Nestled in a new shopping center off Highway 80 is a movie theater with a concept that breathes new life into the phrase “dinner and a movie.”

Studio Movie Grill, a Texas-based theater chain boasting an American Grill menu, has opened its first location on the West Coast and the Sacramento region is the lucky winner.

The Rocklin theater opened its doors mid-December 2014 and is the 19th and newest location the company has added, with plans to add more theaters in California.

The Movie Grill has seen pretty positive reviews so far, so of course I was on a mission to find out what the hype was all about.

Eating dinner and drinks, while watching a box office hit? Sign me up!

I made the trek to Rocklin on a Saturday afternoon after purchasing tickets online for the “The Hobbit: the Battle of the Five Armies”.

Parking was a cinch and to my surprise, there were no outside ticket booths or long lines to wait in. All tickets are purchased online, and moviegoers can say goodbye to the arduous task of finding a seat in a crowded theater because seats are chosen online at the time of ticket purchase.

Walking into the lobby of the Movie Grill was unlike the standard theater. It was a near-perfect mashup of a movie theater and an upscale restaurant.

The lobby includes a fully-stocked bar for moviegoers who have time to kill before the movie starts and a large lobby area with ample booth seating.

Walking into the theater was like walking into a rich friend’s private theater room with rows of plush oversized leather chairs equipped with full-sized tray tables and a built-in cup holder for ice cold drinks.

I sat down and pushed the red button on my table to summon the waiter and perused the menu.

After a short wait, he arrived to take the order. After contemplating between the Megaplex Burger and the Chicken Fajita Quesadillas, I went completely off the grid and ordered my favorite classic, Loaded Potato Skins. I added a Spiked Cherry Limeade, a Movie Grill signature cocktail, just for the sake of experience.

The lights were dimming and previews were starting when the food came out. The waiters began to crouch down, running food between rows so they did not disturb other guests. It was definitely a strange sight and the only con, as it was a bit distracting.

But nonetheless, my food was in front of me and I could not wait to dig in. The steaming hot potato skins tasted exactly as they looked — perfect. The potatoes were perfectly cooked and soft on the inside, but delightfully crunchy and buttery on the outside.

The garlic sauce and cheeses danced on my tongue and the bacon, green onions and sour cream were the amazing end to a perfect bite.

I devoured the other five of my skins and sat back happily satisfied in my seat.

There is no way I will ever go back to a regular movie theater again.