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.

Bianca and The Rose

I've enjoyed all my meals at Bianca, and brunch last week was no exception. Their seafood salad was one of the best I've ever eaten, with tender squid, shrimp, clams, and mussels, all perfectly seasoned and lightly cooked so that the pure flavors sparkled when hit with a squeeze of lemon for $26

The skirt steak sandwich was on special that day and a filling rendition with a nice balance of meat, vegetables, and bread, served alongside a small salad.

Eggplant parmigiana for $20 was exquisitely comforting in a vegetarian way ;) Service is always impeccable, and if you just keep your sights on the patio, you can image being in Italy instead of Culver City.

Since Bianca is not open everyday for breakfast or lunch, I went with a friend to The Rose in Venice. I think the first time I ate at the Rose was several decades ago, so the fact that this place is still open and still thriving is remarkable in terms of any business, but especially in the restaurant business, and even more so after the pandemic changed everyone's sense of what was necessary and what was valuable in life. 

Their side salad is a nice way to add some fresh greens when you order something that comes with chips or fries...

like their shrimp burger with a side of homemade chips! The shrimp burger had a nice shrimp shui mai texture, and the bun was good enough to eat on its own. I liked that they used a slice of heirloom tomato and a lively leaf of lettuce in the sandwich.

If you are coming from the gym around the corner, or simply want a power breakfast, they have a Gold's Special with egg whites, poultry sausage, great mushrooms, spinach, sweet potatoes, and half a ripe avocado!

Service was great from the wait staff and bus person, but terrible from the hostess made me give her my phone number to "waitlist me" and then seated us immediately since there was no one else  waiting for a table! It was a nonsensical move that added on to my displeasure of her ignoring us until we stood at the host stand for 5 minutes. On the plus side, they took care of a safety hazard at the front door that we mentioned upon arrival in the time it took us to eat!

Dialog Cafe

Finding great coffee and great food at the same place is a rare and welcome combination. I wished I lived closer to Dialog Cafe, but the trip to West Hollywood is definitely worth it. Parking can be tricky during prime brunch hours, but you may get lucky with the metered parking across the street or you can park a little bit further on Sunset and walk off your meal:)

Yes, I am a coffee snob, and their blend of expertise and good beans makes an excellent cup of oat milk cappuccino. I've also tried their latte and they are equally good for those who prefer a bit more milk (oat or whatever else you might prefer). Their freshly squeezed orange juice is at the cash register counter, if you want something other than or in addition to your coffee.

Their brisket verde breakfast burrito is hearty, filling, and a bargain at $12.95

If you want a standard breakfast plate, called the Westside for $13.95, every component is perfectly executed, from the crisp bacon, to the homemade strawberry jam, and hash browns that set the paradigm for hash browns.

Their brisket is so good, that anything you order with the brisket will be a winner, like this brisket bowl for $14.50 that is like a decadent version of steak and eggs.

I love their vegan kimchi bowl for $13.95 so much that I ordered it on two occasions and both times, I devoured the entire bowl both times! The combination of pickled, fermented, and crunchy textures is one of the best uses of kimchi I've ever eaten!

Their protein omelet for $12.95 was so flavorful and full of turkey, spinach, onions, tomatoes, mushrooms, and parmesan that I was full all afternoon!

If you are in the neighborhood, or want to take a short drive, Dialog is definitely a place to stop for a coffee or a bite to eat. The service is top notch, from the people taking the orders at the register, to the food runners, and their sidewalk is dog friendly with plenty of shade.

French Miso Palm Springs

It's been over 2 years since I've seen most of my friends so on my trip to Palm Springs, it was nice to catch up with friends who live in the high desert after getting fully vaccinated with a booster. Champagne was the drink of choice for brunch at French Miso, which recently reopened for diners in their lovely courtyard location downtown. The Monthuy's Brut was only $56 and we could have easily drunk a second bottle! 

Booking a reservation and going as early as possible are keys to enjoying brunch here since they had already sold out of several items (including croissants!) by 1pm. 

Their menu changes constantly, but the day were went, these were the selections; we got the last order of Merguez, they were out of the Bento and Chicken Paillard, and no croissants or pain au chocolat :(

The herb omelette was nice light traditional fare with delicate herbs for $17.

Traditional eggs and bacon for $11 the purists.

I got the last order of Merguez (lamb sausage) with beautiful tender beans and a sunny side egg for $18 :)

Lovely service, a beautiful courtyard, and delicious food with friends made it the perfect way to spend a Sunday away from Los Angeles!

Bianca for Brunch and Dinner

Getting a table at a great place to eat brunch on the week-ends is a quest that sometimes leaves me feeling like Don Quixote fighting for an elusive seat at prime spots between 11am-1pm on week-ends. Thankfully Bianca is not only a beautiful place with easy garage parking, attentive service, and delicious food options, but it is also EASY to get a seat on the gorgeous patio by simply walking up at 11am on a week-end! 

Their cappuccino was a harbinger of the beautiful food to come, with perfect crema. 

