Grange Restaurant and Bar

My friend Kate and I had dinner at Grange Restaurant and Bar Monday night before heading over to K Street for a performance at the Cosmopolitan Cabaret. Grange is a restaurant that I don't generally frequent because I don't think of their menu as being particularly vegan-friendly. But when I saw that they were participating in the Sacramento Vegan Chef Challenge this month, I welcomed the opportunity to check out this restaurant.

The first item on Grange's vegan menu is the Vegan Baby Beet Panzanella, with corn bread croutons, pickled turnips, watercress, walnuts, and sherry vinaigrette. There were two varieties of beets, and it was a delicious and satisfying salad.

The main course was Vegan Chickpea Croquettes, topped with a sauce of Jimmy Nardello pepper romesco and served with nantes carrots and charred broccoli rabe. The croquettes were very similar to falafel, without the middle eastern seasonings. This dish was tasty and very filling.

The vegan dessert was Almond Milk Panna Cotta, served with a vanilla poached secal pear, which was garnished with pieces of caramelized sugar containing bits of oats. I enjoyed both the creamy consistency and the delicate flavor of the panna cotta, and I really liked the addition of the caramelized sugar to the pear.

Grange Restaurant and Bar is located inside the Citizen Hotel at 926 J Street. Their phone number is 916-492-4450, and their website address is http://www.grangesacramento.com/. The special vegan selections are offered for lunch Monday through Friday between 11:30 a.m. and 2:30 p.m. and for dinner Monday through Thursday from 5:30 p.m. to 10:00 p.m., Friday and Saturday from 5:30 p.m. to 11:00 p.m., and Sunday from 5:30 p.m. to 9:00 p.m.