Dining adventures are offered daily at Citrus Heights’ energeticElephant Bar Restaurant, where patrons are emersed in a unique Africansafari setting.

The elephant-themed restaurant, located at 6063 Sunrise Mall, is alively change for those bored with Sacramento’s dining scene, as theambiance alone gives you something to talk about.

After being greeted by a khaki-wearing host who stands in front of alarger-than-life elephant, which has water trickling down its trunk, youare led to a dining area that is engulfed in a sea of terrifically tackyleopard print carpets. .

The jungle of the dining room also features zebra stripes and giraffespots on the ceiling, lush plants around the edges and paintings andphotographs of safari icons. .

Warm-paneled woods, bright polished brass and animal print cushionscreate a table setting that can be considered slightly elegant, yetrichly exotic. .

An enormous menu features a wide range of selections that includeanything from pizza, fish tacos and chicken tenders to angel hair pasta,barbecue pork ribs, lobster and chicken jambalaya. .

I must admit, decisions are hard to reach with such a large menu infront of you.While prices are fair, the food really isn’t anything to write homeabout. I have experienced a mediocre Honey Mustard Chicken Salad ($7.95)and the fairly savory Stir-fried Sesame Chicken ($8.95) on past visits..

This time I encountered the E-Bar BBQ Burger ($6.75), that while tasty,should have come with a one-inch stack of napkins. It was trulyreminiscent of the sloppy Carl?s Jr. burgers that are known to oozeketchup as part of the company’s latest marketing campaign. .

Many simply go to the Elephant Bar Restaurant for the drinks. A circularbar with elephants and palm leaves overhead, an imitation tropicalaquarium from behind and animal print cocktail lamps on the counteroffer many curious specialties, including the Prickly Pear Margarita($7.95) and the Jungletini ($5.95), a combination of vodka, dryvermouth, lime juice and Peach Schnapps with a splash of cranberry. .

While the food is only so-so, the restaurant experience is lively andfun. This is the kind of restaurant that you should go to when you arelooking to socialize and have a good time. .

Unfortunately, that good time also comes with a 45-minute to anhour-and-a-half wait on Friday and Saturday nights for a group of four. .

Don’t despair, you can always spend your wait searching Sunrise Mall fora walking stick, pair of binoculars and safari hat. .