One morning I chose their simple scrambled eggs for $14 and was enthralled by the creamy texture, perfect salinity, and beautiful toast with home made jam that came as an accompaniment. The plate is deceptively filling, and I was sad to leave a few bites on my plate as I was too full to finish everything.

The eggs Benedict for $19 was very rich and the dish to order for anyone who whose doctor gives a green light to this decadent rendition with gorgeous prosciutto cotto and an unctuous hollandaise.

The salmon toast for $21 is equally rich with scrambled eggs, so pick your vice and use your cheat day.

Their house salad for $18 is a medley of fresh textures that helped lighten up all the rich albeit delicious options. I would order this salad as a stand alone if you want something refreshing, light, and delicious.

The meatballs for $18 are a light and superb rendition that sits atop a marina that I could eat by the spoonful.

The branzino for $36 was presented before deboning and I found the vegetables delectable, but the fish a bit over cooked.

The moules (mussels) for $30 cooked with pastis and plenty of fennel were not only delicious, but a full pound made this a filling meal with the piece of bread at the bottom soaking up the delectable broth.

The grilled prawns for $40 were spectacular on the plate and the larger ones were cooked perfectly, but the smaller ones were a bit over done. The vegetables were marvelous and the quality of the prawns shone through. 

The service on every occasion was on point, friendly, and professional, and the atmosphere is gorgeous on the patio whether you go in the day or at night, so go while you can still walk in for a Sunday brunch and while you can still easily get a dinner reservation.

Cafe Vida

It's wonderful to have a place with delicious and bountiful breakfast and lunch options only a few blocks away in downtown Culver City (they also have a location in Pacific Palisades). Cafe Vida's only drawback is the wait on week-ends, but an easy way to save your place before you get there, is to put sign onto the waitlist on Yelp. Most of the seating is outdoors with plenty of dogs enjoying the company of their parents as they eat :)

Whether you want a light salad or a filling burrito, they offer it here as well as mimosas and smoothies to imbibe as you eat. When I go for breakfast, I usually get the breakfast sandwich with a side salad which is like a BLAT (Bacon, Lettuce, Avocado, Tomato) with egg and red onion on multigrain or sourdough that has been grilled with cheese for $16.50

My favorite salad is the rosemary turkey burger salad for $17.50 which will satisfy all of you who want less carbs than a burger but still crave burger flavors.

For a purely breakfast plate, I liked the Yucatan egg white scramble with onions, peppers, spinach, mushrooms, cheddar, and chicken sausage, served with tomatillo sauce and guacamole for $16.50 

You can add a side to any salad, like tuna to the caesar for $17.50 for a customized plate.

Enjoying a meal on the patio with the efficient and friendly staff, basking in the Southern Californian sun, while people watching is a local treat any day of the week.

Pann's Patio

Slowly getting back out to eat, so for my 2nd post Covid meal out, I opted for the patio at Pann's. Originally I was planning to go to Lunetta, but they were packed (a great sight to see), so instead I made a short drive down the packed 405 (seemed like everyone was on the road today just like any pre Covid 19 Sunday) to join a friend for brunch.

The owners live across the street from me, so it was a chance to not only support a neighbor, but also enjoy some company in a very airy, well spaced out patio. It was also a time to indulge in some fried goodies, and of course that included a side of bacon:)

Their cole slaw and potato salad would fit right in at any Sunday picnic

and their tuna melt with a great pickled jalapeno pepper and pickle is the kind you would make at home if you had the time and ingredients to do it properly.

I came for the fried chicken wings and since it had been so long since I've had non curbside pick up orders, I got some onion rings too; a reminder that some freshly fried fragile foods are best when eaten as soon as possible. Of course I had to get some spinach too just to be a little healthy ;) 

I finished everything except the biscuit and one wing drumstick, so it was handy to have the plastic serving containers double as take out trays. Hmmm that reminds me I still have that biscuit and wing in the fridge....

 

Breakfast at Urth

Urth Caffe has always been one of my favorite places for coffee, but I usually stop in for lunch or a coffee and sweet treat. I finally went in for breakfast and it is now on my breakfast cafe rotation when the line isn't out the door (which it is pretty much any week-end). 

They make fantastic granola, which is tied to my own recipe for my favorite, but since I haven't made granola in months, it was far easier to go there to eat their granola parfait with honey and berries than go through the shopping and prep required to make my own. Definitely a full breakfast for a light appetite or a nice supplement to a savory dish.

The italian sausage omelette comes with wonderful bread and a side salad, definitely enough for a big appetite.

The chicken pesto omelette comes with  the same great bread and side salad and again was a hearty portion with a very tasty pesto preparation.

Their omelettes are great for those who like their eggs dry and very well done, but I found them a bit too overdone and you can not adjust their doneness, so although they are very tasty and made with excellent ingredients, I would prefer to stick to my granola parfait and my favorite dark roast oat milk cappuccino. 

If it is a nice day (which in Southern California is almost every day) chose a seat on the patio near a fountain and appreciate the wonder of dining al fresco in the middle of Winter :)