South Fork Grille
4364 Town Center Boulevard, El Dorado Hills, 916-458-0206, southforkrestaurants.com, @southforkgrilleedh
If you were new to the area, it wouldn’t take long to uncover the El Dorado Hills Town Center. With a bustling restaurant scene, beautiful surroundings, and year-round community events, it’s the perfect place for a foodie night out. South Fork Grille perfectly upholds the prestige.
Asian Sticky Ribs; Taylor Gillespie © and wholly owned by Style Media Group
From the same owners as Land Ocean and Sienna, South Fork Grille holds an air of sophistication that is on par with the ambience of their sister establishments. You can see the level of professionalism immediately from the staff, and you can feel it in the environs of the subdued lighting; both set the mood for after-work drinks with friends or a romantic date night out.
My wife and I made early reservations, after being told there was nothing else available, and walked into a near empty restaurant. Not to fret—they assured us one of the reasons we couldn’t get a later time was due to the number of tables they reserve specifically for walk-ins.
Hawaiian Spiced Ahi Tuna; Taylor Gillespie © and wholly owned by Style Media Group
Like clockwork, our server brought us menus, drinks, and an appetizer suggestion—coconut curry steamed mussels—without pause. The heaping serving was delivered within minutes, alongside grilled crostini and a slightly sweet and spicy curry that tempted us to grab the bowl and slurp it up. As discipline compelled us, we politely (and enthusiastically) forked out the last of the mussels as we placed our entrée orders.
Coconut Curry Steamed Mussels; Taylor Gillespie © and wholly owned by Style Media Group
Without delay, our Hawaiian spiced ahi tuna and Asian sticky ribs arrived for a surf n’ turf combo to share. For the tuna lovers, the server’s claim of the “freshest tuna anywhere in the area” held true. The line-caught tuna was indeed fresh, lain upon a bed of red curry macadamia nut rice and baby bok choy—a nice, light coupling after our appetizer.
Deadman's Blackberry Lemon Drop; Taylor Gillespie © and wholly owned by Style Media Group
The large plate of tender pork ribs came lathered in house-made hoisin barbecue sauce and a (maybe not so) healthy serving of waffle fries and peanut coleslaw. The combination of big, bold flavors was a great evolution from the mussels, and kept us coming back for more.
Gold Rush Ice Cream Pie; Taylor Gillespie © and wholly owned by Style Media Group
A dessert menu arrived quickly, and a recommendation was made—one that may sit in my personal record book of top sweet treats: ice cream pie. Now, imagine this: an Oreo cookie crust topped with a coffee ice cream center that stood nearly 10-inches tall with a thin, dense layer of chocolate and drizzle of caramel sauce—perfectly sliced into a picture-perfect piece of pie. That’s the dessert that arrived.
If you love the ambience of the El Dorado Hills Town Center, the newly added South Fork Grille should immediately be added to your list of must-visit dining destinations.
South Fork Grille ; Taylor Gillespie © and wholly owned by Style Media Group
Hours: 10 a.m.-9 p.m. (Sunday); 11:30 a.m.-9 p.m. (Monday-Wednesday); 11:30 a.m.-9 p.m. (Thursday); 11:30 a.m.-10 p.m. (Friday); 10 a.m.-11 p.m. (Saturday)
TRY THIS: Coconut Curry Steamed Mussels, Thai Chicken Salad, South Fork Philly Cheesesteak, Hawaiian Spiced Ahi Tuna, Jambalaya Pasta, Asian Sticky Ribs, Gold Rush Ice Cream Pie
DRINKS: Full bar; beer, wine, & cocktails
TAB: $$$
HEADS-UP: Weekend brunch (10 a.m.-3 p.m.); reservations accepted; spacious patio; kids’ menu; extensive wine and specialty cocktail list; rotating, low-calorie “fitness special”
by Ryan Martinez | photos by TAYLOR GILLESPIE
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