Restaurant NEWS BITES

By charles drabkin

UPDATES ON ROOSTER AND THE PIG, RIO AZUL

I want to start by welcoming Rooster and the Pig, at 356 S. Indian Canyon Drive in Palm Springs, back to the desert dining scene after a four-month closure due to electrical issues. I have gone twice since they reopened—I really missed the congee—and the food is as good as ever! Learn more at roosterandthepig.com.

In related news: Waldo Cesoni, owner of Backstreet Bistro and Waldo’s Ristorante in Palm Desert, tells me he has purchased Rio Azul Mexican Bar and Grill, which is in the same building as Rooster and the Pig, at 350 S. Indian Canyon Drive. Rio Azul was shuttered by the same electrical issues—but Cesoni says he will reopen Rio Azul, and plans to keep the menu as we all remember it. I hope he has the recipe for the salsa negra!

Take Advantage Of Summer Deals

The desert doesn’t slow down as much as it used to during the summer, although some restaurants still go on a summer hiatus or cut back their hours/days of operation—so check websites and/or make a phone call before you show up for dinner, if you’re not sure your destination is open. A few restaurants, including Willie’s Modern Fare (69830 Highway 111, Rancho Mirage) and Manhattan in the Desert (2665 E. Palm Canyon Drive, Palm Springs), offer discounts and/or special menus through the summer months. You can also check out the Summer Eats Pass, a program created and managed by Visit Greater Palm Springs, through which you can win gift cards and get money donated to FIND Food Bank. Learn more at visitgreaterpalmsprings.com/summer-eats-GPS.

In Brief

Two Coachella Valley spots are among the 184 restaurants in California that have been awarded $5,000 grants as part of the California Restaurant Foundation’s Restaurant Care Resilience fund. Congratulations to Lala’s Waffles Crepes and Shakes (42250 Jackson St., No. A104, Indio; eatlalas. com) and Otori Japanese Cuisine (68100 Ramon Road, Cathedral City; otorisushi.net). … Friday Nights on Pierson, the food-truck round-up created by the city of Desert Hot Springs, will continue through the summer due to overwhelming community support. It takes place at 11940 Palm Drive; visit cityofdhs.org/event/friday-nights-on-pierson to learn more. … Chef Shawn Applin has taken over the kitchens at Holiday House (200 W. Arenas Road, Palm Springs; holidayhouseps.com) and Sparrows Lodge (1330 E. Palm Canyon Drive, Palm Springs; sparrowslodge.com). Shawn was the chef de cuisine at Flying Fish in Seattle when I worked there in the 1990s. (Gawd, that makes me feel old.) He led restaurants around the Seattle area in the ensuing years, and I can’t wait to see what he does here in the desert. … In other chef news: Bar Cecil chef Gabriel Woo, in addition to working on opening the new restaurant at the Palm Springs Art Museum, is updating the menu at the Del Rey inside the Villa Royale, at 1620 S. Indian Trail, in Palm Springs; delreypalmsprings. com. … Pasadena ice cream shop Carmela has opened a location at the Flannery Exchange, at 750 N. Palm Canyon Drive, in Palm Springs. Carmela emphasizes farmers’ market products in ice cream creations like white peach vanilla bean, and rose petal. (They are from Pasadena, after all.) You can never have too much ice cream in the summer. Learn more at carmelaicecream.com. … Window Bar at the Kimpton Rowan (100 W. Tahquitz Canyon Way, Palm Springs) has launched a food menu exclusive to the bar, with bites like three cheese and mushroom flatbread, crispy pork belly, and potato tots! Get details at rowanpalmsprings.com/palm-springs-restaurants/lobby-bar.

… Wrap Houz has opened behind the Hair of the Dog Pub, at 555 S. Palm Canyon Drive, Suite 109, in Palm Springs near the Sun Center parking lot. Although it is a bit hard to find, the falafel and the halloumi cheese wraps are worth the effort. Learn more wraphouz.com. … The owners of Umami Seoul (67555 E. Palm Canyon Drive, Cathedral City) are retiring, and their daughter is taking over the restaurant, which will be closed over summer while they revamp the menu to focus more on Korean dishes. Watch umamiseoul.com for updates. … New to Palm Desert: Dragon Café, at 72261 Highway 111, Suite 122, offering brunch options from classics like pancakes and eggs, to benedicts and chilaquiles, as well as burritos and sandwiches. Find out more at www.dragoncafepd.com.

… Vegans and vegetarians, take note: Chef Juan Morales at the Agua Caliente Casino Rancho Mirage, 32250 Bob Hope Drive, has added more plant-based dishes to the menu at the Waters Café, including a pulled jackfruit BBQ sandwich, and a grilled portobello caprese sandwich. Find details at aguacalientecasinos.com/properties/rancho-mirage. … Texas Roadhouse is coming to Indio. The chain, with 600 locations in 49 states and 10 countries, plans to open the Indio outpost in September; www.texasroadhouse.com.

Got a hot tip? Let me know: foodnews@cvindependent.com.

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