420pm, 2/3/2023
https://www.rangeroseville.com/
Yesterday I finally checked out this spot on E. Roseville Parkway at N. Sunrise that I’ve been eyeing for about a year. Its Range Kitchen & Tap, snuggled right in between Bad Bakers and Tandoori Night (both excellent spots BTW). I had this thought in my head about having read about a patio here, and I was imagining it on the back side, looking over Miner’s Ravine, with its bike trail and creek. Once I had arrived and sent my drone up I realized that would be impossible, as there’s an immediate steep drop off into the ravine just past the building. The patio in question was a small one in front, not quite as picturesque as I had been thinking. (Now that I’m about to post this, I see that they have utilized the space in between Starbucks and Bad Bakers as an extended patio, per their website. This must have been what I was remembering)
But not to get off the rails here before we get started, I headed in for a very early dinner around half past four. I stepped inside and was greeted right away from behind the bar. Just inside is a nice little waiting area and a host’s podium. The space is split down the middle with the left side dominated by the front end of the kitchen and the bar. The right side is all dining room, with some high top tables up front by the windows and a room that could probably be reserved for a large group at the back.
There were just a few tables seated and the staff vastly outnumbered the customers at this early hour. Most were getting ready for the impending Friday night dinner rush. The bartender, Marjory(sp?), laid out the beer and dinner menus in front of me. Having already had a few stouts today I decided to get something much lighter, and figured it would go better with the dish I had expected to order. I picked out Hobo Pils (Pilsner, Dust Bowl Brewing Co., Turlock, CA; 5.3%)[$8, -$1 Happy Hour]. It was crisp and clean and just what I was looking for.
With that in hand, Marjory told me about the fresh fish and the wild game options on the menu. The fish was a sea bass that sort of piqued my interest. I can’t recall what the game was, obviously I was focused on the fish vs my other choice, which was the scallops. I asked her recommendation and ultimately decided on the Pan Seared Scallops (wild mushroom risotto with a champagne cream sauce)[$34]. I rarely order scallops outside of sushi but they just called to me this time.
The scallops took just under fifteen minutes to come out. Arranged on a long dish, three good sized (maybe 2in in diameter) scallops were perched atop the fluffy risotto. The risotto had chunks of tasty, earthy mushrooms throughout it. I sliced through the first scallop, using a butter knife, with ease. It was delicate, almost creamy smooth and had a lovely flavor that was complimented nicely with the champagne sauce. The risotto was very nice, especially with the mushrooms, and was great to get a little scallop and mushroom in the same bite. I was very pleased with this dish.
Feeling full I talked myself in and out of asking about dessert a few times before Marjory had presented the little square paper menu, sealing the deal. There were, I think, five options on it. I neglected to snap a picture of it, but some of them were Cheese Cake, Apple Fruit Crisp, and what I ordered, the Chocolate Pot de Crème (all $10). This came out in a little glass jar and was maybe 6-8oz of some of the most dense, rich, decadent chocolate I’ve ever had. I’ve been struggling to come up with an adequate comparison of some substance to describe its substantial texture. The best I’ve come up with is a very cold caramel sauce, yet this was much silkier, somewhere between fudge and mousse. If you like chocolate then you should check this out. Coarse salt sprinkled on top gave the first few bites something extra, an almost peanut buttery flavor. Hell maybe there was peanut butter in it, I don’t know, but it was great.
This is a great little hidden gem of a dinner spot. You won’t see the sign until you’re well into the parking lot, coming from N. Sunrise, as it’s blocked by a tree. I definitely would recommend it.
Eating Through Roseville 