Explore these 12 Inland Empire foodie favorites

• March 24, 2023

In some ways, San Bernardino’s food scene started with McDonald’s.

The McDonald brothers, Richard “Dick” and Maurice “Mac,” opened the first golden arches location on North E Street in San Bernardino in the 1940s. Their humble venture changed the course of fast food in America.

Today, the North E Street pitstop no longer slings burgers. (A franchisee-operated restaurant in Downey, which opened in 1953, retains the title of oldest continually operating McDonald’s.)

But a Route 66 proponent named Albert Okura, who founded the Juan Pollo restaurant chain, decided that this place was important enough to preserve. He transformed the restaurant into a museum dedicated to the first McDonald’s.

It’s a kitschy place that highlights San Bernardino’s indelible mark on Americana food culture. It’s also a reminder that our food history is intertwined with unexpected places like San Bernardino – places that aren’t necessarily glamorous, but after all these years, they’re still good.

From freshly baked breads and cookies at Old Town Baking Company to Mexican American classics at family owned Milta Cafe, which opened in 1937, San Bernardino dining spans cultures and generations. The big chains and drive-thrus might be the first thing you think of when eating in the Inland Empire. But, hidden in non-descript strip malls is a vibrant food scene often overlooked.

Syrian-influenced Mediterranean food at Mr. Kebab and Jamaican beef patties at Dhat Island Caribbean Creole in Redlands are squeezed into unassuming plazas. Historic landmark restaurants such as Magic Lamp remain beloved multigenerational mainstays. Others, including Tartan of Redlands, started serving steaks in the 1960s. The same family has operated Old World Deli in Upland for half a century. These are places that take pride in not changing too much.

Life moves at such a dazzlingly fast pace. But, it’s these nostalgic-inducing restaurants that transport us back to the past with each bite. They keep San Bernardino special.

For real old-school California foodies, you must try these under-the-radar gems:

Milta Cafe

The legend of Milta Cafe started when Glenn Bell ate one of the restaurant’s famous crispy tacos. He loved the deep-fried tacos so much that it inspired him to start his own fast-food chain, Taco Bell.

To this day, Milta Cafe’s fried-to-order crispy tacos are the must-try dish at this family owned Mexican restaurant. For many California foodies, this place is an institution.

It’s one of those places where customers order old-school combination platters lined with tamales, chile con carne, enchiladas and chile rellenos.

Founded by matriarch Lucia Rodriguez in 1937, Milta Cafe started as a lunch counter pit stop along Route 66. Rodriguez opened Milta with her first husband, Vincente Montaño. But when she was widowed, she remarried a man named Salvador in the mid-1940s.

The couple expanded Milta Cafe into the restaurant it is today. Lucia’s four children – Theresa Guillen, Helen Martinez, Vera Lopez and Frank Montaña – continued their mother’s legacy after she died in 1981. Then Vera, followed by Frank with his wife Irene Montaño, took over for decades. In 2013, Lucia’s youngest grandson and her great-grandson started overseeing operations.

11201 California St., Suite A, Redlands

Milta Cafe in San Bernadino on Friday, Feb. 10, 2023. (Photo by Anjali Sharif-Paul, The Sun/SCNG)

Old Town Baking Company

This Inland Empire bakery was started by Don Bishop in 1999. Bishop got his training as the U.S. Army’s head night baker when he served in 1957. Decades later, he decided to revive his recipes.

Though Old Town Baking Company has brick-and-mortar locations, including one in San Bernardino, the bakery also frequents farmers markets. In Orange County, farm stands at Manassero Farms and Tanaka Farms in Irvine carry Old Town Baking Company breads, cookies and baked goods daily.

999 S. E St., San Bernardino; 909-945-0400

Vince’s Spaghetti Route 66

Vince’s Spaghetti opened in Ontario in September 1945, starting as a six-stool, open-air restaurant. Grandma Rose cooked the food in her own kitchen, located 50 yards away from the restaurant, and then hand-carried everything to the customers.

The business was run by three brothers and their wives. They chose the location since it was on one of the main roads to Palm Springs at the time. The restaurant expanded over the years and, in 1968, Vince’s seating was up to 400.

As its name suggests, Vince’s Spaghetti is known for its red-sauce pasta. Vince’s claims to serve more than 30 tons of spaghetti every month. Today, Vince’s includes three locations, all family owned and operated. The Rancho Cucamonga location opened in 1984 and serves Grandma Rose’s original recipes.

8241 Foothill Blvd., Rancho Cucamonga; 909-981-1003

Old World Deli

This no-frills, old-school Italian delicatessen still serves “the same meatballs just as Ben D’Aquila rolled 50 years ago.”

The family-owned and operated restaurant opened in 1969. D’Aquila was a trained butcher from Queens, New York, who moved his family cross-country to California. They arrived in a 1957 Chevy sedan, armed with his wife Lia’s Sicilian recipes and Ben’s skills as a butcher. Lia, who was a WWII survivor, remembers American troops liberating Italy after the war.

The food served at Old World Deli is a blend of Italian and American flavors – and, in some ways, reflects the family’s ancestry.

At Old World Deli, the Grinder cold deli sub, hot meatball sandwiches, New York-style hot dogs with kraut, and Sicilian pizza by the slice are gateway items to order. But, for regulars – and Wisconsinite transplants – the broasted chicken is not to miss.

Never heard of broasted chicken?

Combine the cooking power of a pressure cooker with a deep fryer and you have the Broaster, a trademarked cooking apparatus built in Beloit, Wisconsin. Broasted chicken, which was all the rage at old school supper clubs, is less caloric than traditional fried chicken since it is exposed to the cooking oil for less time.

281 S. Mountain Ave., Upland; 909-608-0418

Tartan of Redlands

Tartan of Redlands is the quintessential steakhouse – prime rib on Saturdays; grilled steaks, lamb chops and burgers with thick-cut fries are mainstay menu items.

