(UPDATED 10/8/19) Description and review of The Rind, a cheese-centric bar and restaurant located on L Street in the Midtown Sacramento Handle District.
What does The Rind – known for cheesy goodness – serve to vegan patrons during the Sacramento Vegan Chefs Challenge?
A friend of mine who blogs about vegan dining in Sacramento and I recently went to The Rind to check it. See related blog: Sacramento Vegan
I am not vegan – nor vegetarian for that matter. However, I looked forward to joining my friend for the experience. I like good food regardless, and I have dined previously at The Rind.
The Rind is located at 18th and L Streets in Midtown. Parking in Midtown is always a bit of a challenge – so I left home a few minutes early in case I had to circle around to find parking. As it turned out I had no problem and found a spot just a half-block away.
SacramentoRevealed.com – All Things Sacramento (from a personal perspective)
The Rind is charming – but it is small with limited seating. The restaurant does not take reservations – but there are other dining establishments in the near vicinity. So, you have options if you are hungry and not inclined to wait for a table to open up.
While at dinner I would normally order wine, we met for a mid-week lunch and we both decided to order iced tea – until our server informed us that ice was not part of the equation as the restaurant does not have enough space for an ice machine.
We could have ordered bottled refrigerated tea – but we decided instead to stick with water – and our glasses were refilled several times (thank you) with chilled water. I have always found the service at The Rind to be friendly and attentive.
Menu Review
My friend ordered The Veggie – a sandwich composed of assorted fresh veggies with Herbs de Provence inspired Cashew Spread on sourdough bread ($12) along with a side salad. She enjoyed the sandwich, remarking in particular on the taste of the cashew spread that was substituting for cheese. The sandwich came with a side salad of assorted greens which was left virtually untouched. When I inquired as to the type of salad dressing on the greens she indicated that it was virtually nonexistent.
I ordered The Masquerader Mac – a creamy puree of sun-dried tomatoes, cashews, and sunflower seeds with herbed tomato sauce, herbed bread crumbs and basil ($11). The Masquerader Mac was tasty, the portion was large, and it did taste as if it had been made with cheese. The downside was that the pasta was both overcooked and lukewarm.
Having dined several times previously at The Rind I am confident that this experience was an unfortunate exception – and one that will not stop me from continuing to patronize The Rind in the future.
See related blog posts: Annual Sacramento Restaurant Reviews Recap (2017) and The Great Sacramento Vegan Burger Battle and 2020 Vegan Chef Challenge
Updates
(12/20/20) Additional links added.
(10/8/19) Worth mentioning – The Rind is also known for their wine list. Not only does The Rind wine list have a variety of tasty wines that go with any cheese dish you may order -just ask the experienced staff to advise you on which wine will best complement your meal!
The Rind Snapshot:
- 1801 L Street, Sacramento, CA 95811
- (916) 441-7463
- Hours: Monday – Wednesday (11:00 a.m. to 10:00 p.m.); Thursday (11:00 a.m. to 11:00 p.m.); Friday – Saturday (11:00 a.m. to midnight); Sunday (11:00 a.m. 10:00 p.m.)
- Outdoor patio
- Street Parking
Comments on The Rind?
What has been your experience at The Rind? Do you have a favorite dish?
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