October 2008 Archives
From Daily Bulletin columnist David Allen's blog comes this sad news...the Rancho Cucamonga Pei Wei, their sole Inland Empire location, has closed.
While Dine 909 is heartened to hear that they are planning to open a new restauant in Chino Hills, we will miss being able to stop in while tooling around Rancho.
For those who never got a chance to experience it in Rancho, Pei Wei is a more casual offshoot of P.F. Chang's. In addition to the typical Chinese offerings, they also have a smattering of Japanese, Korean, Thai and Vietnamese dishes.
I thought the results were not quite as successful as P.F. Chang's, but still better than your standard Panda Express or, dare I say, Pick Up Stix.
Let's hope this isn't the tip of the iceberg.
Click here to read David's post.
While Dine 909 is heartened to hear that they are planning to open a new restauant in Chino Hills, we will miss being able to stop in while tooling around Rancho.
For those who never got a chance to experience it in Rancho, Pei Wei is a more casual offshoot of P.F. Chang's. In addition to the typical Chinese offerings, they also have a smattering of Japanese, Korean, Thai and Vietnamese dishes.
I thought the results were not quite as successful as P.F. Chang's, but still better than your standard Panda Express or, dare I say, Pick Up Stix.
Let's hope this isn't the tip of the iceberg.
Click here to read David's post.
The fact that Dine 909 is a huge fan of fresh&easy has already been established.
Yesterday we got news that the Loma Linda store would open in December.
Today we find out that store won't open until January.
The map on the corporate Web site doesn't specify a date at all yet.
Sigh.
Good news is that they are considering putting a store in Highland, but haven't made a decision one way or the other, and they are going great gangbusters on that store off the 210 at Riverside Avenue in Rialto, which will be the closest one to me once it's finished next year.
However, it looks like I'm destined to drive to Fontana for my fresh&easy fix for the next couple of months.
Yesterday we got news that the Loma Linda store would open in December.
Today we find out that store won't open until January.
The map on the corporate Web site doesn't specify a date at all yet.
Sigh.
Good news is that they are considering putting a store in Highland, but haven't made a decision one way or the other, and they are going great gangbusters on that store off the 210 at Riverside Avenue in Rialto, which will be the closest one to me once it's finished next year.
However, it looks like I'm destined to drive to Fontana for my fresh&easy fix for the next couple of months.
Make a run for the border and score a free taco from 2 to 6 p.m. this Tuesday, October 28, at participating Taco Bell restaurants.
It's all part of a World Series promotion.
If you go, you'll be treated receive one of their crunchy beef tacos. Limit one per customer, of course.
Fire sauce optional.
For more details, click here.
They are indeed.
But only for four days.
The Hospitality Lane eatery is closing at 8 p.m. Sunday night, October 26 and will reopen at 7 a.m. on Halloween, which is Friday.
They are closing the restaurant to do a major remodel, which includes putting in a bar area. They've already started the process. During a recent visit, we were able to watch someone tile a wall while we dined. Dinner and a show, I guess.
So if you're craving their famous French Market onion soup (and I highly recommend their current seasonal salad -- Balsamic Chicken and Pistachio), you'd better hurry in. Otherwise you'll have to drive out to Moreno Valley, Rancho Cucamonga, Victorville, Chino, Corona or Upland to get your Mimi's fix.
Or just wait 'til Friday.
Dine 909 always looks forward to Fridays -- well, because they're Fridays -- and because that means a new BurritoQuest!
This week Jesse B. Gill investigates Mi Tortilla in Redlands. Mi Tortilla is a small chain that's an offshoot of Jose's, which is a slightly larger chain. In total, there's 11 restaurants split between the two chains.
I've only been to Mi Tortilla once, to their Riverside location, and I wasn't really impressed. Of course that was before the Redlands location was a twinkle in Jose's eye.
Click here to read Jesse's opinion of Mi Tortilla or click here to catch up on the BurritoQuest saga.
And for those of you in the West Valley, there's Daily Bulletin reporter Elaine Lehman's take on Moe's Chicken & Waffles in Fontana, which was reviewed earlier this month by Let's Dine Out food critic Allan Borgen.
Click here to see how Lunch with 'Lainey turned out.
