Dream big

Dreamers: A few weeks ago, we reported Cookies & Milk’s plans to expand into daytime cookie deliveries, and at some point, open a brick-and-mortar. Those efforts might get accelerated if they win the Downtown Sacramento Foundation’s Calling All Dreamers competition, which announced its 10 semifinalists last week. Among the contenders, six are food-related.

Another high-profile one is Roots Creative Kitchen, which comes from Melanie Weir, the owner of Gluten Free Specialty (2612 J Street). It’s currently Midtown’s only completely gluten-free food market, and Weir wants to add a cafe to prepare hot food for those with food allergies and special diets. Another: Elk Grove’s Whey2Go already ships its protein-packed beverages around the country, but now the business is proposing a retail storefront as well.

The final three are a bit less established. There’s Figs & Feta, pitched by food blogger Alexandra Salidas Roll. She’s proposing a Greek dessert and pastry shop, which would also offer grab-and-go meals and Greek pantry items. Karma To Go would offer a mix of ready-to-eat and take-and-bake meals geared toward families on plant-based diets. The Sacramento Spice Emporium would sell spices, teas and other dried, edible goods sourced internationally.

The next phase of the competition occurs behind-the-scenes, with semifinalists hammering out their business plan revisions. Look for chosen finalists April 29 and vote for your favorite until May 26. The winner will ultimately win a $100,000 business start-up package, including up to six months free rent downtown and $10,000 in cash. Andy’s Apothecary (1012 9th Street) won two years ago, and the coming-soon-to-R-Street Metro Juice Company received an honorary prize last year.

Boo hoo: If you are a Wahoo’s Fish Taco fan, then I am sincerely sorry for your loss. The Midtown post (1820 L Street) of the Southern California-based Mexican food chain closed its doors last week. Then, oddly, Wahoo’s reopened them at 3 p.m. Thursday and Friday for just two hours, only serving $1 beers. The format is expected to last until May 1. Management didn’t show up to Wahoo’s either day last week, so no, I have no explanation for you.

Southern charm: The owners of South (2005 11th Street) leased out a neighboring business and are turning it into a private dining room—a new option for your big work engagements, birthday dinner parties if you’re popular and so forth. It’ll seat up to 50 guests and launch mid-April.