Jodi Jackson’s Hollywood

What a great way to see historic downtown, and the Mansion District of Napa, and get some exercise at the same time.

I met George Webber when he was doing a tour in the garden at The Churchill Manor; I was very taken by him. He is theatrical and educational all at the same time. He’s the creator of the Napa Walking Tour and is also one of the guides as well. George made tourism his second career after working in the wine industry, Pacific Stock Exchange and the stage. He’s been giving Historic Re-Enactment tours of the Sonoma Plaza for 10 years: performing as General Vallejo, Mark Twain, and William Tecumseh Sherman. Info on George Webber can be found at www.georgewebber.com

My guide Mary was so up on her Napa history. There were so many fun facts. She told me about Napa and beyond and has spent the past 30 plus years living in the Bay Area herself. During that time she visited Napa many times and has been a full time resident since 2005. Mary lives in a restored 1910 farmhouse with a vineyard, gardens and chickens on the east side of town. She has been a Napa County Master Gardener since 2008.

Mary loves Napa’s rich and vibrant history and, as a graduate of UC Berkeley where she majored in history. She enjoys sharing her passion for the subject with others. Mary is a first generation American whose family immigrated to the United States following World War II. While Mary appreciates the abundant bounty Napa offers today, she feels that it is equally interesting to know how present day Napa has evolved from its colorful past.

The tour starts in the historic mill area then head north up the Riverwalk. It winds around to the river then back into the downtown area to make its way to the Mansion District. In this 90-minute tour you will learn about Napa’s history; Native Americans, Rancho Era, Gold Rush, Victorian Napa, Horrors of Prohibition, Boom Years of World War 2, Napa’s Transformation into being a Wine Legend. The tour includes a Micro-brewery Tour and Beer Tasting at Downtown Joe’s. Tour begins at Historic Napa Mill – 500 Main Street, Napa.

Very fun and very easy to recommend!

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http://napawalkingtour.com

From the outside you would think you were going to a Carrows, not a dinner house with a great wine menu and outstanding food. This place will fool you, what used to be a Marie Calendar is now Oventi, with all it fantastic Italian inspired cuisine. Oventi is located out the front side of The Winery Inn’s parking lot, so it’s a 30 second walk from the front door.

The interior is nice, kind of reminds me of the many upscale Italian restaurants in San Francisco’s North Beach. They remodeled the bathrooms, bar and created a macro brewery.

My host Carmelo, who moved with his wife from Santa Monica, used to run a couple different restaurants in Los Angeles. He was very informative and allowed me to order lots of good fare off of the menu.

Here were my favorites:

Appetizers:
Mushroom Bruschetta
Pan-fried mushroom with garlic, roasted tomato, red pepper pesto. Served on Grilled focaccia bread. This is a great rendition of this classic Italian dish=h. It had lots of rich mushroom flavor with hints of garlic and pesto, a very nice way to start my meal.

Grilled Asparagus, wrapped in prosciutto, served with hollandaise sauce. Very light with nice notes of lemon and smoky prosciutto.

Soups & Salads:
Caesar Salad, crisp romaine lettuce tossed with oven baked seasoned croutons, parmesan cheese & Oventi Caesar dressing. Crispy and cold, just the way I like my Cesar salad, I would order this again.

Italian Chopped Salad, chopped romaine, red cabbage, tomatoes, cucumber, pepperoncini, olives, salami and provolone, tossed with Italian vinaigrette. Very much like a traditional chopped salad but with it’s own twist.

Oventi Pear and Walnut Salad, mixed baby greens fresh pears, crumbled blue cheese, glazed pecans and light pear vinaigrette. This salad is very refreshing and healthy, a nice choice if you want something slightly different.

Entrée:
12oz New York Steak, grilled with sea salt & black peppercorn, finished with balsamic jus. Served with mashed potato & seasonal vegetables. A great steak with all its lovely marbling, it hit the spot.

Grilled Salmon, grilled wild salmon filled finished with lemon cream whine sauce, garnished with tomato, served over mashed potato. Cooked to perfection with a nice sauce, I liked this dish a lot.

Pastas:
Scampi Pasta, sautéed shrimp in light blend of olive oil, butter, garlic, lemon juice, tossed with angel hair pasta and tomato, topped with Parmesan cheese. The shrimp pops in your mouth, lush fragrant ingredients make this a must have dish.

