March Food Events
By Ashley Bennett
This month we’ve got everything from food trucks to cupcake competitions, Irish festivals to fine dining demonstrations. There’s no reason you can’t make at least one of these!
Starting March 1: The Mission Inn’s Presidential Lounge cocktail drink menu
The Mission Inn has seen its fair share of celebrities in the past 110 years. So to honor the Inn’s success, a list of celebrity inspired drinks is going to be available for the rest of the year. Fancy an Amelia Earhart inspired gin and maraschino cherry mix called “Queen of the Air?” Or perhaps a sip of the “Golf Swing,” a vodka lemonade iced-tea float inspired by Bob Hope.
Available thru December 31, 2013. The Mission Inn, 3649 Mission Inn Ave., (951) 784-0300; www.missioninn.com.
March 2: 1st Annual Wood Aged & Strong Ale Festival
This’ll be one serious party; it’s all about the Beer. Over 15 breweries will be in attendance to give you a taste. You won’t get a free shirt or complimentary mini-beer mug but your money is paying for some seriously strong ales. You’ve heard it before: Drink responsibly!
2pm-5pm. $30-$40. Killarney’s Restaurant & Irish Pub, 3639 Riverside Plaza Dr., Riverside, (951) 682-2933; www.killarneys.com.
March 2: Taste of the Farm Store
Look no further than the Cal Poly Pomona Farm Store for the freshest produce. Here you’ll find a ton of free samples, view a few cooking demonstrations and enter to win a store basket. Plus if you’re into bugs, there will be a bug fair too. If there’s anything the campus is known, its agriculture and entomology.
10am-6pm. Cal Poly Pomona, 4102 S. University Dr., Pomona, (909) 669-4906; www.csupomona.edu/~farmstore.
Thurs, March 7: Food Truck Thursdays
Now you can get your fix of gourmet food truck every Thursday! Trucks will vary from week to week, allowing you to get a surprise selection of different foods and tasty, fattening treats. This week’s trucks: Sno Panda, Sweet Lous Rolling BBQ, George’s Greek, Crepes Bonaparte and Piaggio.
Fairplex, 1101 W. McKinley Ave., Pomona, (909) 623-3111; www.fairplex.com.
March 8: 1stInternational Food Tasting Gala 2013
Join the culinary “chefs of tomorrow” with the Riverside Community College Culinary Academy where you’ll get to see and taste the flavors of Brazil, Caribbean, Germany, Greece, Japan, Italy, France, India and Vietnam.
6pm. $25. Riverside City College Culinary Academy, 1155 Spruce St., Riverside, (951) 328-3663.
March 8-9: 5th Annual Pechanga Wine Festival and Chocolate Decadence
No introduction needed. It’s chocolate and it’s going to be amazing.
Fri, 7pm-10pm. $45. Sat, 1pm-5pm. $65. Designated driver ticket, $33.33. Pechanga Resort and Casino, 45000 Pechanga Pkwy., Temecula, (951) 693-1819; www.pechanga.com.
March 9-10: 11th Annual Irish Fair
This fair revolves around the music of the Irish people, but you can’t have an Irish Festival without any Irish food. All the corned beef and potatoes you can eat.
10am-6pm. Fairplex, 1101 W. McKinley Ave., Pomona, (909) 623-3111; www.fairplex.com.
Thurs, March 14: Food Truck Thursdays
Now you can get your fix of gourmet food truck every Thursday! Trucks will vary from week to week, allowing you to get a surprise selection of different foods and tasty, fattening treats. This week’s trucks: TBA.
Fairplex, 1101 W. McKinley Ave., Pomona, (909) 623-3111; www.fairplex.com.
March 16: Experiencing Native Cuisine
Barbara Drake (Tongva elder of the Chumas Tribe) and Chef Paul Woods (Executive Chef for The Steakhouse at the Spa Resort Casino) are setting up a great presentation on how to prepare Native food.
11am-2pm. Free. Agua Caliente Cultural Museum, 219 S. Palm Canyon Dr., Palm Springs, (760) 323-0151; www.paccmuseum.org.
Thurs, March 21: Food Truck Thursdays
Now you can get your fix of gourmet food truck every Thursday! Trucks will vary from week to week, allowing you to get a surprise selection of different foods and tasty, fattening treats. This week’s trucks: TBA.
Fairplex, 1101 W. McKinley Ave., Pomona, (909) 623-3111; www.fairplex.com.
March 22-24: Food + Wine Festival Palm Desert
This is the month’s fine dining event, busting with gourmet food and a slew of culinary chefs showing off their skills.
$25-$75. Located in a large white tent on Larkspur Ln., between El Paseo and Shadow Mountain, Palm Desert, (760) 325-2333; www.palmdesertfoodandwine.com.
March 24: Blue Ribbon Culinary Cupcake Challenge
Endless sweets to feed the beast.
1pm-4pm. $10 per person (includes two tastings). City Hall Old Town Temecula Civic Center, 41000 Main St., Old Town Temecula, (951) 302-7597.
Thurs, March 28: Food Truck Thursdays
Now you can get your fix of gourmet food truck every Thursday! Trucks will vary from week to week, allowing you to get a surprise selection of different foods and tasty, fattening treats. This week’s trucks: TBA.
Fairplex, 1101 W. McKinley Ave., Pomona, (909) 623-3111; www.fairplex.com.
THROUGH THE MONTH OF MARCH
St. Paddy’s Day Specials
If you can’t say no to a group of cute little girl scouts selling thin mint cookies, you definitely won’t be able to refuse the Lazy Dog’s Thin Mint Milkshake. Nor will you be able to resist a holiday specific James & Ginger Cocktail with a side of some bomb Irish Nachos.
Lazy Dog Restaurant and Bar, 11560 4th St., Rancho Cucamonga, (909) 981-4131; www.lazydogrestaurants.com.
