Here's some exciting news out of Roseville (and Rocklin). David Hill's restaurant in Rocklin, The Chef's Table, opened three years ago and immediately had to confront two formidable obstacles - the plethora of chain restaurants in the area and the horrible economy that was prompting consumers to scale back on eating out.
So what's the good news? The Chef's Table has done so well and has become such a fixture in the community that Hill is opening a second restaurant, to be called Hill's Kitchen, at the site of the short-lived Pause restaurant in Roseville. The concept for the new place, which is slated to open in early June, is sure to attract attention in a town not known for its seafood.
"It's going to be a sustainable seafood and chop house," Hill said Thursday. We're going to bring in fresh seafood from various sources and have it as the marquee item."
The restaurant will be at 1465 Eureka Rd., Roseville, in a part of town with plenty of popular restaurants, including Paul Martin's American Bistro in the same shopping center. To keep up with progress as Hill and his team put some fresh touches on the near-turnkey building, check them out on the Facebook here.
Hill says there will also be a menu featuring cioppino, the seafood stew that originated in San Francisco. The meats at Hill's Kitchen will be as local as possible, including lamb, pork and beef.
I asked Hill why it was important to him to go the local/sustainable route.
"As a business owner, you have to support the people around you because they support you," he said. "Also, with a smaller farm, there's not the mass production and the inattention to the animals." In other words, chefs know that an animal that is cared for properly winds up tasting better on the plate.
In addition to the food, Hill's Kitchen will have a full bar. Hill says they will brew beer on site, enlisting the help of Brian Ford of Auburn Alehouse. The wine list, he says, will feature plenty of high-end labels, with a focus on the West coast.
"We're also toying with the concept of wine on tap, which is really big right now," he said.
As for Hill, he is still figuring out how he will budget his time. He says his crew at The Chef's Table has done so well that he knows the Rocklin restaurant will be in good hands when he has to devote more time to Roseville and Hill's Kitchen, which will have a staff of new hires.
How does Hill blow off steam and get some exercise when he's not spending hours in the kitchen? He plays in a hockey league every Sunday night at Skatetown
in Roseville.
We'll be keeping an eye out for more details, with hopes of stopping in soon for a first impression.
Blair Anthony Robertson is The Bee's restaurant critic. Follow him on Twitter, @blarob.
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