Pizzas:
Oventi’s Favorite, tomato and mozzarella base, meatball, pepperoni beacon, Italian sausage and mushroom. I ate a lot of different pizzas on my trip; this one was one of my favorites. I like a crunchy crust; this one is light but with the right crunch.

Carmelo opened up a delicious bottle of Cabernet Sauvignon, Stickbeak, from Napa Valley; it was so perfect with the steak.

They gave me a bottle of their own Super Tuscan Extra Virgin Olive oil, which I have used and is fantastic.

One suggestion: the outside needs just a tweaking, to make this place a little friendlier from the street. This place will get noticed soon enough, for now you can walk right in and get a really terrific meal at a great price.

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Oventi
1990 Trower Ave.
Napa, CA 94558
(707) 637-4468
www.oventirestaurant.com

This used to be the John Muir Inn, similar to a Best Western; it had just undergone a lot of renovation, and was still getting a facelift when I got there. The front entrance was under construction, but that really did not make any big dent in my stay. They serve a really great breakfast and a nice wine social. For the money it is located right off the freeway, and is very convenient to anyone’s wine tasting tour.

The bus from San Francisco Airport or Oakland Airport is literally 5 minutes away, so if your there and are expecting anyone sharing your experience you can pick them in without even getting on the freeway.The next two restaurants that I went to were a minute away also. I planned my trip to be close to the bus as well as the next two restaurants on purpose and it was so convenient and perfect. If you are planning to do some wine touring, this hotel is right off of highway 29 which in Napa is a freeway but turns into a one lane highway when it winds its way to Yountville, St. Helena, and Calistoga.

The Inn has some nice amenities, a pool and a jacuzzi. My room also has a jacuzzi tub, unfortunately neither jacuzzi worked when I was there, maybe better luck next time. But there are modern, newly renovated guest rooms featuring contemporary furnishings, picturesque artwork, comfortable bedding, and complimentary high speed internet.

So all in all it’s a nice deal and very convenient, probably better to spend less on your accommodations and spend more on your wine purchases. They offer promotional rates and are pet friendly. Just remember its basic, it does not have all the bells and whistles that a traditional bed and breakfast has, but Napa Winery Inn does have a fantastic breakfast, with fresh scrambled eggs and bacon and all the other buffet fixings. If you’re ok with a Best Western kind of feel, then this property will do you just fine!

Napa Winery Inn

1998 Trower Ave.

Napa, CA. 94558

Napawineryinn.com

707-257-7220

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Located right next door to The Wine Way Inn, literally you can walk out the front door and be at the spa in sixty seconds. It is very convenient, as well as a nice way to spend a few stolen hours. The interior and exterior is beautiful, with lots of great spiritual artifacts. I did a volcanic ash bath coupled with a cool down session and a light foot rub.

First they put you in a porcelain claw foot bathtub, filled with very hot water, and volcanic ash. This part of the treatment is about a half hour to forty minutes. They also but some mud looking facial mask, as well as nice moisturizer. My attendant brought my cucumber water and cold compresses. After you are done with the bath you go to another room where you rest for a while and then are given a nice light foot massage. By the time you know it the treatment is over and you are feeling fully rejuvenated and happy.

I would highly recommend this as part of your over night stay at The Wine Way Inn, it will really relax you and put you into another dimension.

Lavender Hill Spa

1015 Foothill Blvd.

Calistoga, CA. 94515

707-942-4495

http://lavenderhillspa.com/

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Calistoga is one of my favorites places on earth. It boosts outstanding Napa Valley wines, but more important for me it has the most rejuvenating mineral baths on earth. The Wine Way Inn will help you escape into a peaceful world with all of the amenities a weary travel would want.

My Dad used to take me to Calistoga in the mid 80’s, to use the mineral baths at The Calistoga Spa. We would leave from Berkeley early in the morning stop at Clover Stornetta to pick up some fresh chocolate milk, stop at a road side fruit stand, and make our way on Highway 29 to Calistoga. It was a great way to spend time with my Dad and get some healing waters at the same time!

My room was cozy, with great amenities. A lot of Bed and Breakfasts don’t have televisions in them, it’s the host’s way of telling you to relax and unplug. I like watching television in my room at the end of my traveled day, it helps me unwind. Wine Way Inn had the biggest HD flat screen TV I have ever seen. Host Nick told me upon arrival, “We have On Demand with great movies”, I managed to watch 2. A few of the other hotel stays did not have TV’s, so this was a welcomed amenity. My room also had a fireplace and a state of the art claw footbath tub, fully equipped with a light show and strong jets, this was a highlight of my stay.

