Not Just in Silicon Valley

Pork Chop Napolitano: Pork chop stuffed
with mozzarella cheese and prosciutto.

The needle had zoomed past 90 degrees F during our day trip to the Central Valley. Stopping for an early dinner, our specifications were simple: air-conditioned dining room, fancier than fast-food, and a non-chain restaurant. Buonarroti Ristorante in Lincoln, about 30 miles northeast of Sacramento, filled the bill.

In addition to the Continental-style main dishes (veal marsala, grilled salmon, pork chop "napolitano") we ordered appetizers (ravioli, calamari) and dessert (cannoli, crème brûlée). Our expansive mood will soon translate to expanded waistlines, but when we are out of town discipline goes out the window.

With entrees ranging from $19 to $34, the price-to-value ratio was just okay, but this is not a criticism.

The remarkable thing is that these days there's nothing remarkable about finding a decent restaurant in what used to be an old mining town. As the Valley shifts from agriculture and industry to services and recreation, change is occurring all around, not just in Silicon Valley.