The Divine Dish

Dinner at The Falls Prime Steakhouse

Posted on Jan 30, 2010 under Archives, Palm Springs | No Comment

A few weeks ago my friend Paul and I took my friend (and Paul’s boyfriend) Chris to The Falls Prime Steakhouse for a birthday dinner.

We started with a few of their signature flavored martinis chilled with cubes of dry ice, sending a smoky plume out of each of our glasses.

We ordered starters of bacon wrapped California mission figs stuffed with manchego cheese and chorizo, one of the faves of the evening.  We also got a Caesar salad for three prepared tableside.

The menu features a long list of steaks, chops, fish and delicious sides to choose from.  I got a ribeye steak, cooked perfectly and huge, and Paul and Chris ordered halibut and lamb, all were tasty.

We also ordered some sides including grilled vegetables, organic cremini mushrooms and bermuda onions, and mashed potatoes.

We ended the evening with an order of flaming bananas foster.

If you get a craving for a smokin’ cocktail or a good steak the next time you are in the desert, head to The Falls, 155 South Palm Canyon Drive, reservations at 760/416-8664.

Dinner at Burger Bar Las Vegas

Posted on Jan 27, 2010 under Archives, Las Vegas | No Comment

My friend Sheila and I visited Hubert Keller’s Burger Bar when we recently stayed at Mandalay Bay.  The 140 seat restaurant offers guests the ability to make their own burger with dozens of choices of toppings, cheeses and different types of protein.  Diners can choose from Kobe beef, Colorado lamb, turkey, Black Angus beef and vegetarian among other choices.    Toppings can include bacon, fried egg, prosciutto, ham, foie gras, grilled lobster and other offerings.

We started by splitting this yummy espresso shake.  Yum.

I ordered the Kobe burger with onions, avocado and bacon and Sheila got the American Classic with the basics.  Here are our burgers.

We also got buttermilk onion rings and fries.  Both were really crispy and good.

Here we are in our booth:

Any burger lover will enjoy a stop at Keller’s Burgar Bar, which also has locations in San Francisco and St. Louis.  If you are in Vegas, head to Mandalay Bay.

Palm Springs LA Writer’s Dinner at BOA, West Hollywood

Posted on Oct 11, 2009 under Archives, Palm Springs | No Comment

Last week, approximately 50 writers from a wide variety of publications attended the LA writer’s dinner held at the trendy BOA on Sunset in West Hollywood (we never refuse a free meal, especially at a steakhouse).  The event was sponsored by a group of hotels and resorts, as well as the board of tourism and convention and visitor’s authority.  After mingling and cocktails, all of the writers moved into a private dining room for dinner and presentations.

Mark Graves, director of communications for the Palm Springs Desert Convention and Visitors Authority welcomed all of the writers.

Hilary Angel from the Palm Sprigns Bureau of Tourism also welcomed us.

Dinner started with a jumbo lump crabcake and a caesar salad.

We got to choose from chicken, salmon, Ahi tuna, filet mignon or New York strip steak.  I opted for the filet, as we were at a steakhouse, and it was delicious.  Sides included grilled jumbo asparagus, mac & cheese and roasted garlic whipped potatoes.   Here are some pics:

For dessert we had cookies, ice cream and cheesecake.

Throughout the evening, pr directors from a wide range of Palm Springs resorts and activities made presentations to update all of us on all of the new things going on in the desert.    Here are some of the speakers:

The event had fabulous food and was a great opportunity to network with other writers.   Drawings were held and weekend getaways were given out to many of the resorts – unfortunately ours was the only table that didn’t win a weekend away!   I got more info for my article on pet friendly Palm Springs, as well as all of the great resorts and activities now available in Palm Springs.  Temperatures have dropped and now is the perfect time to head to the desert.

That’s Amore! Dinner at Trattoria Fantastica

Posted on Apr 20, 2009 under Archives, Everything Else, Food and Travel News | No Comment

Last weekend I headed to Little Italy to finish research for an  article on the upcoming Festa Siciliana.  On Sunday, May 17, traditions of Italian art, music and food will come alive during the annual festa, now in it’s 16th year.

I met with Giovanna De Bono, her husband Tony (both belong to Roman Holiday – a group that sings and preforms Italian music at the festa and other venues), Bernadette Tarantino and her husband Mike Malone – she and Giovanna do much of the planning for the festa and Bernadette and her husband run Tarantino Gourmet Sausages – and Joe Busalacchi, owner of Trattoria Fantastica (where we  all met for dinner) as well as six other Italian restaurants in and around Little Italy.

I learned a lot about the history of Little Italy.  San Diego was the destination for many Sicilian immigrants at the turn of the 20th century.  Little Italy’s neighborhood, bounded on the south by Ash Street, on the north by Laurel, on the east by the I-5 freeway and on the west by San Diego Harbor, is steeped in the history of the Sicilian families that originally settled the neighborhood in the early 1900s.

By 1930, some 6,000 Italian families who had migrated from coastal fishing villages in Genoa and Sicily had settled in what is now known as Little Italy.  In 1967 the idyllic community was shattered when the I-5 freeway was cut south to downtown and broke the neighborhood up, scattering Sicilian families into pockets all over San Diego.  It remained that way until the early 1990’s, when new real estate and retail development began to revitalize the neighborhood.  In 1993, baker Mario Cefalu pulled together a few restaurants and bands to bring everyone back to the old neighborhood again – and the first Festa Siciliana was born.

Over the past 15 years, the festival has grown to include three stages housing singers, dancers and Italian bands, a Sicilian flag procession, children’s rides, arts and jewelry booths, a beer and wine garden, a Sicilian cultural center manned by residents sharing old photographs and memories and dozens of booths offering traditional Sicilian food.

Here is some of the wonderful food we sampled at Trattoria Fantastica:

Here is what my plate looked like – a sampling of all this yummy food.

Trattoria Fantasica owner Joe Bosalacchi joined us for dessert and more wine and shared stories of growing up in Little Italy.

We shared dessert – my fave was a wonderful canneloni that tasted like the ones I had in Sicily.  Joe then escorted us to his neighboring restaurant (he owns seven) Po Pazzo, an upscale grill complete with a long bar and music.

Giovanna and her husband Tony are musicians and they serenaded us and the crowd of diners  with a few songs.

Joe also got up and performed a nice rendition of “My Way,” accompanied by Giovanna’s husband Tony.

We all had a wonderful time – great food and lots of wonderful stories about the Little Italy neighborhood.

Be sure to hop on the train or drive down to San Diego to try some great Sicilian food, hear some music, and enjoy Little Italy at the May 17 Festa Siciliana.