Built at the turn of the century the Wine Way Inn is one of the finest examples of Craftsman architecture in Calistoga. Reputedly built for Leland Stanford, the structural timbers are American white pine that were shipped around the horn from South Carolina. Converted from its original status as a family home in 1978, the Wine Way Inn is Calistoga’s oldest Bed and Breakfast Inn. The original adaptation, and the loving care of the current and previous owners, has preserved the best of the original architecture while providing accommodation with period charm and modern convenience.

Innkeepers, Gillian & Nick Kite also have their sister property The Craftsman Inn right next door, and the night that I was there they served their delicious breakfast there. On my next trip I am going to stay there and do another review.

Breakfast is Gillian’s department, she is the master chef responsible for all of her guest’s remarkable breakfast every morning. “I have been passionate about food and cooking for as long as I can remember,” she says. Gillian has studied cooking in Britain, France and America. She has published her own cookbook, Inn Food: Seasonal Breakfasts in the Wine Country. All done with great pride and lovely ingredients, just eating her breakfast will make you very happy.

Here’s what I had for breakfast:

House made Granola, made with nuts and just the right amount of sweetness, what great cereal. Owner Gillian packages this granola and sells it in the local markets.

Fresh Juices and French Press Wine Way Inn Blend Coffee

Apricot and pecan scones.

Breakfast quiche ~ fresh seasonal vegetables
served with apple wood smoked bacon.

The guest dining room and parlor have the original shoulder high oak wainscoting and leaded glass built-in cabinets along with a charming fireplace. There is a stunning multi level redwood deck at the rear of the house. You can see a great view of Mount St. Helena and the Palisades from the deck and garden.

Small and quaint, just another slice of heaven, I would highly recommend this sweet property. All of the amenities, great affordable prices, and little comforting nuances that you don’t usually get. This Bed and Breakfast rated high in my book, I will stay again and again.

Gillian & Nick Kite, Innkeepers
Calistoga Wine Way Inn
1019 Foothill Blvd., Calistoga, CA 94515
1.800.572.0679 • 707.942.0680
http://www.winewayinn.com/

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This place has been open for 27 years, so it is somewhat of a staple in Napa. It is off the beaten path near the Wal-Mart, but pushed back from a street parking lot. It is an independent structure, which has room for many different style special events. I went for the last quarter of the super bowl, and found myself in a comfortable environment with a big flat screen and good affordable Mexican food.

Here’s what I tried:

Antojitos – Mexican Tapas:
Prawn Tostadas – Lightly fried fresh corn tortillas are spread with garlic aioli, and then topped with a mixture of Gulf brawns, diced avocado, orange segments, and red bell peppers tossed with olive oil and cilantro. This is a nice light dish, with great Latin fresh flavors.

Sopa y Ensaladas:
Tortilla Soup- Fresh roasted chicken in a light broth with Pico de Gallo, tortilla strips, Monterrey Jack Cheese, topped with diced avocado, and served with warm fresh tortillas. More like Jewish penicillin then Mexican flavors.

Rio Caesar Salad – Originated in Tijuana, their Ensalada de Cesar features cotija cheese, crisp tortilla strips and pico de gallo. Unbeknownst to most people the Caesar sald was created in Tijuana, so it is pretty apropos for Compadres Rio Grill to feature this great item on their menu. It does not disappoint, try it and you will see.

Mexican Specialties:
Carnitas – This traditional favorite from Jalisco is one of their specialties…slowly simmered pork shoulder, shredded and served with frijoles charros, fresh tomato salsa, chopped sweet onions, fresh cilantro and jalapeno-marinated vegetables. This carnitas just melts in your mouth, slow cooked and filled with simple seasonings, this is a big winner.

The Drinks and Wine I tried:

Real Deal – Patron Silver, Cointreau and fresh squeezed lime juice, it will put lead in your pencil and make you remember why a margarita is the next best thing since sliced bread.

“Back Bar” Margarita – Reserved for the true aficionado – Milagro Reposado, Gran Gala Triple Orange Liqueur, fresh lime, a bit of Sweet ‘n’ Sour, and a touch of fresh squeezed OJ. Another great start to an amazing dinner.