The American-style steakhouse opened April 15, 1964. Founded by three brothers – Velmer, Al and Art Croteau – the Tartan of Redlands remained a family business for decades. Their nephew, Larry Westen, managed the Tartan and eventually became a partner. Westen and his wife Barbara created the Tartan’s atmosphere, which became known as the “Cheers of Redlands.” When Westen died in May 2003, Larry Westen III took over.

In 2015, the Tartan was bought by Jeff Salamon and his wife, Lisa. Salamon, also known as “Solly,” was born in Boston, Mass., and served in the Marine Corps. Though the ownership changed over the years, the classic cocktail bar and sizable portions remain.

24 E. Redlands Blvd., Redlands; 909-335-8881

Steer ’n Stein

Steer ‘n Stein Restaurant in Rancho Cucamonga is one of the Inland Empire gems for those who love a great steak meal. (Photo by Anjali Sharif-Paul, The Sun/SCNG)

The steakhouse concept sprung to life in Huntington Beach in 1967. Though the Orange County location shuttered, Steer ’n Stein restaurants are still operating in Victorville, Moreno Valley, Hemet and Rancho Cucamonga.

As the name implies, beef and beer reign supreme here. The hand-cut steaks include the top-selling Stockyard and a 12-ounce choice sirloin. But the loaded potato skins are where most regulars start.

8348 Archibald Ave., Rancho Cucamonga

Magic Lamp

The Rancho Cucamonga steakhouse opened in 1955. The atmosphere outside conjures images of Old Hollywood meets Arabian Nights. Inside, red leather booths, white tablecloths and a circular brick fireplace exude a low-key lounge vibe.

The Magic Lamp feels like being transported back in time – and historians agree. The restaurant is recognized in Hampton Hotels’ Save-A-Landmark program as a site worth seeing.

Think: 1950s-style steakhouse with a Rat Pack vibe. Live jazz music on the weekends. Jumbo shrimp cocktails, signature prime rib with Yorkshire pudding and creamed horseradish, tableside carved Chateaubriand filet mignon with Béarnaise and Bordelaise sauces.

Even the desserts nod to old-school 1950s dining trends. The cherries jubilee flambé with cherry brandy and orange liqueur served over vanilla ice cream is simple and delicious.

8189 E. Foothill Blvd., Rancho Cucamonga

The Pines Modern Steakhouse

The Pines Modern Steakhouse at Yaamava’ Resort & Casino at San Manuel is continuously voted one of the top dining destinations in the Inland Empire. Wine Spectator honored the restaurant with the 2022 Award of Excellence. Seafood towers, Kobe beef and a cachet of rare, vintage and one-of-a-kind spirits are the eye-catching menu items.

But at The Pines, the steaks are where you should start. Choose from Kobe beef and other prime select cuts. Also be sure to save room for the house-made gelato and crème brûlée.

On weekends, the $79 brunch buffet includes a seafood display with snow crab, oysters and shrimp, a prime rib carving station, and à la carte options such as fried Jidori chicken and waffles, lobster hash and jumbo lump crab benedict.

777 San Manuel Blvd., Highland; 909-425-4889

Gazzolo’s Sausage Co. Restaurant and Deli

The old-world sausage maker prepares handmade sausages each week. The wurst meister uses fourth-generation European recipes to make classics such as bratwurst, bockwurst and knockwurst. Smoked Polish kielbasa and frankfurters emerge from the restaurant’s custom smokehouse.

The best way to sample the wurst meister’s wares are the sausage plates – served with hot German potato salad, homemade sauerkraut or red cabbage, and fresh-baked German bread with butter.

The menu also includes German, Bavarian, Swiss and Austrian specialities such as beef rouladen and wienerschnitzel.

A dessert not to miss: apple strudel that’s reminiscent of a drool-worthy scene from the film “Inglourious Basterds.”

132 E. Highland Ave., San Bernardino

Dhat Island Caribbean Creole

At Dhat Island Caribbean Creole oxtail stew and the yellow curry stewed goat share the menu with portobello sandwiches and green plantains. The Caribbean Creole flavors also extend to brunch. Beignets, cobbler and Southern fried chicken Benedict with Creole hollandaise sauce are great tiptoes for beginners to Caribbean and Creole flavors.

Red beans and rice, which is emblematic of Louisiana Creole cuisine, accompany most dishes.

The oxtail tamales and poisson (pan-seared fish, andouille sausage and shrimp) with grits are heartier dishes that conjure flavors of the islands.

308 W. State St., No. 1-A, Redlands; 909-798-6060

Mr. Kebab

Waled Daoud left his life in Syria in 1999. He immigrated to Riverside and started working as a waiter at Mr. Kebab. In Syria, he was a trained cook and brought that knowledge with him to the States. In 2005, Daoud took over as owner and chef of Mr. Kebab in Redlands. Along with his family, they opened a second location in Loma Linda in 2010.

The menu at both locations features more than 50 dishes ranging from Syrian specialities to all-American hamburgers. Starters include aromatic rice stuffed grape leaves with parsley and chopped tomatoes, kibbeh with ground beef and bulger, and dips such as mutabbal, creamy eggplant and tahini mixed with olive oil and lemon. The main dishes include the expected Mediterranean fare, falafel and shawarma. But Mr. Kebab also features more interesting plates such as quail and lamb chops.

Feeding a larger group? The family plate for five and catering options are available.

11201 California St., Suite A, Redlands; 909-335-8881

First Original McDonald’s Museum

Big Macs and fries are not served here – there’s a McDonald’s less than a mile away on Highland Avenue for that. This museum is the place where Richard and Maurice McDonald got their start in the 1940s, selling burgers, fries and beverages. In 1954, milkshake dispenser salesman Ray Kroc visited, was impressed by the business they had built, and convinced the brothers he could take their enterprise to another level. That’s the condensed version of the McDonald’s story, also depicted in 2016’s “The Founder,” with Michael Keaton as Kroc. If you want to check out memorabilia that celebrates the global fast-food behemoth, or simply stand on the ground where it all began, this is the place. It’s open seven days a week, 10 a.m.-5 p.m. Admission is free.

