Past Stories
Experience-changing Margaritas
A trip to Las Casuelas Terraza will leave you full and happy
In a town like Palm Springs that features a 50-foot-high sculpture of Marylyn Monroe, it’s only fitting there’s a place like Las Casuelas Terraza, a sprawling beh...
SWEET CREPES!
Chino Hills welcomes a taste of France
With two locations in Long Beach, the French mini-chain La Creperie Café opened its third spot in Chino Hills a little over a year ago. According to assistant manager Joe Carlin, the thou...
Any Fish You Wish
Sushi purists—and sinners—can find a damn nice roll at Kabuki
Malls give me the skeevs. On the few occasions I need to venture into the Tyler Galleria or Ontario Mills I tend to sweat, shake and look furtively toward the&he...
What the Thai
Photo by Nancy Powell
Authentic Thai flavors come to the land of meat and potatoes
Norco isn’t exactly a Mecca for Asian, much less authentic Thai food. When Sam Pankaew touched down upon the part of town last November, ther...
A Sweet Awakening
Pine Haven Café’s Recipes Will Stuff You Well Into the Afternoon
Eating food should be a democracy made up of hungry people who can choose what they want when they feel like it, not when the time dictates what must…
Got Pho?
Pho Anam brings authentic Vietnamese cuisine to the Inland Empire
Some will cite that the hallmark of a good Vietnamese pho restaurant is grunge; the dirtier the restaurant, the more authentic tasting its food. And so Pho Anam...
Southern Comfort
Stene’s Southern Kitchen’s home cookin‘ is far from amateur
Home cooking requires the knowledge of what makes good recipes simple, but don’t even think for a second that “simple” means “easy.” You don’t need a...
Temecula’s Famous Dave’s Showcases Wilbur in All His Glory
Photo by Gabriela Mungarro
I know that this restaurant is called Famous Dave’s but it felt more like Uncle Dave’s because the atmosphere perfected its laidback mood. On Tuesday, Sept. 4, I visited the newly opened Temecula...
Pechanga Casino’s Great Hall of Vice
Photo by Nancy Powell
Great Oak brings four-diamond dining to the outer reaches of the Empire
If ever there was an occasion to honor high rollers, anniversary dinners, engagement celebrations or wha not, Pechanga’s The Great...
A Delightful Throwback
Photo by Bill Gerdes
Le Rendez-Vous keeps French cuisine alive in the IE
If I were to say that Le Rendez-Vous is a rather perfect representation of a French restaurant in the 1970s and ’80s with a few modern twists…
That Mexican Restaurant
Photo by Bill Berdes
It’s about time we discover the innovative Luna Modern Kitchen
While the IE has scads of taco stands and fast food places where one can find tasty and interesting Mexican cooking, there’s a glaring lac...
The Not So Denny’s Cracker Barrel of the Inland Empire
An old fashioned, Dust Bowl-era greasy spoon to challenge the establishment
Traveling along the 15 from BFE to the great Inland Empire beyond, one can find a treasure trove of greasy spoons wanting to indulge the errant travele...
Servicing Something More . . . or Less?
Photo by Bill Gerdes
Elephant Thai’s customer service makes up for menu misses
If ubiquitous means what I think it does, Thai food is ubiquitous in 2012. Thai restaurants are indeed everywhere. You can get a spring roll in S...
As Good As It Gets
Photo by Bill Gerdes
Pinocchio in the Desert doesn’t need to lie about its dishes—they speak for themselves
I’m quite glad that it took me an hour to drive to Pinocchio in the Desert in Palm Springs from Riverside; some&...
Taste of Italy
Bella Trattoria puts the ristorante back into patio dining
There is only one solution for unbearable heat: a satisfying culinary refresher. There’s no better place to restart your engine after walking in the heat like Riv...
The New King of Pork
Carnitas Don Juan makes perfect pieces of bite-sized meats
Juan had the perfect excuse to open a restaurant. He had been cooking for his entire life, mostly for his parents (whose mother owns the Calimex Deli in Los Angeles), a...
You Don’t Need Philly For This Cheesesteak
Philly’s Best brings the big cheese to the Southland
The most well-known icons of Philadelphia in Southern California aren’t the Liberty Bell, Benjamin Franklin or the Declaration of Independence. Nope, ask any Californian ...
Off To Grandma’s
The Avocado House specializes in home-style cookin‘
The major cities of the Inland Empire are crowded. Well, most of SoCal is but can you even begin to imagine life in a country home? Maybe 100 years ago, quaint places sprung...
A Little Soul Never Hurt the Man
Day-Day and Duke bring chicken and waffles to the Empire
It’s easy to drive right past Day-Day & Duke’s, surrounded as it is by Chinese food and donuts, a taco stand and seedy looking businesses. Pulling into a small lo...
The Yum Festival 2012
There’s no need to guess what was going on this past weekend at The Yum Festival. Food truck fans were busy stuffing their faces with deliciously gourmet and affordable treats that by far surpassed the quality of your average...
A Dog’s Wag
The Lazy Dog will have your tail swingin‘ at the first bite
Dogs have got it easy. No accountability and they get fed all the time. Sometimes you might wish that instead of having responsibility it would be nice to…
Destination Eats
Viva Madrid keeps up with the times
The first thing I need to state is that Viva Madrid is better than 98 percent of the restaurant I review in these pages, better than the generic burger joint with the seasoned…
Four Cheers for Hangar 24
As always local brewery Hangar 24 does not disappoint. Its 4th Anniversary Celebration, last Saturday, fell no short of expectations. By noon, the entry line was already beginning to wrap around the building and allotted celebr...
Island Delight
Kealoha’s brings the taste of Hawaii to the Mainland
Other than the likes of L&L and Ono Hawaiian BBQ, the IE has little to no Hawaiian influence when it comes to food. It probably has something to do with the…
Anything But Meh
Photo by Bill Gerdes
Sushi Kawa will make you think twice about the baked roll
Heard of the “Meh” meme? Something’s not great, not terrible, could even be considered even good, but forgettable, totally forgettable. Meh i...
Dishing it Out
Palm Springs’ restaurants open their doors for a week of fantastic eats
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A Side of Bocce
Photo by Ashley-Bennett
Union on Yale dominates the competition right out of the food court
Union on Yale isn’t just a bar or gourmet eatery; it’s a new restaurant with family style portions that victoriously employs new i...
Casking the Brew
Hangar 24 revs up for American Craft Beer Week
For seven years the Brewers Association has recognized American Craft Beer Week, which starts on May 14 and runs through May 20 this year, and there’s no better way to celebrate&...