Artesa, Chardonnay went great with the shrimp and the Ceasar salad.

Silverado Vineyards, Chardonnay, I love this wine, nicely balanced, not a lot of acidity.

Napa Cellars, Zinfandel, you just got to do this one with The Carnitas, it really worked.

Flora Springs, Merlot, worked well with the Carnitas too, could also have been paired with a steak dish.

Compadres Rio Grill beneath the surface is a true family affair, Richard Enos and his wife and 3 kids also work in the family business. Richard M. Enos (Rick) is an acknowledged, award-winning restaurateur. He is devoted to the hospitality industry as much as he is to his family and to the surrounding communities his restaurants serve. A native Californian born in Sacramento, he graduated from the University of Santa Clara. He worked for the legendary Victoria Station chain as a manager, director of training, and director of operations. He subsequently was in the wine industry and with The Cantina in Mill Valley before starting Compadres in the 1980’s.

Growing the concept to California and Hawaii, Rick is chairman emeritus of the San Francisco Giants Foundation, a member of the Guardsman, and an award winner in the small business category from the National Society of Fundraising Executives Hawaii Chapter. He and wife Nancy are the proud parents of three children Jeff, Scott and Lauren; all of who are partners in Compadres. They are also proud grandparents of granddaughter Emma. His wife Nancy Enos, is his partner and office manager, Nancy Enos is a graduate of the University of Arizona. An educator, she met Rick while teaching on the Monterey Peninsula.

Married more than 30 years, she has been involved in every aspect of the restaurant industry and offers valuable assistance in all administrative areas for the restaurants in Hawaii and California. Always involved in educational and youth activities, she continues her commitment to the next generation through teaching at Ross Valley Nursery School in Marin County and with a myriad of family and community projects.

Jeff Enos, Richards son and general manager is a graduate of the University of California at Davis. A second generation restaurateur and an accomplished athlete, who worked for the San Francisco Giants, he majored in economics and worked at Morgan Stanley, Dean Whittier in Marin County before joining the family business.

His other son Scott Enos, also manager, is a graduate of the University of Arizona where he majored in economics. Scott continues the Enos tradition of hospitality having worked in various positions at Compadres locations. Sister Lauren Enos, director of catering, is a graduate of the University of Colorado at Boulder where she majored in communications. She oversees lots of special events and weddings there.

They have received a lot of press: listed in www.VisitNapaValley.com, and CBS5 Video of Compadres , Napa Register – Pierce Carson column, Solano Magazine –review of the best in the region in which we were declared The Best Happy Hour.

Compadres Rio Grill’s motto is “Western Cooking with a Mexican Accent.”
Next time your in Napa and are in the market for a great Mexican meal Compadres Rio Grill is the place to go!

*Ref: restaurant website. Some text is taken directly off of the website.

Compadres Rio Grille
505 Lincoln Ave, Napa, CA 94558
(707) 253-1111
http://compadresriogrille.com

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When you first walk in you will notice the grandeur and opulence of an era long gone, but Church Hill Manor manages to keep itself authentic and timely. This place oozes grace and charm and all I can say is – if these walls could talk.

There is so much history here, in 1889; Edward Churchill built this magnificent mansion on what is considered to be the original street of the Napa founders. He built another mansion in 1891 for his son as a wedding gift right behind this one called Cedar Gales. Another mansion north of this one is the Goodman mansion, built in 1872. To the south was the The Manasse mansion, built in 1886 by an executive of the original Sawyer Tannery. This aristocratic lifestyle is reflected in these 4 mansions. Churchill Manor was the first residence in the Napa Valley to be listed on the National Register of Historic Places.

The Churchill Manor was the largest residence built in Napa during the 1800s. There are original leaded and beveled glass doors and fireplaces framed with ornately carved ribbon-grained redwood mantels and paneling. Pocket doors created by heritage burl redwood are one of the many fantastic interiors details still remaining. Six solid redwood-fluted Corinthian columns grace the grand staircase and the music room.

The Napa River was an active steamship route from San Francisco; many folks would travel on that river to parties in Napa at The Churchill Manor. Edward Churchill made his money in banking, beer and wine. His Tokalon Vineyards near Rutherford was eventually sold and is now where Robert Mondavi has his famous winery.