1398 N. E St., San Bernardino; 909-885-6324

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– Additional reporting by Jerry Rice

​ Orange County Register 

Here’s everything you need to plan a road trip through the beautiful Southwest

• March 24, 2023

When you’re from California, it’s easy to think that some of the world’s most beautiful and wild, rugged places are right here in our lovely state. But the reality is that while the Golden State has plenty of incredible scenery to offer, both back in those ‘Wild West’ days as well as right here and now, the landscapes found leading to it across America’s Southwest are some of the most spectacular to be found anywhere on the planet.

And while pioneers probably didn’t stop and take an extended visit, these days a road trip is a perfect way to see our favorite special spots in the Southwest.

Figuring out what to see on a Wild West road trip takes a bit of planning. Our version assumes you’ll begin in California and not try to do too much, so will only encompass our favorite spots in Nevada, Utah and Arizona. Come along to see ghost towns, hoodoos, natural arches, sandstone spectacles, dark-sky stars and a really huge hole in the ground. We’ll even suggest a few places to sleep, eat and be merry as well.

Before you begin, consider purchasing an annual national parks pass at the first park you enter. That $80 pass gets everyone in your car into every national park for a full year. You don’t have to be an American citizen to buy the annual pass, either. And if you are an American citizen age 62-plus, buy your lifetime pass for $80 and never again pay to enter a U.S. national park. Considering that Zion National Park’s entry fee is $35 per car, getting the annual pass is something of a no-brainer.

Nevada: Ghosts, Gold and Red Rock

While the lure of Sin City in Nevada is strong, there’s more to the Vegas environs than casinos and outlet malls. So sleep in Las Vegas to start your adventure if you’d like, perhaps in the comfortable beds at the all-suite Venetian Hotel, have a world-class meal at their estiatorio Milos restaurant, take in a show and then let the real wild adventure begin as you exit that glitzy place.

Start with an easy ride to the Red Rock Canyon Park, where you will need a timed reservation to enter between October and May. It’s just 15 minutes west of the Strip, but transports you to a completely different world, a land of massive striated red rocks, where easy walking trails lead to ancient Native American petroglyphs and perhaps even a glimpse of the protected (and endangered) desert tortoise, who calls this arid place home. This small park is a great start to seeing the incredible rock formations that await in Utah and Arizona.

Ancient petroglyphs in Nevada’s Red Rock Canyon. (Photo by Jenny Peters)

Red Rock is lovely, but our favorite Nevada stop is Rhyolite, a gold-rush ghost town northwest of Vegas. Founded in 1904, it grew to a city of 5000 residents – and was abandoned by 1916. Today it is a delightful mix of art installations (begun in 1981) – think sculptures of all sorts and sizes – known as the Goldwell Open Air Museum and the abandoned brick homes, banks, railroad depot and a famed house built of glass bottles of the ghost town. The combination is absolutely fascinating and well worth the drive into what seems to be the middle of nowhere.

Utah: Hoodoos, Arches and Much More

Rolling north into southern Utah transports you into a world of contrasts, from vast arid deserts to densely wooded mountains, massive sandstone cliffs, amazing natural-stone arches and seriously wacky rock formations.

Begin in Zion, Utah’s first national park, where most months you’ll need to park your car and ride the free shuttle from the visitor center into the park. This park is so popular, with famed sites like Zion Canyon, Kolob Arch, the Narrows, the Court of the Patriarchs, the Great White Throne, the Temple of Sinawava and Angels Landing that massive crowds form, especially during the spring, summer and fall seasons. It’s so popular because it is an incredible place, with hiking, rock climbing and the scenic drive highlighting the experience. Jump on and off the shuttle as often as you’d like, but know to not miss the last one, as you’ll be walking nine miles to get out of the park if you do!

Bryce Canyon National Park is probably the most eye-popping, mind-boggling place you will ever see, with its hoodoos (“irregular rock formations,” which barely describe them adequately) of every shape, size and structure. It’s the largest concentration of these magical forms anywhere in the world, and a true must-see, bucket-list destination. Stay in the small town of Bryce (with Best Western and Ruby’s Inn being the two no-frills main hotels) or try to get the tough reservation into the rustic Lodge at Bryce Canyon if possible inside the park. Make your way up the one-way road to see all of the incredible sights in this unique part of the world and hike down into the canyon for a closer look. Don’t miss going in at night to have a true dark-sky experience, with Milky Way stargazing led by a park ranger. Remember to always bring a warm coat along in this park, for the night (and early morning) temps here can be seriously chilly at any time of year.

Moving on to the northwest, encounter Capitol Reef National Park, a true undiscovered gem of Utah. You’ll be gobsmacked at the huge cliffs of bright, rainbow-colored sandstone looming high above you, with peculiarly shaped hoodoos hanging at perilously odd angles. Find hidden arches and petroglyphs, take a horseback ride or a hike and be sure to spot the iconic white sandstone U.S. Capitol building-shaped dome before you move on west to Arches National Park. Take Route 24 to get a real feel of what faced pioneers as they crossed these barren sand dunes, and be sure to stop into Goblin Valley State Park, another hidden gem of sandstone hoodoos (called “goblins” here), in a breathtaking valley setting. There’s even a disc golf course in this park!

You’ll probably have to wait to enter Arches, as it’s one of America’s most iconic natural places. See Delicate Arch, Double Arch, Balanced Rock and Corona Arch once you make it in, seemingly delicate sandstone miracles of erosion. In nearby Moab discover the liveliest scene anywhere in this part of the world, so have a good meal, hit a bar or nightclub, and do some people-watching before you begin to go south toward Arizona and the Navajo Nation.

