Best of the Burbs: Five don't-miss Elk Grove restaurants

Savory Fried Chicken: Don’t go in expecting KFC. First, it’s Filipino. Second, there’s java rice, or a steamed rice with a turmeric flavor; and of course pork lumpia and glazed or fried chicken. This is the spot—and you can’t find this on the grid. 9174 Franklin Boulevard, Suite C; (916) 395-3905, www.facebook.com/pages/Savory-Fried-Chicken/143716578992379.

Old Town Pizza & Tap House: The beer selection here is nuts. For instance, there was an Alpine Brewing Co. tap takeover last week. Damn, missed that one. Anyway, this is as serious a spot to brew down with a pizza pie as you’ll find in the greater Sacramento region. 9677 Elk Grove Florin Road, (916) 686-6655, www.otpmenu.com.

Hidden Sichuan: Live boldly and order off the chef’s special Chinese menu, specifically the inimitably seasoned tea-smoked duck with Chinese herbs. Oh, damn, so tender and rich. The sichuan and hunan dishes are also very classic—not that I would know!—and, again, you can’t find this style of cuisine on the grid, either. 9160 East Stockton Boulevard, Suite 150; (916) 686-8696, www.hiddensichuan.com.

Boulevard Bistro: When it comes to baller date-night destinations in the ’burbs, there is perhaps no greater than Boulevard. They do the seasonal, American bistro-type thing. Think bone marrow and filet mignon—and at a lower price-point than your chic downtown spots. 8941 Elk Grove Boulevard, (916) 685-2220, www.blvdbistro.com.

Lola’s Lounge: Lola’s is the big winner on Yelp, the ’burbs’ most popular spot, located on the main drag just east of the railroad tracks. The food here is tapas-forward, plus pan-Latin dishes such as lomo saltado (Peru) and bocadillos (Cuba). You can’t really get food like this on the grid—Tapa the World on J Street is more Spanish—so that in and of itself makes the voyage worthwhile. 9085 Elk Grove Boulevard, (916) 685-5652, http://lolaslounge.us.