Edward Churchill died from an accidental poisoning brought on by himself, he took the wrong medicine and by the time he went to the hospital he was dead. His wife and daughter did a major remodeling of the building after his death in 1903.The original home was designed in the Second Empire architectural style, a two-story symmetrical building with a mansard roof and a square central tower. Changes consisted of removing this tower and adding an expansive colonial revival veranda surrounding three sides of the mansion. The original cornice and brackets were duplicated in the second-floor porch addition, supported by two-story ionic columns. A total of 22 ionic and Doric columns flank the veranda and kitchen porch. Mosaic marble-floored patio was also enclosed to create a bright and cheerful solarium overlooking what was then the tennis court. The exterior wood siding was shingled and third-floor dormer windows were inserted into the mansard roof. Inside the mansion, gas was replaced with electricity and the third floor attic was finished off to accommodate overnight occupancy. Around 1940, the second-story front porch of the mansion was enclosed to create a private apartment for the elderly Mary Louise Churchill. An additional kitchen was an added and large window installed for her to behold her lovely front yard from above.

Edward’s granddaughter, Dorothy Churchill, resided at Churchill Manor as well, she had lots of social events and weddings during that time. Between the Depression and Prohibition, the Churchill family wealth disappeared. Dorothy eventually admitted boarders into Churchill Manor to help her subsidize its upkeep. In 1956 the Manor was sold and several families continued to reside on the second floor of the mansion, while renting the third floor to college students and using the first floor and grounds to host wedding receptions and other special events.

Joanna Guidotti and Brian Jensen purchased the property in 1987 and have continued the tradition of hosting travelers and weddings in the grand scale of the 1800’s.

Here’s what I had for breakfast:

All of their breakfasts are made fresh to order every morning and are delectable; they really do an excellent spread for morning energy call. I would come back just for their great breakfasts.

Huevos Rancheros

A soft corn tortilla topped with 2 fried eggs, queso fresco Mexican cheese, roasted mild pasilla peppers, mild salsa, and sour cream. On the side are black beans, beacon, and avocado slices.

Pancakes

Three golden brown pancakes made with fresh fruit of the day served with butter flowers, warmed syrup and bacon on the side.

Garden Omelet

Filled with Jack cheese, sour cream, marinated red onion, sautéed mushrooms, sliced avocado and tomato. On the side: roasted red bell pepper sauce made with champagne vinegar and slices of sausage.

Churchill Manor French Toast

Sciambria Bakery French baguette slices dipped in orange zest egg batter and served with warmed syrup and a dipping sauce.

This place is the real deal, so elegant and peaceful. The staff is so accommodating, I just can’t say enough. Demitri, Rebecca & Susan were so kind, never missing a beat, but at the same time not be so attentive that it’s annoying. They all added just the right amount of attention at just the right times. They also have wine and snacks between 5:30 – 6:30, one night I was the only guest so Dimintri took the bottle of wine and the snacks into the television room. I watched The Bachelor by myself with lots of yummy treats and a full bottle of great Napa Valley wine.

I just love this place; you are comforted by the grandeur of this old gorgeous home. The rooms are clean, there are no old smells, and everything is perfect. I had the honor in staying in 2 separate rooms during my time in Napa Valley. My first stay I was in The Rutherford, which has a great view, and sits on the corner of the property. My second stay was in the biggest grandest suite, The Stags Leap. Really any room would have been amazing, because just being able to stay at this property would be enough for any weary traveler.

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Churchill Manor Bed and Breakfast

485 Brown St, Napa, CA 94559

(707) 253-7733

http://www.churchillmanor.com

*Note some text is directly off of the website.

Sunshine, lollipops, and everything purple is what The Purple Room is all about. It’s an amazing array of fun loving Coachella folks wanting to eat drink and be merry. This place will remind you of when times were sleek and groovy. When good music, food were embraced and imbibed. No wonder Frank Sinatra, Dean Martin, Bob Hope and other notables would call The Purple Room their watering hole back in the 60’s! It is one of two original Rat Pack hangouts still around in the desert today.

The venue was called the Purple Room back at Club Trinidad in the 60’s, so when restaurateurs Mark and Tony took it over last year they wanted to bring it back to all of its splendor, and made it that swinging supper club once again. With all its glitz, glamour they managed to keep it’s historic roots in order. Getting its original name back was just one of the lovely things they chose to do. Mark and Tony are no stranger to the food scene in Palm Springs, they also own the great dinner house Trio.

