Two Days in the Desert

I used to live in Palm Springs and go there regularly, but I no longer have the ability to drive 2 hours to have a meal with friends out there and then drive 2 hours back to Los Angeles. Road trips over 1 hour driving time now require an overnight stay:) 

It was a pleasure to go back to Cielo on the 27th floor of the Morongo Casino. Last time I went there was before Covid for happy hour, but this time I wanted to try their full menu at the restaurant.

Dinner started off with a great bread basket and delightful butter.

 

Fried calamari for $25 was delicately fried and enough to share for as appetizer.

The Kale Chopped salad for $18 with feta cheese, cherry tomatoes, cipollini onions, pecans and apple, served with a blood orange vinaigrette was enough to share or could have been a meal for one person.

The shrimp and fettuccine pasta for $44 was very buttery and loaded with plump perfectly cooked shrimp in a garlic and basil. After all the starters it was nearly impossible to eat the whole thing, but the leftovers kept well enough in the hotel fridge to eat the next day.

Since Cielo is basically a steakhouse, we also ordered the kurabota pork chop for $48 cooked medium with a marsala reduction that was a perfect for any meat lover who appreciates quality pork done with a light hand and expertly cooked.

Since my friend had an upcoming birthday, Cielo offered us a brownie, chocolate covered strawberry, whipped cream and berries dessert with extra spoons for sharing ;)

The next day, I met another friend in Palm Springs at The Farm for brunch. The most decadent dish on the menu was the bacon, chicken, sausage, and waffle with a side of potatoes for $18 so of course we had to try it! It was a rich as it looks and I recommend a giant salad for dinner if you eat this for brunch!

We got a side of crab cakes to share.

I got the eggs Florentine for $15 and enjoyed it even though I prefer the traditional English muffin bottom to the multi grain bread they used.

We ordered 2 glasses of the Bouvet Brut for $11 each and toasted the pricelessness of friendship.

Day in Laguna Beach

Meeting friends at Laguna Beach was like taking a vacation for a day. Even though I now live less than 10 miles from the ocean, the last time I went to the beach was when out of town guests came in from overseas. Maybe because beach visits are related to vacations, it seems I only make to the beach when it's either my vacation or someone else's vacation :)

My friends chose Larsen at the Hotel Laguna for its panoramic views and Californian food. Making a reservation in advance will help guarantee one of the window seats, so plan ahead. The easy onsite valet parking (validation at the restaurant makes it reasonably priced for beachfront hotel parking). 

We all enjoyed the shared calamari appetizer for $24

One meat eater chose the caesar salad ($18) with added steak ($16) which was enjoyed even cooked at medium instead of rare doneness.

I chose the $28 octopus which tasted much better than the presentation looks.

This is half of the $26 shaved steak sandwich which was the least enjoyed of all our entrées.

After a stroll through Forest Avenue and a seat people watching at the beach, we decided to go for coffee before driving back. My local friends suggested Zéytoon with a quiet upper patio featuring a view of the water.

They also serve wine and savory bites ranging from hummus and grape leaves to paninis and kebabs if you want something more substantial than the sweet pastries we chose.

Their cappuccino was the perfect amount of caffeinated fuel to safely make the drive home.