Just three months after undergoing a decor change and debuting its new chef, midtown's Lounge ON20 (20th and K streets, Sacramento) introduced a new menu on Tuesday with reduced prices. Gone are any dishes that cost more than $18. Lounge ON20's new menu has been retooled to emphasize small plates and its bar food offerings. The change comes with chef Pajo Bruich, who's known for embracing molecular gastronomy and modern culinary techniques, hoping to drive more dining traffic to Lounge ON20 and offer more items that won't be a blow to the wallet.
"I've been evaluating the trends of diners and seeing what's working and not working," said Bruich. "We've been tagged as this molecular gastronomy kind of place but I think what we're doing is classic, simple stuff, but some people were still scared. I really don't want people to be intimidated and show that we're affordable and trying to do amazing food."
Among the new offerings: a $3 Niman Ranch mini burger, carnitas tacos with Tapatio foam for $7, 12-hour slow cooked pork belly with peaches and cornbread French toast for $11 and handcut pastas for $14. Prices have also been cut on such items as lime cured hamachi (now $11) and fried mac 'n cheese ($6).
"We want people to come in and share and pair dishes," said Bruich, "With these price points, it's more conducive to making that happen."
Update: Dishes can also be upgraded to entree size portions for an additional fee. Chef Pajo is also open to creating tasting menus for customers, using dishes that are both on and off the menu. For a chef's tasting menu, plan on paying between $75 and $100.
For more information: www.loungeon20.com
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