I have a history with this place, so it’s really dear to my heart. When times were better, my parents had two homes in the Palm Springs area. I would be fortunate enough to tag along on numerous trips. We would always have at least one night out where we would get dressed up; have a nice dinner, and then a nightcap at the Club Trinidad. The room was much smaller, but always had good crooners singing those great old Sinatra songs. My step-dad Max was quite the looker; he always dressed to the nines. My Mom, Max and I would sit in the front row and bask in the joy of good music. Heads would turn whenever we walked into this place as a family. It was always fun, and my Palm Springs experience was never quite the same without a late night trip into Club Trinidad.

Here are my favorites:

Brussels Sprout Salad, blanched and shaved with feta, dried cranberries, walnuts and lemon vinaigrette. I always order Brussels Sprouts when I do my tastings. If a restaurant can manage to make Brussels Sprouts delicious then they can do that to everything on their menu.

1000 Island Wedge Salad, iceberg wedge, chopped tomato, chopped bacon, and 1000 Island dressing. There is nothing for me like a really great wedge salad, nice cold, crisp iceberg lettuce and a great dressing.

Spinach Salad, roasted beets, goat cheese, bacon, pecans and garlic ranch dressing. This salad was very healthy and light, with a nice no-nonsense dressing.

Colossal Shrimp Cocktail, a house made cocktail sauce really done the old fashioned way. There were huge shrimp with fantastic cocktail sauce. I would definitely order this every time.

Fried Oysters, Corn meal dipped with a remoulade sauce. These oysters had the entire wonderful briny flavor, which was delicately fried.

St. Louis Style Ribs were made with house made BBQ sauce. These ribs were sweet and just fell right off the bone. A very good choice!

Shrimp and Goat Cheese Grits were made with a twist on a southern classic. This was my most favorite dish. It really was an elegant comfort dish.

Dessert:

Salted Caramel Pot de Crème was so delicious. The Caramel flavor really knocked me out. This was by far the best dessert I’ve ever had.

The wines I tried:

Sauvignon Blanc, Cakebread Cellars – Napa Valley. This wine has lots of peach and pineapple flavors. I would drink this with the Spinach Salad.

Chardonnay, Trio Private Label – California had nice light fruity notes. I loved this wine with the fried oysters.

Chardonnay, Sonoma Cutrer – ‘Russian River Ranches’ – Sonoma. This wine would go great with anything other than meat. I liked it with the Shrimp Cocktail.

Chardonnay, Cakebread Cellars – Napa Valley, got to try this winner with the Shrimp and Goat cheese.

Cabernet Sauvignon, Emblem By M. Mondavi – Napa Valley, just an all around great wine which worked with the Steak that I did not talk about.

Zinfandel, Alexander Valley Vin. Redemption – Dry Creek. I always go for the Zinfandel with pork or meat. This was a great pairing with the St. Louis Ribs.

The Rat Pack world was a playground for fun, mischief and debauchery. The Purple Room offers you a great deal more, with a great old 60’s vibe, which stays true to its Sinatra roots. What I liked most about it was the return to a bygone era done in such a way that you felt it had been modernized in the process.

The Purple Room is a must in anyone’s journey to the desert. They have great entertainment every night. It will remind you that there are still places that are footloose, fun and fancy-free! But remember: What happens at The Purple Room, stays at The Purple Room. It’s where Palm Springs Plays.

Dinner is served 3pm to midnight on Tuesday through Sunday. Late Night Menu is served from 11pm to 2am Friday & Saturday and Happy Hour is 3pm–7pm, Tuesday thru Sunday.

The Purple Room
1900 E Palm Canyon Dr • Palm Springs, CA 92264
Phone: 760.322.4422
purpleroomps.com

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I consider West Hollywood to be my hometown; I have lived here for close to 23 years. I have seen many changes and have always been very happy to be a member of this community. Bossa Nova is located in the hub of “Boys Town”, but also has 2 other local locations. Right across the street is David Cooley’s Abbey, and soon there will be a lot more new nightclub/restaurant right around the corner. Keeping up with all the expansion in this small area is demanding, but Bossa Nova is up for the challenge. 2014 promises to be a huge reminder for how popular this area is and how lots of remodeling and new venues will be starting up.