Approaching the Monument Valley Navajo Tribal Park on the Utah/Arizona border, the iconic landscape there is bound to be familiar if you’re a film fan, as it has served as the spectacular setting of numerous famous movies. Think “Stagecoach,” “She Wore a Yellow Ribbon” and “Fort Apache,” for this is the place that John Wayne and John Ford turned into the world’s ultimate vision of the Wild West; later, “Forrest Gump” cemented it as an Instagram hotspot.

Monument Valley is owned by the Navajo Nation, so book a hotel room at Goulding’s Resort just outside, a scenic hotel that has welcomed visitors since the 1920s, and then drive in, paying $8 per person to see the Mittens, Elephant Butte, John Ford’s Point, Artist’s Point and more on the loop drive within the park. Taking a Navajo-guided tour is an incredible way to learn more about this sacred place and the indigenous people who still call it home.

Arizona: Sunrise, Sunset and a Flyover at the Big Hole

The last stop on our Wild West road trip is Arizona’s big hole in the ground, also known as the Grand Canyon. One of the world’s truly astonishing natural wonders, the canyon is the longest on the planet, but not the deepest, despite being over a mile down from the rims that mark where the Colorado River began eroding away the sandstone and limestone eons ago that created this eye-popping place.

The Grand Canyon at sunset is a must-see on any road trip adventure through the Southwest. (Photo by Jenny Peters)

Book way ahead to stay at the iconic El Tovar Hotel inside the park, for it’s the best way to see the sun rise and set right out your front door, the two best times to be hanging on the edge of the canyon and watching it change hues. Hike down into the canyon as far as you can go to see it up close, but do remember that climbing back out is a lot harder to do. For a once-in-a-lifetime thrill, hop on a helicopter via Grand Canyon Helicopters at the airport just outside of the south rim entrance and soar over the edge and swoop down into the canyon in a copter. Trust us, that is a moment you’ll never forget and a perfect ending to a Wild West journey filled with adventures and excitement – with not one shot fired along the way.

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​ Orange County Register 

Here’s a primer for getting to know the richness of Santa Barbara’s wine country

• March 24, 2023

Wine is as close as people can get to time travel. Opening a bottle is a glimpse into the past – a snapshot. The sun, the grapes, the air, the dedication and love of the winemaker all pour from the bottle. The entire experience is an emotional transportation to somewhere else – that moment in time, forever held within the walls of that bottle.

The winemakers in Santa Barbara wine country are renowned to be some of the very best at this – not just in California, but in the world. Wine Enthusiast named it Region of the Year in 2021.

To fully understand why the region is so special, you have to appreciate its unique geography. Santa Barbara Wine Country lies within a transverse valley – only one of two in the entirety of the Americas, the other being in Chile.

What this means is the valley runs east to west. Instead of the valley range working to isolate grapes from the elements and temperature changes, it instead acts as a funnel, pulling in the air off the ocean as well as everything it carries to coat the vines as it sees fit. The various micro-climates provided to the region by the transverse nature of the valleys give winemakers an immense amount of flavors within the grapes, and conditions to grow in.

Seven federally sanctioned American Viticultural Areas (AVAs) lie within greater Santa Barbara County. Santa Ynez Valley is an overlying AVA, which is then broken down into four sub-AVAs (west to east): Sta. Rita Hills, Ballard Canyon, Los Olivos District and Happy Canyon of Santa Barbara.

Sta. Maria Valley sits the farthest North. The newest AVA that was federally recognized in 2020 is Alisos Canyon AVA. More than 270 wineries work with more than 70 varietals of grapes to produce a staggering array of wines.

Facts are only the skeleton, however – it’s everything else around the bottle that truly makes the wines of Santa Barbara County special. The people who work the various AVAs are as warm and inviting as the sun that kisses the land. This isn’t to say there aren’t great experiences outside of Santa Barbara wine country, but there is a relaxed atmosphere here that’s rare. There is little pretense or expectations – gatekeeping to the world of wine is not something that exists in these lands.

Luna Hart Wines in the Santa Ynez Valley was founded by winemaker Gretchen Voelcker and is a boutique wine company specializing in small batches. (Photo by Crawford McCarthy)

Winemakers to know

Gretchen Voelcker, winemaker at Piazza Family Wines and Luna Hart in the Santa Ynez Valley, welcomes guests with a bright smile and open arms. Her energy and passion for her craft are beautifully infectious, and her wines are stunning.

At Piazza Family Wines and Luna Hart, she develops beautiful expressions of Pinot Noir, Grenache, Syrah and more. She doesn’t stop there – Voelcker utilizes all the colors of the rainbow. Her Graciano is vivacious and disarmingly delicious. Her Grüner Veltliner is simply divine. The entire experience of tasting wines here feels more like seeing an old friend than visiting a business.

Sunshine is one of the most important aspects of winemaking, and no one is a better embodiment of the very sun itself than Sunny Doench Stricker of Future Perfect Wine. When you think of going wine tasting, you want a welcoming environment to sit, sip and enjoy.

It’s best to learn about the process, the winemaker’s approach, and the wines themselves all while being able to feel comfortable and relaxed. Stricker’s wines are a direct reflection of that energy. Her wildly charming tasting room in Los Olivos is as if a glass of her Sparkling Blanc de Blanc became sentient and got a degree in hospitality and marketing. It’s no wonder Future Perfect is the place many choose to start their wine touring day – everyone loves a good sunrise.

Whimsy and welcoming excursions into the vineyard are fantastic, but who doesn’t love a luxurious afternoon of doing absolutely nothing (except tasting wine, of course)? The wines Steve Clifton produces at Vega Farm and Vineyard in Buellton are other-worldly. Save the airfare money to Italy and open some of these bottles instead. Nebbiolo, Teroldego, Sangiovese and many, many more varietals are all available to savor.