This week Jesse B. Gill investigates Mi Tortilla in Redlands. Mi Tortilla is a small chain that's an offshoot of Jose's, which is a slightly larger chain. In total, there's 11 restaurants split between the two chains.
I've only been to Mi Tortilla once, to their Riverside location, and I wasn't really impressed. Of course that was before the Redlands location was a twinkle in Jose's eye.
Click here to read Jesse's opinion of Mi Tortilla or click here to catch up on the BurritoQuest saga.
And for those of you in the West Valley, there's Daily Bulletin reporter Elaine Lehman's take on Moe's Chicken & Waffles in Fontana, which was reviewed earlier this month by Let's Dine Out food critic Allan Borgen.
Click here to see how Lunch with 'Lainey turned out.
Sometimes the Inland Empire is lucky enough to get something that nobody else has...a giant arrowhead on the side of a hill, for instance.
Sometimes it's a dining experience.
Jason's Deli is a Texas-centric chain with locations in 23 other states, including California.
Lucky for us, Jason's sole California restaurant is in the Inland Empire, at 2555 Canyon Springs Parkway, in Riverside.
Continue reading Jason's Deli is a Dine 909 favorite.
After reading Redlands Daily Facts reporter Jesse B. Gill's excellent burrito adventure at La Perla del Mar in Redlands, Dine 909 was curious to try it first-hand.
So, we ditched out on the usual church breakfast and headed out to Redlands.
La Perla del Mar can be found at 1566 Orange St., at San Bernardino Avenue.
For all you old-school Dine 909ers, La Perla is in the former location of La Hacienda, which, if I can remember back that far, was pretty good in its day.
So we strolled through the courtyard and into the restaurant. A jukebox was playing Mexican tunes while Telemundo played silently on two overhead televisores.
Continue reading Dine 909 visitas La Perla del Mar.
This week, Redlands Daily Facts reporter Jesse B. Gill eats a Las Brasas burrito, but not at Las Brasas.
Dine 909 is a fan of Las Brasas. The Redlands eatery is one of the better Mexican food places in town.
Jesse's rather unorthodox review seems to agree.
At least he's giving a "thumbs up" in the accompanying photo.
To read the whole review, click here.
To catch up on the rest of BurritoQuest '08, click here.
Dine 909 is a fan of Las Brasas. The Redlands eatery is one of the better Mexican food places in town.
Jesse's rather unorthodox review seems to agree.
At least he's giving a "thumbs up" in the accompanying photo.
To read the whole review, click here.
To catch up on the rest of BurritoQuest '08, click here.
I often find that being a vegetarian is becoming less and less difficult each year due to the choices offered in area eateries. Although there are not a large variety of exclusive veggie stops in the in the 909, there is often that one thing I can have wherever I may stop. A list of menu items that are vegetarian from various restaurants that aren't. Hopefully there is usually at least one thing we can eat when going out to lunch with friends.
Follow the jump to see the list...
Follow the jump to see the list...
Continue reading Veggie Bites - Vegetarian selections in the IE.
From the Redlands Daily Facts: The Redlands Underground restaurant is hosting a fundraiser for the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society from 1 to 6 p.m. tomorrow (October 11).
Musicians will entertain, they'll have a free food buffet thanks to of US Foods and Washington Produce and drinks courtesy of Red Bull. The kitchen will also be open for ordering off the menu.
Definitely a cause worthy of anyone's time and money.
After the fundraiser, you might want to catch a football game.
Read the Facts' article here.
Musicians will entertain, they'll have a free food buffet thanks to of US Foods and Washington Produce and drinks courtesy of Red Bull. The kitchen will also be open for ordering off the menu.
Definitely a cause worthy of anyone's time and money.
After the fundraiser, you might want to catch a football game.
Read the Facts' article here.
So, you've got your Babe's Slim Pig N's in Redlands and its sow-sister Babe's Babe's Bar-B-Que Grill and Brewhouse in Rancho Mirage.
You've got your Famous Dave's in Redlands and Rancho Cucamonga.
You've got your mom-and-pops, like Bobby Ray's Bar-B-Que in San Bernardino and Gram's Mission Barbeque Palace in Riverside.
