BY CRYSTAL HARRELL
Restaurant Week has officially hit the desert, providing diners with special discounts and unique deals from over 120 restaurants across Greater Palm Springs. The event lasts from May 31 through June 9, and offers specially priced menus with 2-item lunches from $15, $20 and $25, and 3-item dinners priced at $29, $39 and $49.
A kick-off event was held at The Ritz-Carlton, Rancho Mirage on May 29, with an attendance of 200 guests. This foodie-centric event gave attendees the chance to sample the featured dishes from nine of the participating restaurants: State Fare at The Ritz-Carlton, Rancho Mirage, 360 Sports at Agua Caliente Resort Casino Spa, AC3, Catalan, Babe’s Bar-B-Que & Brewery, Solano’s Bistro, Grand Central Palm Springs, Lulu California Bistro, and Citrus & Palm at the Miramonte Indian Wells Resort & Spa.
“I think the showcase event is a great way to kick off Restaurant Week for the media, local residents and restaurants. It gives our local community a chance to try new and favorite restaurants at a discounted price and it also appeals to the beach city residents who are visiting the valley,” said Andrew Copley, owner and chef at AC3 Restaurant + Bar. Copley served attendees a delectable chocolate mousse dish creatively designed to look like a potted succulent.
The event featured special guests such as the LA Roller Girls, who are featured in the new ‘TREAT your heart out’ Restaurant Week 2019 advertising campaign and Greater Palm Springs CVB CEO Scott White, who officially kicked-off Restaurant Week by inviting guests to join him in the ‘First Bite’ of the occasion.
Jean Paul Zapata, the Media Relations Manager for the Greater Palm Springs Convention and Visitors Bureau, also believes Restaurant Week is a great opportunity for locals and visitors to try more of Greater Palm Springs’ culinary diversity.
“Restaurant Week showcases the different cultures that make a home in Greater Palm Springs, as well as highlighting chefs who use local produce from the Coachella Valley. I think visitors are surprised at our agricultural heritage because we are the desert, but as you know, we have a strong agrarian history. That means we complement California’s position as a foodie leader,” stated Zapata.
Another local favorite that was sampled at the Restaurant Week kick-off was Babe’s Bar-B-Que & Brewery, which served its mini pulled pork sliders and the latest seasonal brew, Babe’s Mexican lager.
“Babe’s Bar-B-Que & Brewery was honored to be asked to participate in the Greater Palm Springs Restaurant kick-off,” said Lucky Callender, the owner of Babe’s. “Restaurant Week is a great opportunity for locals and visitors to enjoy the classic dishes that Babe’s is famous for. Our three-course Restaurant Week lunch menu offers our full section of BBQ sandwiches and BBQ salads and the four-course Restaurant Week dinner menu lets our guests select any dinner entrée from the menu. They’re both a value and delicious.”
Restaurant Week 2019 also offers a chance for the community to give back to a worthy cause. This year, every reservation made on dinegps.com will donate $1 to FIND Food Bank, which offers food assistance to the Coachella Valley residents who need it. $1 can supply up to five meals.
Don’t miss your chance to experience savory and delicious dishes at a discounted price. For a complete list of participating eateries during Restaurant Week 2019, visit dinegps.com.