The massive property has been stunningly designed – farm animals for kids, amazing wines for adults, and a beautiful kitchen program for everyone to enjoy. The space is set up for event hosting as well.

The ability for the various AVAs to produce so many types of grapes makes this one of the most diverse growing regions on the planet. It’s also the variability of flavors within those very grapes that makes it truly exciting. Take Dragonette Cellars, for example – specifically their Sauvignon Blanc. Brothers John and Steve Dragonette and close friend Brandon Sparks-Gillis all run Dragonette Cellars. While they make a handful of other exceptionally good wines, tasting through their Sauvignon Blanc is like watching a magic trick.

Grapes are from three different farms – yet each within a stone’s throw of the other, give or take. One would expect the flavors to be similar given the proximity, but no. They’re distinctly different with every sip – minerality, salinity, citrus, floral notes and more. Wave after wave depicts the possibilities of what the region can produce.

Before you go

A trip to Santa Barbara wine country is more than just a weekend away, it’s a short drive to the flavors of the world.

Fire up the search engine – or, better yet, just download the app from the Santa Barbara Vintners Association – and get planning. Pack a bag, book a room. The Ballard Inn is a phenomenal choice (charming and chic, with an excellent in-house restaurant, impeccable wine list and management team. It’s a great location for trips to the AVAs and surrounding wineries).

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​ Orange County Register 

Indulge in these 8 foodie musts of 2023: From a luxury river cruise to sake tastings and more

• March 24, 2023

From a grand luxury cruise down to a cool coffee machine, these are the gourmet experiences you must try in 2023:

1. Adventures by Disney Rhine River Cruise: Food & Wine 

This year, The Walt Disney Company celebrates its 100th anniversary. For the ultimate Disney lover who’s already dined at Disneyland’s 21 Royal, Napa Rose and Club 33, there’s another enticing dining experience that awaits.

Adventures by Disney offers vacations along the Rhine, Danube and the Seine. These itineraries are created in partnership with luxury river cruise operator AmaWaterways. The most enticing is the Adventures by Disney Rhine River Cruise: Food & Wine getaway, which is an adults-only epicurean adventure that transports guests to France and Germany.

A team of up to six Disney-trained Adventure Guides double as hosts in each destination where Disney storytelling intertwines with cultural immersion. Think: wine tasting at the Cave Historique Des Hospices in Strasbourg, France, followed by lunch onboard highlighting Strasbourg cuisine, which is influenced by French and German cultures.

The experience also is educational. Guests can learn how to make French macarons from a local chef on board the ship or discover wine caves in the medieval basements of Cave Historique Des Hospices, a hospital founded in 1395. The space also is a wine museum, which features 40 ancient wine barrels marking the region’s history – the oldest dating back to 1472. The experience culminates with tasting fine Alsatian varietals bottled in the caves.

Then, the vacation extends to Germany.

In Rüdesheim, Germany, guests bike through the quaint town and its surrounding wine country, which is the birthplace of pinot noir and Riesling. Other optional excursions include a tasting at Adolf Störzel Vineyards, where they’ll walk the rows of grapes before tasting wine accompanied by soft pretzels. A Rüdesheim gondola ride to the Niederwald Monument highlights the panoramic views of Old Town, wine country and the Rhine River. The experience continues with exploring Rüdesheim and savoring a cup of the famous local coffee or hot chocolate.

Since it’s a Disney vacation, the experience wouldn’t be complete without that magical castle moment. So the excursion also includes an evening castle cruise through Rhine Gorge. That night, guests learn about the history of 30 castles and participate in a Rüdesheimer coffee demonstration/tasting on the sun deck.

Specialty sailings are adult-exclusive departures (ages 18 and older).

2. Desserts at Ryla 

Ryla, the Hermosa Beach hotspot, hosts thought-provoking Koji fermenting events, showcasing a combination of Japanese-Taiwanese-American flavors by Ray Hayashi. The food at Ryla is unpretentious but thoughtfully sourced. Think: Perigord black truffle fried rice and Hokkaido scallop sashimi with meyer lemon, satsuma mandarin and bonito crème fraîche.

The desserts at Ryla really stand out – especially the matcha tiramisu, a delicate mascarpone layered take on the Italian classic served in a wooden sake vessel and dusted with matcha powder.

3. Alcohol-free cocktails at Knife Pleat 

Knife Pleat is known for chef Tony Esnault’s exquisitely executed French food. That’s what garnered the South Coast Plaza restaurant a Michelin star. However, the new interesting addition to Knife Pleat’s menu is found on the cocktail list.

The cocktails, which launched in January, are made with alcohol-free tequila and gin. The spirits are infused with herbs and botanicals in-house. The drinks aren’t simply fruit juices splashed with soda water, they’re actually well-crafted like a real cocktail. The alcohol-free Greyhound margarita splashed with grapefruit tastes like tequila.

“Well, technically, it is tequila,” explains our server. “The only difference is it’s not fermented. So that’s why it’s alcohol-free.”

4. Sake tasting at Ototo 

Even though the unassuming Echo Park location is easy to overlook, Ototo’s sake on draft and travel guide-like menu allows guests to imbibe the flavors of several regions in Japan. The servers describe the sake as a sommelier would speak about a wine. The experience is informative yet approachable. Sake shouldn’t be scary. It’s celebratory and ceremonial. Locals saddle up to the bar and neighborhood regulars occupy small tables. At Ototo, the sake is paired with izakaya-style fare such as okonomiyaki and karaage chicken.

5. Addison

Addison is Southern California’s first and only three-Michelin-star restaurant. Crowned with its third star this year, the restaurant is the pinnacle of fine dining in the region. Located on the grounds of the Fairmont Grand Del Mar in San Diego County, Addison is worth the drive.