And beginning Monday, you've got another choice: Virginia Barbecue. A small chain with restaurants in Virginia (betcha could've figured that out), Maryland, Delaware and Michigan, will open its first California store right here in the Inland Empire.
Continue reading New Q in the IE.
Redlands Daily Facts reporter Jesse B. Gill has come back from New Yawk and has returned to doing what he does best -- eating burritos and writing about it.
This week, our intrepid burrito-eater went to La Perla Del Mar in Redlands.
Dine 909 has never visited La Perla Del Mar (and where else would one expect to find a perla?), but after reading Jesse's comments, it sounds like we would do well to seek it out.
To read the full La Perla Del Mar review, click here.
To read the rest of the BurritoQuest '08 articles, click here.
To read the rest of the BurritoQuest '08 articles, click here.
OK, we know it's only a grocery store, but we here at Dine 909 are big fans of fresh&easy.
We're well aware of the f&e-haters out there. We know that parent company Tesco is thought of as the Wal-Mart of the U.K.
We know all that, and yet we still like fresh&easy, just as we liked Chipotle Mexican Grill when they were owned by McDonald's.
We're well aware of the f&e-haters out there. We know that parent company Tesco is thought of as the Wal-Mart of the U.K.
We know all that, and yet we still like fresh&easy, just as we liked Chipotle Mexican Grill when they were owned by McDonald's.
Continue reading Oh, happy day...fresh&easy is coming my way!.
Like college football?
Like burritos?
Like free stuff?
Like free stuff?
Looking for something for you and the kids to do this Saturday night?
Then the University of Redlands has a deal for you!
This Saturday, October 11, is Take a Kid to the Game® night at UR as they battle Occidental College.
Here's the deal: All kids 18 and under, as well as any adults who bring a child to the game, will receive free admission. Can't beat that.
Here's the best part: All fans in attendance will receive a coupon for a free burrito courtesy of Qdoba. Free burritos? Yum!
The game starts at 7 p.m. and there's special fun for the kids during halftime, as well.
The Qdoba coupons, coincidentally enough, are good at their three Inland Empire locations in Redlands, Upland and Moreno Valley.
I don't typically associate avocados with the Inland Empire.
I usually associate avocados with northern San Diego County, where you can drive down Interstate 15 (the, um, "Avocado Highway") and see them growing in myriad hillside groves.
However, we do have a connection here in the Inland Empire. Redlands, specifically.
From the pages of the Redlands Daily Facts, we discovered that Redlander Giovanni Cavaletto is a member of the Hass Avocado Board. He was reappointed October 2. His term expires October 31, 2011.
Who even knew there was such a thing as a Hass Avocado Board? Is there a board for each variety -- for Fuertes and Gwens?
As it turns out, no.
The Hass Avocado Board, authorized under the very governmental-sounding "Hass Avocado Promotion, Research and Information Act of 2000" and established in 2002, was formed to, well, promote, research and dispense information about Hass avocados, in an effort to expand the market for the pebbly dark green fruits.
You do indeed learn something new every day.
So, help 'em out and make some guacamole tonight!
To read the Facts article, click here.
To read the original press release, click here.
I usually associate avocados with northern San Diego County, where you can drive down Interstate 15 (the, um, "Avocado Highway") and see them growing in myriad hillside groves.
However, we do have a connection here in the Inland Empire. Redlands, specifically.
From the pages of the Redlands Daily Facts, we discovered that Redlander Giovanni Cavaletto is a member of the Hass Avocado Board. He was reappointed October 2. His term expires October 31, 2011.
Who even knew there was such a thing as a Hass Avocado Board? Is there a board for each variety -- for Fuertes and Gwens?
As it turns out, no.
The Hass Avocado Board, authorized under the very governmental-sounding "Hass Avocado Promotion, Research and Information Act of 2000" and established in 2002, was formed to, well, promote, research and dispense information about Hass avocados, in an effort to expand the market for the pebbly dark green fruits.
You do indeed learn something new every day.
So, help 'em out and make some guacamole tonight!
To read the Facts article, click here.
To read the original press release, click here.
The Daily Bulletin's Elaine Lehman has done a lunch review for Panera Bread, which has bakery-cafés throughout the Inland Empire: Riverside, Rancho Cucamonga, Fontana, San Bernardino, Redlands, Corona and Chino Hills.
