Local Cyber Monday deal: $60 for $100 worth of Sevilla gift certificates

Here’s a way to make a dent in your holiday shopping list, support a local restaurant and save money all at the same time.

Get five $20 gift certificates for Sevilla (whose Inland Empire location is in Riverside) for only $60 (plus $6.47 shipping).

Click here for the deal. (Note that the expiration dates are from December 25, 2010 to August 31, 2011. I’m figuring nobody has updated their website in two years.)

The Riverside Sevilla is at 3252 Mission Ave. Sevilla also has restaurants in Long Beach and San Diego.

For more information, click here.

Black Friday weekend deal from Macaroni Grill: Buy one entrée, get one free

We found another deal for you Black Friday shoppers (and others): Romano’s Macaroni Grill is offering a buy-one-entrée-get-one-free coupon.

The coupon is good through Sunday (November 25).

Click here for the coupon, which you can either print out or display on your mobile device.

Inland Empire Macaroni Grill locations include Redlands, Montclair, Corona and Temecula.

Do you like pie? I Like Pie has opened in Claremont

A new pie bakeshop, the I Like Pie Bake Shop, opened a couple of Saturdays ago in Claremont.

The shop, which specializes in both sweet and savory pies of all shapes and sizes, from whole size (10″) round pies down to jelly jar pies (muffin-sized) to toaster pastry-shaped (Pop Tartesque) hand pies to empanada-like fold overs and rounds to lollipop pies.

It’s kind of like a cupcake shop for those who prefer pies to cakes. A cuppiery?

Their selection is not limited to pies, however, as delicious pictures of cookie bars were spotted on the bakery’s social media feeds.

Warning: Unless you want to get instantly hungry, avoid checking out the photos on I Like Pie’s website, Twitter and Facebook feeds.

Also, if you plan on visiting I Like Pie, go early. We stopped by tonight just after 5 p.m., only to be greeted by a nearly-empty display case. The chicken pot pie sample I was offered made me want to make a return visit, however. For the best selection, we were told to get there before 1 p.m.

I Like Pie, 175 N. Indian Hill Blvd., Suite 102B, is open 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. Sunday, 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. Monday through Thursday and 10 a.m. to 9 p.m. Friday and Saturday through the holidays.

Much thanks to reader Judith for tipping us off about this one.

Free small frozen yogurt at 21 Choices today

Thanks to our friends over at IE Shine On for letting us know about this one…

It’s free day at 21 Choices Frozen Yogurt!

Anyone can get a small frozen yogurt today (November 20).

21 Choices has two locations in Claremont: 460 W. First St. and 817 West Foothill Blvd.

Today’s flavors at the First Street location are: Madagascar Vanilla Bean, Ghirardelli Chocolate, Holly Jolly Strawberry, Save the Twinkies!, Oreo Cookie Magic and Pumpkin Pie.

At the Foothill Boulevard location, today’s flavors are: Bad Santa, Christmas Cocoa, Caribbean Jingle Berry, Chubby Hippo, Madagascar Vanilla Bean and Circus Animal Cookie.

21 Choices also has locations in Old Town Pasadena and USC.

For more information, click here for the Facebook event page.

Kiss your Twinkies goodbye…at least for now

King Ding Dong is dead…long live King Ding Dong!

Hostess Brands, citing a Bakers Union strike that began last week, decided today (November 16) to shut down operations and is seeking permission from the U.S. Bankruptcy Court to close its business and begin selling off its assets.

That means no more Twinkies, Zingers, Sno Balls, Hostess CupCakes, Ho Ho’s, Donettes and Ding Dongs as well as Wonder, Home Pride and Millbrook breads.

And no more Chocodiles.

You’ll still be able to buy what’s on store shelves for as long as warehouses still have stock.

Then nothing.

Continue reading

Suite 106 Cupcakery lands on Daily Meal’s top 50 list

Rancho Cucamonga’s Suite 106 Cupcakery can put another big Ostrich-sized feather in their cap.

They’ve just been selected as one of the top 50 cupcakes in America by The Daily Meal.

The cupcakeries were judged in three categories: Menu, cupcake design and frosting-to-cake ratio.

Suite 106 scored an 8 out of 10 in both cupcake design and frosting-to-cake ratio, and scored 6 out of 10 in the menu category. The cupcakery’s chocolate salted toffee cupcake was picked as the shop’s must-try cupcake.

This garnered them 37th place on the list.

L.A.’s Sprinkles Cupcakes landed near the top of the list, at number 4, but others didn’t fare so well as Suite 106.

Georgetown Cupcake, home of the DC Cupcakes show on TLC? 43rd. And New York’s famed Magnolia Bakery only made it to 44th.

Congratulations to Suite 106 Cupcakery!

Suite 106 is at 12434 N. Mainstreet, Rancho Cucamonga.

Head over the jump to see the complete list.

Continue reading

Spots still available for tomorrow’s Holiday Wine and Dessert Pairing class at Rapour

You’re in luck!

There are still a few spots left for tomorrow evening’s (November 13) Holiday Wine and Dessert Pairing class at Rapour Restaurant & Lounge.

Really, you don’t want to suffer the shame and humiliation of having served a Riesling with your fruitcake…again!

Rapour’s Pastry Chef, Jessica Simpson, and wine expert, Maggie Hope, will be your guides to help you discover which wines to pair with dessert flavors and spices that will help make your holiday events a success.

Over the course of the class, which will run from 6:30 to 8 p.m., you’ll sample three wines and three gourmet desserts. Cost for the class is $30 per person.

Reserve your spot by calling 909-899-7999. Space is limited.

Stick around after class and enjoy Ra Pour’s small plates, half-price select bottles of wine and listen to Vintage Soul play the blues.

Ra Pour is at 7900 Kew Avenue, Suite 5410, Rancho Cucamonga.

For more information, click here for the Facebook event page.

Get a free Peppermint Stick Swirl shake with your combo at Arby’s

What’s better than a Peppermint Stick Swirl shake?

A free Peppermint Stick Swirl shake, that’s what!

Well, free when you purchase any combo at Arby’s and present the coupon you can print out here.

That is, if you can find an Arby’s.

Arby’s Inland Empire locations include San Bernardino, Ontario, Fontana, Redlands, Chino Hills, Upland, Hesperia, Victorville, Apple Valley, Barstow, Riverside, Moreno Valley, Corona, Hemet, Temecula, Murrieta, Palm Desert and Coachella.

[desi]gn cakes & cupcakes turns two; open shop is Thursday night

In the two years since [desi]gn cakes & cupcakes began, the bakery has won 13 awards, been recognized by the State Senate and have competed on Cupcake Wars.

To celebrate, [desi]gn will host another open shop from 6 to 8 p.m. Thursday (November 15) at its new commercial bakery, 12207 Central Ave., Chino.

They will have cupcakes (flavors haven’t yet been determined) for sale, and in honor of Veterans Day, all current and former military will receive a free mini cupcake when you show your military ID.

For more information and updates, click here for the Facebook event page.

Wine tasting dinner at Claremont’s Inka Trails Thursday night

Claremont’s Peruvian restaurant Inka Trails will be hosting a special wine tasting dinner Thursday night (November 15).

Gourmet Peruvian dishes will be paired up with wine from Peru and Argentina.

They will also have live music accompanying the dinner.

The cost of the dinner is $40 per person. Reservations are required and can be made by calling the restaurant at 909-626-4426. Dinner hours on Thursday are from 5 to 9 p.m.

For more information, click here for the Facebook event page for the dinner.