Chef William Bradley is an avid food historian and activist. He cares a lot about where our food comes from, what it does to our bodies and how it ultimately affects our planet. The nine-course menu changes with the season and highlights local purveyors. Bradley is also quick to credit “artisans” – chef de cuisine Jonathan Brambila, sous chef Miguel Baez, director of service Sean McGinness, wine director Dan Chapman – who make a meal at Addison possible.

6. Sugar Lab 

The Los Angeles-based Sugar Lab prints customizable powdered sugar 3D sculptures. Pumpkin spice latte chocolates shaped like coffee cups and nutty Hojicha-flavored milk chocolate “sushi rolls” are giftable. Boxes of edible sugar sculptures are easy to send. The personalized bites are popular for weddings and company parties.

Also, Sugar Lab launches limited savories including a series of 3D printed bouillon shaped like Cup Ramen, a kimchi jar and a Korean-style corn dog.

7. Automatic cold brew machine from Shine Kitchen Co.

Coffee is expensive. With prices rising on everything edible, many consumers have cut back on their caffeine habit, starting with their daily visits to coffee shops. Shine Kitchen Co. hopes to capture some of these discerning consumers. Already known for its cold-press juicers and spiralizers, the appliance maker this year released a cold-brew coffee machine. The zero-heat machine can brew up to 40 ounces of cold brew coffee in 10-20 minutes, and its BPA-free glass carafe contains an additional filter that improves flavor.

8. The best burger in L.A.

It seems so basic, but we Southern Californians love a good burger. The chef-and-critic-favorite burger of the moment is served at Moo’s Craft Barbecue. The husband-and-wife-owned barbecue restaurant began as a backyard operation in 2017 and is now a Michelin-recognized eatery. Most visitors order the large meat platters, but Los Angeles foodies order the burger – before they sell out.

More ‘Go+Eat+Adventure’

This story is part of a collection of stories printed Sunday, March 26, 2023.
Meet the entrepreneur who kicked off the craft beer craze in Old Towne Orange
Why sharing home-cooked meals is a way of building family for one South Asian writer
Like Vietnamese food? Here are 5 delicious spots in OC’s Little Saigon to try
Explore these 12 Inland Empire foodie favorites
Read more ‘Go+Eat+Adventure’
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‘Try slow’ on the North Shore of Kauai, where regenerative tourism is the way

• March 24, 2023

I don’t want to be an invasive species.

I kept thinking this as I made my way up old stone steps into the lushness of Kauai’s Limahuli Garden and Preserve. Never have I experienced so many shades and forms of the color green, all in one place. This 1,000-acre valley teams with precious flora and fauna that include plants and birds on the verge of extinction – extinction largely caused by non-native species pushing aside what belonged here first.

It felt appropriate that my first day on Kauai, the “Garden Isle” of the Hawaiian archipelago, should be spent at Limahuli learning about ahupua’a, an indigenous resource management system used by native Hawaiians for hundreds of years. This was going to be a different kind of vacation.

I’ve visited Oahu many times over the years and love it, but that island experience has been molded around the tourism industry – Hawaiian culture packaged and made easily digestible. Here though, the rugged, largely rural landscape of Kauai’s North Shore – framed by serrated mountain ranges, a two-lane main road and sterling beaches – demands that you, visitor, take a step back and consider your place in the order of things. The question is, how can a vacationer enjoy the paradise that is Kauai while not draining all that makes it special in the first place?

Tread lightly.

At the northwestern tip of the island lies Hā’ena State National Park and Mount Makana, a legendary place for those who claim Hawaiian ancestry, where tradition tells of gods delivering the art of hula to mortals. (Of course Hollywood discovered the place and etched it into popular memory as “Bali Hai” in the 1958 movie spinoff of the musical “South Pacific.”) It’s the gateway to the pristine, protected Nā Pali coast.

Evidently, travelers used to be able to drive all the way up to the beach there, but in the aftermath of massive landslides and flooding that devastated the area in 2018, access has been drastically limited. Now a shuttle service takes you to the park entrance, a place where the intrepid can brave the strenuous, two-hour hike to Hahakapi’ai Falls. My companions said it was spectacular, but I’ll take their word for it. I decided to commune with nature on the white sand of Ke’e Beach … looking not unlike the lone monk sea who sunned himself not 15 yards from me….

Along Kuhio Highway – the island’s main access route, a two-lane road, where there’s a one-lane access at the bridge over Hanalei River – going to and from Ha’ena State National Park you see hand-painted signs that say “Try Slow,” which feel like an invitation not only to mind the speed you’re traveling but to consider an entirely different way to be in the world.

Slow is also the pace at the innovative campus of Common Ground, a former sugar plantation-turned-regenerative farm that sees its future as a place where people can gather to connect around food events, art and education, and support local businesses.

Do what I did and spend an afternoon on the farm tour led by John Parziale, Common Ground’s director of agroecology, to experience what are not only sustainable ways for man and beast to eat from the land, but practices that might, ultimately, restore the land. You just might come away feeling hopeful about the future.

My companions and I were staying at the Cliffs at Princeville, a comfortable and inviting timeshare/hotel perched, as the name suggests, right on cliffs overlooking the Pacific. Awarded numerous “eco-friendly” and “sustainable” laurels by the hospitality industry, the Cliffs supports the state-wide Mālama Hawai’i initiative, which helps tourists participate in hands-on, educational experiences that help the communities they visit, from beach cleanup to tree-planting to historic preservation and more.

The entire Princeville resort development on Kauai is vast, containing many properties –  including the seemingly requisite golf course – but the Cliffs have a particularly gentle, laid-back vibe where it’s enough just to gather at sunset to enjoy each other’s company as you watch the sun sink below the horizon.

Because I’m a horse owner and lifelong equestrian, I always feel I know a landscape best when I have ridden across it. Lucky for me, just minutes from the Cliffs is one of the state’s oldest ranches, Princeville Ranch.