Read Elaine's review here.
Sun/Daily Bulletin/Let's Dine Out food critic Allan Borgen has reviewed Moe's Chicken & Waffles in Fontana. Always good to have a chicken & waffle place nearby!
Read Allan's review here.
Read Elaine's review here.
Sun/Daily Bulletin/Let's Dine Out food critic Allan Borgen has reviewed Moe's Chicken & Waffles in Fontana. Always good to have a chicken & waffle place nearby!
Read Allan's review here.
Our friends over at the Redlands Daily Facts have been on yet another BurritoQuest for the last couple of months, and with chief BurritoQuester Jesse B. Gill (does the B. stand for "Burrito"?) on vacation this week, Dine 909 was invited to join the BurritoQuest.
We returned to Casa Maya in Mentone, the site of Jesse's most disappointing burrito experience this year.
Facts Business Editor and burrito shredder Joy Juedes was in charge of the motley crew she assembled for this week's quest.
We returned to Casa Maya in Mentone, the site of Jesse's most disappointing burrito experience this year.
Facts Business Editor and burrito shredder Joy Juedes was in charge of the motley crew she assembled for this week's quest.
Continue reading Dine 909 joins BurritoQuest '08.
Craving kimchi? You're in luck!
The inaugural Taste of Korea festival will take place from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. this Saturday, October 4, at Court Street Square at the corner of Court and E streets in downtown San Bernardino
The introduction to Korean culture will focus on Korean Royal Cuisine, the food of the kings and queens of ancient Korea. Sounds delicious!
The event is free.
For more information, follow this link to read Michel Nolan's story on The Sun's Web site.
The inaugural Taste of Korea festival will take place from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. this Saturday, October 4, at Court Street Square at the corner of Court and E streets in downtown San Bernardino
The introduction to Korean culture will focus on Korean Royal Cuisine, the food of the kings and queens of ancient Korea. Sounds delicious!
The event is free.
For more information, follow this link to read Michel Nolan's story on The Sun's Web site.
Ah...the sights, the sounds, the smells and the tastes of the Los Angeles County Fair!
I've been a frequent visitor the fair since elementary school, when the school district would hand out free tickets to every child in the hopes that a parent or two would be necessary to chaperone that child (and pay admission price to get themselves in!).
Of course, when I was in elementary school, the fair still had that suffocatingly hot monorail, but I digress...
I've been a frequent visitor the fair since elementary school, when the school district would hand out free tickets to every child in the hopes that a parent or two would be necessary to chaperone that child (and pay admission price to get themselves in!).
Of course, when I was in elementary school, the fair still had that suffocatingly hot monorail, but I digress...
Continue reading Fun Fair fried food fandango.
The Candlelighters Childhood Cancer Foundation of the Inland Empire is having its "A Taste for Life...", a wine tasting & live/silent auction fundraiser, from 6 to 9 p.m. this Saturday, Oct. 4, at the historic Hofer Ranch, 11248 S. Turner Ave. in Ontario.
Tickets are $150 for individuals or $250 for a couple.
This is the Candlelighters' first wine event.
Seven vendors will be pouring wine throughout the evening.
Some of the items up for bid include:
All proceeds from the evening will go to the Candlelighters.
The Candlelighters work to provide emotional, social, educational and emergency assistance to families that have or have had a child with cancer. They currently provide services to over 600 families in 120 cities throughout Southern California.
For more information on this event, call Stephanie or Armida at (909) 558-3419.
Tickets are $150 for individuals or $250 for a couple.
This is the Candlelighters' first wine event.
Seven vendors will be pouring wine throughout the evening.
Some of the items up for bid include:
- round-trip tickets for two anywhere in the U.S.
- wine parties
- Napa vineyard tours
- a week's stay at Meridiana Villa in Umbria, Italy
All proceeds from the evening will go to the Candlelighters.
The Candlelighters work to provide emotional, social, educational and emergency assistance to families that have or have had a child with cancer. They currently provide services to over 600 families in 120 cities throughout Southern California.
For more information on this event, call Stephanie or Armida at (909) 558-3419.
About this blog
Fine and not-so-fine dining in the Inland Empire.
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