The Abbey used to be at Bossa Nova’s location, they moved across the street and blossomed into the packed house it is today. Now Cooley’s and Lisa Vanderpump’s “Pump” will be moving in on Santa Monica and Robertson. Bossa Nova has bought the dry cleaners right next door and has big plans to upgrade the property, keeping in line with all of the other new changes to this booming neighborhood.

What I want to rave about with Bossa Nova is their fantastic food, and so many different types of food to choose from. Yes this is Brazilian food, but they also have Italian dishes, Mexican dishes, so… pretty much anything you would desire you can get at Bossa Nova.

Here’s what I tried:

Coxinha, Brazilian delicacy made with chicken and cheese inside a fried breaded dough. Kind of like a croquette, but more Latin.

Mushrooms Appetizer, Fresh mushrooms sautéed in olive oil, garlic, parmesan and sherry sauce. Served with fresh sliced bread. These are whole button mushrooms, very fresh and a great starting appetizer.

Camarao a Brasileira Appetizer (Charbroiled Shrimp) Garlic charbroiled or sautéed shrimp served with yucca flour, salsa and fresh sliced bread. I loved these, there are big and plump, with great garlic flavor.

Bossa’s Salad, a wonderful salad with romaine, tomatoes, roasted almonds, Gorgonzola, homemade style croutons and onions, tossed in their homemade style balsamic dressing. I had this one with shrimp and was very happy. The best part about this salad is the crouton. They are very large, with nice garlic hints.

Gabriela’s Salad with fresh spinach, arugula, fresh basil, goat cheese, walnuts, croutons, red onions, chopped tomatoes and corn, again with their homemade style balsamic dressing. This one I had with the grilled salmon. They don’t give you a huge piece of Salmon, its cut thin, but really mouth watering.

Bossa Nova Sandwich with boneless chicken breast, melted Monterey jack, lettuce, mayo and their own salsa on toasted Italian bread. This sandwich is very juicy, and is simple, but really terrific.

Churrasquinho no Pao Skirt Steak Sandwich, charbroiled skirt steak with Monterey jack, romaine lettuce, tomatoes, mayo, on toasted Italian bread. I ordered the steak rare, and it was so amazingly tender, this would be my stand by sandwich.

BBQ Bacon Burger, charbroiled half-pound patty, Monterey jack, bacon, red onions, lettuce, homemade style BBQ Sauce on a hamburger bun. It is sweet due to the red onions and BBQ sauce, but I’m all about sweet and savory, so this burger is high on my list!

Cristiane’s Favorite Tornedor Grilled Filet Mignon Medallions wrapped in bacon topped with Madeira sauce and served with mushroom cream risotto, and charbroiled asparagus. Order these on the rare side and you will be very happy, but the real jewel of this dish is the risotto!

Pink Seafood Risotto with homemade style pink sauce risotto with sautéed shrimps and scallops. So the pink sauce is a tomato based sauce, but very light. The scallops popped in my mouth, and the risotto is cooked al dente, what an accomplishment.

Manuella’s Special Pasta with shrimp, chicken breast, prosciutto, onions with their own Cajun cream sauce topped with parmesan. I had this one with fettuccini, if you like spicy then this is the pasta to order, it is very tasty.

Dessert:

Colossal Chocolate Grande Cake, more then 14 oz. per slice. This cake is oozing with pure chocolate heaven, really a treat!

Here are the Wine’s I tried:

Chardonnay, CK Mondavi, CA. Any dish that has shrimp in it works well with this wine, there were so many shrimp dishes that it is hard for me to pick out just one.

Chardonnay, Irony, Napa CA. I would recommend this wine to pair with the pink seafood risotto, well-balanced fruit adds to the comforting ingredients in this amazing dish.

Red Blend, Hahn, GSM, Central Coast, CA. In Cristiane’s Favorite Tornedor there is so much earthy mushroom flavor, that the wine balances the rich nuances just perfectly.

Malbec, Las Moras, San Juan, Argentina. Absolutely hands down this is the wine to drink with the Churrasquinho no Pao Skirt Steak Sandwich. The meat is so tender and the wine is so fruit forward, it almost tenderizes the meat even more in your mouth.

Zinfandel, 4 Vines Old Vine, Sonoma, CA. I liked this wine with the BBQ bacon cheeseburger, the burger and its sauces are sweet, and the Zinfandel is very full bodied, so it stands up nicely to all of the burger tones.