Rides there aren’t your usual tourist affair, where horses are lined up like mechanical, interchangeable vehicles plodding forward. For wrangler Lucie Olivova, it’s a mindful affair; she takes time to introduce you to your mount by name, explaining the horse’s personality and preferences. Before heading out into the verdant expanse of the ranch, she takes time to review riding basics, and asks that you open your heart to the experience of being one with the creatures and the land. All of it makes for a beautiful, fulfilling two-hour experience.

Heading back to the Cliffs, I needed to stop and get a few refreshments at the Foodland grocery store next to the resort. When I got to the checkout, the clerk asked if I had a customer rewards number, as if I were a local shopper.

“No,” I said, “just visiting.”

She smiled. “Oh you’ll be back. Let’s get you set up with one.”

I knew then she was right. Kauai had shown me the way to visit without invading.

Sidebar: Take ‘Island Wisdom’ along

A must-read for travelers to Hawaii is “Island Wisdom” by Hawaiian and state tourism executive Kainoa Daines and travel writer Annie Daly. (Courtesy Chronicle Books)

For the traveler who wants to really get inside not only the beauty of Hawaii but the mindset and cultural philosophy of its people, “Island Wisdom: Hawaiian Traditions and Practices for a Meaningful Life” by By Kainoa Daines and Annie Daly is a must-read.

Daines, a Native Hawaiian and Hawaii’s tourism industry executive, teams up with Daly, a travel journalist, to lead an inspirational journey through Hawaiian teachings. They guide readers through four key themes – aloha (love), ʻāina (land), mo‘olelo (stories) and ‘ohana (family) – in the hope that we will come away with the tools needed to weave Indigenous Hawaiian culture, language and values into our own lives.

The writers island-hopped to interview Hawaiian community leaders, activists, teachers, farmers, storytellers, elders and more, who shared their wisdom on the essence of Hawaiian living. Readers come away understanding that Hawaii is much more than a vacation spot or a backdrop for a Hollywood drama – it can be a beautiful example of how to lead a more meaningful life, no matter where you are.

More ‘Go+Eat+Adventure’

This story is part of a collection of stories printed Sunday, March 26, 2023.
Meet the entrepreneur who kicked off the craft beer craze in Old Towne Orange
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Like Vietnamese food? Here are 5 delicious spots in OC’s Little Saigon to try
Explore these 12 Inland Empire foodie favorites
Read more ‘Go+Eat+Adventure’
More SCNG Premium content

​ Orange County Register 

How to run away to the calming beauty of Maui for rest and relaxation

• March 24, 2023

After the last year, I needed a break. With only a few days to myself, where could I go to unwind and connect to nature? I started exploring options for a quick getaway; Maui, with its calm energy and fewer tourists than some of the other islands, seemed exactly my speed.

Kā’anapali Beach, which means “rolling cliffs,” is three miles of stunning Hawaiian coastline located on the west side of the island. Nestled in the center was the Kā’anapali Beach Hotel, flanked by towering palm trees, with windows facing the translucent sea. Opening its doors in 1964, the property and the staff are rooted in traditional Hawaiian culture and customs, eager to share their history and the connection to the islands. I knew I was in the right place.

Entering the lobby, you can smell the humidity. If I squinted, I could get on board with the kitsch of it all – the original ’60s decor seemingly still intact. More than half the hotel recently underwent a complete renovation, with the rest of the hotel (lobby included) set to be remodeled in the near future.

Two of the four themed guest buildings boast new, “premium” rooms that have been remodeled and modernized with environmentally friendly upgrades. One enhancement: an electrical wall panel by the door requires your room key to be inserted for the lights and electricity to work, so when you’re out of the room nothing stays on unnecessarily (also a convenient place to keep your key).

Every room offers gorgeous views, and some are simply breathtaking. Beachgoers took turns jumping off the volcanic ocean cliff called Black Rock, and whales breached the water – showing off with massive splashes to applause from the beach.

(Oddly, the rooms don’t offer robes or room service, which for a hotel of this caliber and price point, surprised me. However, the restaurant and café offer pick-up orders, so there are options for in-room dining. And I think I made a good case with the manager for robes in the rooms. Fingers crossed!)

At Moanaku’inamoku, the ocean activities hut, you can grab towels for the pool or beach and rent all manner of water activity equipment. Do yourself a favor and take the Kilo Moana class, where a knowledgeable staff member details the rich history of Kā’anapali Beach and the neighboring islands, as well as the current dangers and ways to safely enjoy the beach, snorkeling and paddleboarding.

The grounds are luxurious but maintain an intimate quality. And, as a woman traveling alone, I felt completely safe wherever I went. When I ran into any staff member, they were always warm, friendly and seemed eager to help with any request – ending all conversations with a sing-song “Mahalo.”

The crown jewel of the hotel is its restaurant, Huihui. The restaurant is the only one on the beach where every seat in the house has an ocean view. I chatted with folks at the bar between bites of salt & pepper wings and realized that many of them were guests at neighboring hotels, making the trip to Huihui for a meal. A few feet from crashing waves, the wide-open design and tiki hut roof embody indoor-outdoor living.

Tom Muromoto, the executive chef and Food and Beverage director who has worked for the hotel for 23 years, oversees all the food at the resort. As we discussed his favorite dishes and his love of fusion cooking, his face exuded a mixture of pride and contentment.

“My dad was a fabulous cook, and my influence really came from my upbringing and how Hawaii is so influenced by so many flavors of food,” he says. “The last half of my career was mostly traveling, trying to get to other countries to learn different foods – from Vietnam to Japan to Hong Kong.”

Chef Muromoto’s globetrotting is evident in every bite. The menu is eclectic and worldly, but each item has an element that keeps it rooted in Hawaii.

