thought you’d like that.

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I live in Sacramento. Not from Sac but been here for 10 years now and it’s home.

Have also lived in Seattle, SF Bay Area, Houston, and Baltimore/DC each for years.

Am very familiar with Vancouver, Portland, LA, Orange County, San Diego, Phoenix, Las Vegas, Denver, New Orleans, Chicago, New York, Philadelphia, and Miami with many visits and extended stays in each, mostly for work.

Sacramento has a very respectable food scene. I wasn’t thrilled to move here in 2012, and I would have snickered at Sacramento alongside you, but now I’ve found significant respect for a lot of what’s going on here.

If the SF Bay Area and the CA Central Valley had a baby, it would be Sacramento. It’s got the definite blue collar gritty authenticity of the Central Valley as you would expect from the agricultural heartland of California. It’s also got the haute taste, high education, forward thinking, and also beauty and wealth you would expect from the Bay Area. It’s appropriate that it’s the state capital and it has some panache as a result.

From a food perspective, my favorite grocery anywhere is Corti Brothers in Sacramento, and it’s entirely because of Darrell Corti. If you don’t know about him, look him up.

I’ve eaten more than my share of ice cream in this life and if anyone thinks there’s better ice cream than Gunther’s in Sacramento, I don’t believe you.

There are lots of other gems I’m discovering all the time, and with South closing, I’m sad to say one is being lost, but hopefully another will be gained soon when N’Gina opens her next project. I’ll miss her corn bread, biscuits, and fried chicken.

Sacramento has earned my respect.

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No offense! It’s got better stuff than my town, but what I like about my town ( in Northern Solano County) , is the access to all the others. My son was hoping to find a home near Sacramento, but even Sacramento suburbs seem out of range now.

We need some Sacramento love on these board’s. Have you been to South?

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No offense taken. Like I said, I wasn’t born here and don’t feel like this is my “home town.” But I know it well, for better or for worse, despite being pessimistic on arrival.

I’ve been to South lots of times But not since the pandemic. It was one of the spots I would take family and friends when they visit from out of town. I’ll miss it for sure.

Sacramento has surprised me and proven me wrong many times.

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FWIW, there is no snickering at Sacramento when you live where I live, but I love it. I really love the agriculture.

We have lived in some similar places! I was in DC for many formative years (78-84).

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