As a Pastafarian, I have to be mindful of places where I can enjoy the Sacred Meal in all its wondrous variations. Here are some of my favorites.
The Old Spaghetti Factory is a local institution. Located in the Midtown area, between 19th & 20th Sts. on J St., it is in the former train depot. Freight trains often roll by during the day. Their menu is well-known, their bar is good, and there are many small areas where groups can congregate. (There are at least 3 other members of the chain in Sacramento's Greater Metro Area.) My favorite is the mizithra/garlic/butter sauce over spaghetti.
Olive Garden is another chain that features pasta. The food there is not always what I would call outstanding, but it is unusually dependable for consistency of quality. The closest one to downtown is on Arden Way, across from the Arden Fair shopping center.
My personal favorite for Italian food is El Espanol. No, that's not a misprint. This place used to be the restaurant of the old Espanol Hotel downtown. They moved to East Sac many years ago, and are currently located at the corner of 58th St. and Folsom Blvd. I'm a huge fan of their minestrone, and the bread that comes along with it. That, and a salad, and you have lunch. Dinners are served family style, and you get the huge bowl of soup, another huge bowl of salad, a variety of antipasti, and a range of entrees. You get sides of pasta, too. Don't go for a full dinner unless you haven't eaten all day.
My favorite non-Italian place for pasta is Shabu, located at the corner of 16th & R. It specializes in sushi and in shabu-shabu, the Japanese soup that is similar to Mongolian hot pot or veggie fondue. Your table is fitted with a heating element in the center, and a metal bowl of your chosen broth is brought to your table. (My favorite is the spicy miso broth.) When you order, you pick both the broth and the items to be cooked, ranging from Wagyu beef, lamb, pork, chicken, or shrimp, tofu, noodles, and veggies. You get two kinds of mushroom, fresh shiitake and enoki, sliced green onion, some kind of cabbage or bok choy, carrots, or whatever else is fresh. Just place your veg in the broth once it comes to the boil, then dip in your meat or tofu to the desired doneness, scoop into your serving bowl, and enjoy. You also get a side of rice with this feast. Lots of fun with small groups. The downside of this place is its size--large parties need not apply. They are able to handle one or two parties of 6-8, but no more than that. They do open for lunch.
There is a huge Vietnamese community in town, and places that serve phở are everywhere. If you've never tried this wonderful noodle soup, you should take the opportunity to do so. There are numerous places downtown and midtown where you can take your hunger for slightly exotic Asian fare at reasonable prices.
And on the subject of Vietnamese food, the Queen of that Cuisine in Sacramento is Mai Pham. Formerly a news reporter for the local NBC affiliate, she opened up what soon became a conglomerate of Southeast Asian eateries. Her flagship restaurant is called Lemon Grass. Among other things, it has a wonderful noodle bar! Her company operates La Bou Bakeries and Cafes, and she owns Capricorn Coffees and Teas. La Bou has the biggest presence, although they usually are closed by 3 pm. In 25 years of eating there, I've never found anything on the menu that wasn't fresh, tasty, and just enough to make me want more but not feel the need to go get more. (Confessions time: as of this writing, I have yet to try the Lemon Grass noodle bar; it's on my short list. But reliable friends have praised it to me.) And oh yes, the apricot croissants at La Bou are to die for!
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