Cocktails:

Caipirinha, Brazilian mojito with no mint, fresh lime, sugar, ice and sake. This little gem will make your entire troubles go bye bye, and will quench your thirst at the same time. All of this with no hard liquor, hard to imagine, but Sake does the trick in this very popular cocktail.

Passion Mimosa, with special passion fruit concentrate. Great drink for afternoon brunch, very light and refreshing.

Their outdoor patio sits almost on the street, but gets you very close to all of the action. The dining room is very casual with a kitchen in the middle. I suggested that they put the kitchen in the back when they renovate or have an open kitchen so that people can see the chef. Marco, my fantastic server and manager said that they plan to have the kitchen hidden away behind what was the dry cleaner. He says that they plan on doing full renovation that should modernize the place to keep up with all of the new restaurants coming in.

The vibe is very relaxed, with nice ambient new age music. A cleaver mural resides on the back wall and the dining room is eagerly awaiting its make over.

All things considered, I would choose this fantastic food over a lot of my many stand byes. There is just so much variety, and what they lack in other peoples standards they make up for in great food, and a fantastic attitude!

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Bossa Nova
685 N. Robertson
West Hollywood, CA. 90069
http://www.bossanovafood.com

Tucked away on a back street, a small distance from the craziness of Old Town Pasadena lies an oasis filled with good ole fashion Americana, but with a gourmet twist. Here you will find all of your favorite fast food dog and burger stand items. The difference is, all of their fare is a mix of fun and eclectic delights that you remember from your childhood and with very unique combinations. What can I say about the best designer hot dogs on the planet other than… try it! It is so worth the drive to Old Town Pasadena to satisfy your dog and burger craving. Their menu items are so astounding, they are all huge, so come hungry and you will leave super happy.

Here’s were my favorites:

Haus Dogs:
The Cowboy with American cheese, smoked bacon, onion rings, BBQ sauce, crispy onions. The combination of BBQ sauce, bacon and onion rings really make this hot dog something special. All of their dogs, sausages, and burgers are served on sweet Hawaiian bread, which makes all the difference in the world.

Haus Burgers:
Freiburger, white American cheese, fries, haus, meaty and sweet, this burger was a huge hit!

Cheeseburger with American cheese, lettuce, onion tomatoes, and 1000 island dressing. The best cheeseburger ever. It oozes with juicy meat goodness and the 1000 dressing is one of my very guilty pleasures.

Haus Sausages:
Frickin Chicken, chicken sausage, hausmade marinara, melted mozzarella, and crispy basil. It’s very Italian, and very good.

Uber Corn Dog, uber kase sausage dipped in root beer batter, deep-fried with honey mustard. I really haven’t had a corn dog since I was a kid, so all of my good childhood memories came flooding back, and made for one delicious corndog experience.

Sides:

Tater tots, great little bit-size crispy potatoes, just like you remember but definitely not of the frozen kind.

Haus slaw, simple and direct but added a nice refreshing break from all of the big dog, sausage, and burger flavors.

Fresh cuts fries with Kennebec potatoes, these fries brought me back to a trip to London where I had the best fish and chips ever. There was some seasoning on those chips, like a mystery seasoning. I could never figure out what it was, I think these French fries had the same seasoning!.

The interior is very sleek, black walls, rolling bench type tables, with lots of red accents. Great rock and roll music enhances your dining experience.

The manager Tony was very accommodating, he instructed me on the best of the best menu items. Tony came from the corporate side of the restaurant world, working at TGI Fridays, he is brilliant at marketing, and Dog Haus has had some great eating contests to stimulate business. In 2013 he did a very fun July 4th hot dog eating contest, in January of 2014 they will have a slider contest, and when I had my tasting Tony did a promotion called “ Tater Tots for Toys.” You can tell that he is very passionate about his job, and the success of Dog Haus. The 3 partner owners of Dog Haus should be very proud!

Right now they only have 3 locations all in the Pasadena area, they are selling franchises, and I am sure it will go national very soon. What more can I say about this place, it boasts major accolades. So when you are craving a really great hot dog and hamburger, treat yourself and go to Dog Haus.

Dog Haus Biergarten
93 E Green St, Pasadena
(626) 683-0808
www.doghausdogs.com

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