The goodbye lei ceremony is offered a few times a day for departing guests. Beautiful words are spoken, a sweet song is sung, and each guest is given a lei made of the kukui nut – a nut used to bring “light” to the people.

Before I headed back to the bustle of the mainland, I relaxed in one of the hotel’s other open-air restaurants with unobstructed views of the sea, sipping a blended Goodie Guri, while warm ocean breezes blew against my skin. I was wearing linen in February, watching whales jump out of the ocean and dolphins swim by and thought, you don’t get closer to tropical paradise than this.

More ‘Go+Eat+Adventure’

This story is part of a collection of stories printed Sunday, March 26, 2023.
Meet the entrepreneur who kicked off the craft beer craze in Old Towne Orange
Why sharing home-cooked meals is a way of building family for one South Asian writer
Like Vietnamese food? Here are 5 delicious spots in OC’s Little Saigon to try
Explore these 12 Inland Empire foodie favorites
Read more ‘Go+Eat+Adventure’
More SCNG Premium content

​ Orange County Register 

Senate Bill 44 by Sen. Tom Umberg will put more people at risk of overdosing from fentanyl

• March 23, 2023

My son Ben was 20 years old and studying film when he died of a preventable drug overdose. Ben, who was first exposed to opioids through prescription pain pills following a skateboarding accident when he was a teenager, had struggled with an opioid use disorder for two years and had spent less than two months at an in-patient treatment facility when he walked out of the facility against clinical advice. The next day, he overdosed and was put on life support before dying a week later.

At first, I was filled with anger over Ben’s death. He was with three friends when he overdosed, and none of them called for help. Ben didn’t have to die.

Today, I still believe that Ben didn’t have to die, but I also recognize that it wasn’t heroin that ultimately caused my son’s death, it was fear of incarceration — the very threat that a new bill by Orange County state Sen. Tom Umberg promises to levy against more people.

Initially, our son’s death was investigated as a homicide, due to the circumstances surrounding his overdose. However, on completion of the post-mortem, I was informed by law enforcement that Ben’s death was an accident. I was told that my son had made a choice that night; he was not forced to take heroin against his will. Ben purchased an illicit substance, allowed a third party to inject him with it, and consequently suffered a fatal overdose. It was a tragic accident, but it was not murder.

Related: Harsher penalties for fentanyl won’t save lives

It is true that his friends made a series of poor choices that night, but it was never their intent to kill our son. When he overdosed, Ben was three minutes from a fire station and just a mile from our home in Rancho Santa Margarita. Instead of calling 911, his friends removed our son’s body from the car along with any evidence that could place Ben there.

“How could they do this,” I asked? Now I know that they did it out of fear.

One of the people Ben was with was in a drug diversion program and was afraid of calling 911 and being sent back to jail. If it is passed, Sen. Umberg’s Senate Bill 44 would undoubtedly put more people in this situation and lead to more unnecessary overdose deaths.

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According to Sen. Umberg’s office, SB 44 offers an approach “that first warns and then punishes” people for murder who sell fentanyl if it results in someone’s death. But the bill ignores all the science related to substance use. People who are suffering from substance use disorders buy drugs together, sell to one another, and if someone dies, it is not intentional. It is not murder.

To threaten more people with murder convictions will convince people who use drugs and who witness an overdose that they are not safe to call 911, just as happened with my son.

I urge California lawmakers to reject this proposal.

Increasing access to the opioid antidote naloxone is the most practical and proven solution to reduce opioid-related deaths. Doing so will ensure that we can keep people alive until they’re ready to get help and get well.

Had the three people who were with Ben at the time of his overdose not been afraid of calling 911 or had they carried naloxone, Ben might still be here today.

Aimee Dunkle is the executive director of the Solace Foundation of Orange County, a nonprofit that has distributed 46,000 doses of naloxone and recorded over 2,500 overdose reversals in Orange County. Aimee also serves on the board of Broken No More, an organization formed by families and friends who have lost a loved one to overdose. 

​ Orange County Register 

Coachella 2023: Heineken House reveals its hip-hop, R&B and dance music lineup

• March 23, 2023

The Heineken House, which is located inside the Coachella Valley Music & Arts Festival in Indio, has announced lineups for both of its weekends in the desert and its roster is filled with house, hip-hop and R&B artists.

During weekend one, April 14-16, the Heineken House will feature Walker & Royce, Felix Da Housecat, Hannah Wants, Lee Wells and Bones starting on Friday. On Saturday, Method Man & Redman, Austin Millz, DJ Pee .Wee (Anderson .Paak), Andre Power and Sweet Like Chocolate will perform. Sunday will include Nghtmre, LondonBridge, Whipped Cream, Niiko x Swae and Tony H.

As for weekend two, April 21-23, fans can enjoy sets from Chris Stussy, Emmit Fenn, Francis Mercier, HoneyLuv and Antoinette Van Dewark on Friday. Saturday will see performances from SG Lewis, Franc Moody, TEED, Coco & Breezy and Zen Freeman. And closing out on Sunday will be Snakehips, Fleetmac Wood, Bontan, Black V Neck and Max Styler on the decks.

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The Heineken House branded activation almost serves as yet another stage at Coachella. The beer company is also dropping its new Heineken Silver lager at the festival, too, and those 21-and-older can get a taste during these live performances.

The lineup for the 2023 installment of the global fest includes headliners Frank Ocean, Bad Bunny and Blackpink, as well Rosalia, Gorillaz, The Chemical Brothers, Calvin Harris, Burna Boy, Becky G, Yungblud, The Kid Laroi, Charli XCX, Underworld, Björk, Kali Uchis, Porter Robinson, Pusha T, Wet Leg, The Garden, Remi Wolf, Willow and dozens more.

Passes to weekend one of Coachella are sold out, but weekend two passes can be purchased starting at $549 at coachella.com.

​ Orange County Register