Appetizers: Fat Face moves from Davis to midtown

Today's "Wine Buzz" column checked out a fairly unusual spot for one of Sacramento's best new wine bar lists. You'll find that at Bows & Arrows on 1815 19th St., a vintage clothing store that doubles as an art gallery and cafe. It recently moved from L street to its current location, the former site of Retrofit recording studios.

Here's a little more about Bows & Arrows' similarly thoughtful food program, which is being run by Fat Face. Formerly based in Davis, Fat Face built a rep for producing some of the area's best popsicles - think kaffir limeade with avocado and strawberry-lemonade - along with a tasty line of sandwiches. Fat Face sold popsicles at the recent Sacramento Mobile Food Festival and went through more than 1,000 of these frozen treats.

So what the heck is Fat Face doing at a spot that specializes in vintage clothes?

"The idea mushroomed organically," said Olivia Coelho, co-owner of Bows & Arrows. "We started developing a following at Second Saturday with bands and art, and there was just a good vibe. When this building became available we wanted to do beer and wine, but to keep it all ages we had to serve food. I went to eat at Fat Face and was blown away."

Jaymes Luu, owner of Fat Face, closed down her popular Davis location in March to shift her operations to Bows & Arrows. The menu is still being developed but there's still plenty to stuff your (fat) face: a sandwich of smoked Bledsoe pork, with greens or chips and a pickled carrot; beer poached fig sandwich with carmelized onion, arugula and goat cheese; bar snacks including hard-boiled eggs with salsa verde and white anchovies plus a variety of cheese plates. Sandwich plates cost around $9, and those terrific popsicles can be yours for $3 a pop.

"It's a great opportunity," said Luu. "I definitely wouldn't call this fine dining, but I wanted thoughtful food with great flavors and complexity. The pork has been brined, rubbed and smoked. I'm also working on a smoked salmon pate sandwich with beets and onions."

To wash it all down, the cafe offers Mexican Coca-Cola and small-batch sodas along with a beer list that emphasizes Belgian ales (Achoueffe Houblon, Delerium Tremens) and craft brews from Lagunitas, North Coast and others. And if that beer list sounds too bougie for you, there's also $2 cans of Hamm's and Miller High Life.

Take that, Nordstrom Cafe.

For more information: www.bowscollective.com or 916-822-5668. Bows & Arrows is open Tuesdays through Saturdays from 11 a.m. to 11 p.m.