Paul Martin's Fall Menu is Here

Fall means a change in the weather, in the gardens, and therefore, on your plate. When the weather changes not only does our produce in the stores change, but so do our appetites. Fall means squashes, Brussels sprouts, and the beginning of braised meats. And in our new world of farm-to-table dining, the menus at your favorite restaurants change as well.

I haven't been to Paul Martin's American Grill in years. The main reason is that  I live about 30 miles away from the nearest one in Roseville. Recently I was invited to go and check out their fall menu and I figured it would be a good time to revisit them and to catch up with someone who lives out that way, my ex-husband.


Now as intriguing as that may sound, we're not here to talk about my cordial relationship with my ex. We're here to see what sorts of things are on the menu for fall.  I did not take any pictures because the lights were too low for good photos. These pictures were supplied by Paul Martin's PR firm.


One thing Paul Martin's does is have the server explain their motto = "Seasonal & Delicious". You are told that they try very hard to have everything be both seasonal and as local as possible. The meat and fish come from sustainable fisheries and from free-range and natural producing farms. The sauces and dressings are made in-house and the smoked fish and meats are also. This is definitely in line with Sacramento's Farm-to-Fork movement. 



Brand new to the menu is their Pastrami Sandwich, made with all natural beef/brisket and brined for a week. It is slow-cooked for tenderness and topped with house-made pickles. Returning fall menu items brought back by popular demand include the Castroville Artichoke starter- mesquite grilled and served with pesto aioli, The Wild Mushroom Soup made from six different types of mushrooms, and the Hoisin-Marinated Pork Chop. Also making a comeback is their Pear Huckleberry Crisp with fresh huckleberries all the way from Montana.




We put the in-house smoking to the flavor test by ordering the smoked salmon as one of our appetizers. It was well smoked, but not overpowering. It was also a generous portion. The picture above is not how ours was. Ours was a nice piece of fish, not shredded. Our other appetizer was the grilled artichoke. 





The signs of autumn were seen in our entrees. My ex chose the Braised Short Rib, a classic winter comfort dish. I had a craving for a ribeye, so I chose the Blackened Ribeye, but instead of potatoes, I asked for the sauteed Brussels sprouts. 




For dessert my ex had the Pear Huckleberry Crisp while I opted for the Banana Cream Pie. 


If you are a lobster lover they have Maine lobster tails available as an entree or as an add-on until November 4th.


Disclosure: I was comped a free dinner for two in exchange for this post.