The Five Best Restaurants in El Dorado Hills
Finding something to do in El Dorado Hills isn't really that difficult. The town has plenty of amenities and means of keeping its citizens entertained but a lot of the time, I just want to spend an hour or two over some really good food. What is to follow is a collection of my favorite places to eat in El Dorado Hills.
Sienna Restaurant
A large restaurant that calls itself upscale-casual, features New American cuisine with an Asian twist. It has four fireplaces, a stone topped bar and a wood fired pizza oven. If you like the cachet of dining in the kitchen, request the Chef’s Table (presumably akin to the Captain’s table on a cruise liner). Or, you can dine al fresco on a warm night. The décor is inviting and attractive. If you are a busy El Dorado Hills real estate professional looking for a meeting spot, there is a private dining room with both visual and audio enhancements available. Sienna calls its ample wine selection “sophisticated yet approachable,” featuring more than 80 selections by the bottle, and 20 selections by the glass. Sample a “handcrafted” cocktail while waiting for your dinner companion. Try the sumptuous brunch buffet for a great value to enjoy with family or friends. You’ll find the servers pleasant and the spread to die for--an omelet station, vegetarian eggs benedict, apple hill apple cake, coffee cake, fruit, crème brulee, French toast and salmon Asian salad. Orange juice refills are free.
Asahi Sushi
In the middle of searching out El Dorado Hills homes for sale? Take a break at Asahi Sushi. At the opposite end of El Dorado Hills from Bistro 33, Asahi offers a friendly waitstaff, homey atmosphere and large-for-the-price bento boxes. Delicious tempura, and the sushi floats by so you can have extra fun trying to ‘catch’ the especially tasty ahi, chirasi, dragon roll and hamachi. Trip Advisor says: “Perfect quick bite before the movie.” They have an all you can eat lunch special for $12.95.
Pete's Restaurant and Brewhouse
This casual place claims to be “serious about good food and serious about getting it right.” The folks at Pete’s are beer connoisseurs, and make recommendations for ideal food and ale pairings. Sample Pete's Uptown Blonde, an American Pale Wheat Ale with Pete's Bistro Chicken Salad. You can also try Midtown Ale with the grilled wild salmon BLT. Yelp patrons love the burgers: “The beef itself is a good grade of meat. The bun has an actual flavor, as opposed to wonder bread buns found elsewhere. I usually order the Pete's Deluxe BBQ, which has bacon, onion rings, cheddar cheese, lettuce and tomato.” Pete’s features customer appreciation, late night and lunch specials, along with Monday night football.
Bistro 33
This is a very popular spot, where you can take a break from house hunting and catch dinner with your El Dorado Hills real estate agent. A lunch or dinner specialty is smoked salmon carpaccio, which includes house smoked salmon, a hard boiled egg, capers, fresh dill, lemon zest, red onion and homemade breadsticks. To cap off your meal, try spiced Mexican sipping chocolate with Grand Marnier Cream from the Chocolate Way section of the menu. A breakfast favorite is cinnamon challah French toast with honey butter and maple syrup. Housed in a dramatic dome structure, the typical crowd at Bistro 33 is in their 30s or 40s, which is in line with the EDH median age. Patrons love the outside patio and full bar. The restaurant is directly adjacent to a Cineplex, so take your sweetheart here for a fun date night. Bistro 33 serves lunch and dinner seven days a week, and breakfast on Saturday and Sunday. Happy Hour Monday through Friday, with drink and appetizer specials.
Bamiyan Afghan Restaurant
This unique eatery has a casual family atmosphere. Its website claims to transform a 5,000 year old cuisine for twenty-first century taste buds. Exotic flavors and traditional dishes are what you’ll find here. The Sacramento Bee rated Bamiyan #1 of the top 10 Restaurants of 2009. It also received the August 2010 Best of Sacramento Dining Award by Sacramento Magazine. You may be scratching your head and asking yourself: “exactly what is Afghan cuisine?” From the website: “Think varying attributes of Greek, Turkish, Middle Eastern, Persian, and then throw in some Asian and Indian influences for fun!” Bamiyan has an outdoor patio with a tinkling fountain, a small bar featuring Afghani beers and a tasteful dining room. The food itself is healthful, featuring meats, freshwater fish, vegetables, dried peas, beans, fresh fruits, yogurt, noodles and rice. No heavy cream or butter.
They also sell Afghan cookbooks and handmade carpets!