Ah, the perennial Thanksgiving wine question: what to pour, and when?

These days, it’s an almost impossible query to answer. Family Thanksgiving traditions vary with each clan, and a subtle Burgundian-style Pinot Noir that matches well with a traditional turkey imbued with delicate savory spices won’t work if you like your bird spicy or slathered in a sweet, pungent glaze. So when choosing your wine, consider the specific flavor profile of your main courses.

With that caveat out of the way, let’s talk about wines that are traditionally considered solid Thanksgiving standbys, together with a couple of suggestions that are a little creative.

Reds, whites, sparklers, and dessert wines all have a place at the table. We’ll discuss them one category at a time. To honor the movement toward sourcing locally, most of our suggestions will come from California’s bottomless bounty of quality wine. And we’re sticking with moderately priced bottles, since these days you don’t have to break the bank to drink excellent wine from the Golden State. (All prices are taken from popular online sources.)

SPARKLERS

Sparkling wines are an increasingly popular way to kick off your festivities. They add a sense of occasion to Thanksgiving, and they bring a nice hit of clean acidity to the palate that pairs well with rich or unctuous appetizers. These days you can get a good quality sparkling wine for a reasonable price as long as you’re not fixated on some of Champagne’s most prestigious labels. Some suggestions from our own state:

Domaine Carneros by Taittinger Brut Cuvée ($29): A wonderful array of aromas including white flower, pear, golden apple, honeycomb and brioche. The texture is creamy, full and elegantly structured.

Schramsberg Blanc de Blancs ($30): Aromas of green apple, pear, grapefruit and lime, fresh bread and candied citrus. Generous flavors of grapefruit, lime and pineapple.

J Cuvée 20 Brut ($33): Fresh mousse on the nose and palate. Bright acidity adds to the liveliness, while flavors of lemon and lime zest lead to an Asian pear finish.

WHITES

With white wines, the pairing priority is finding something with bracing acidity, and slight sweetness can be an attribute with some Thanksgiving foods. Oakiness and its associated flavors are not ideal if you’re pairing with many subtly flavored foods, so big 100 percent Chardonnays are out. Sauvignon Blanc, Riesling, Gewürztraminer and Viognier are better bets. So are Austria’s great grape, Grüner Veltliner, and some of the leaner Italian and Spanish varietals, such as Albariño, if you’re averse to anything even slightly sweet.

Claibourne & Churchill 2018 Dry Gewürztraminer ($24): From a respected Edna Valley producer, this beautiful wine is light gold in hue, delivers rose petals and citrus fruits in the nose, and is light but not pallid on the palate.

Rombauer 2018 Napa Valley Sauvignon Blanc ($24): Aromas of key lime, mango, papaya and white nectarine with a hint of fresh-cut grass. The palate is fresh and enticing as grapefruit, pineapple and passion fruit intertwine with Meyer lemon and lime.

Bodega de Edgar 2017 La Guera ($28): 75 percent Albarino, 25 percent Chardonnay. Aromas of honeysuckle, lemon blossoms and pineapple, followed by similar notes on the palate as well as citrus and apple. Good acidity and pronounced minerality.

REDS

For the red wines, stay away from muscular Cabernets and Bordeaux blends. Yes, Napa makes some great ones, but they’re too bold and tannic for turkey and the relatively restrained spices of Thanksgiving. Look instead for light- to medium-bodied reds with fairly tamped-down tannins but fruit-forward tendencies that will support and reinforce the flavors of your meal. Pinot Noir, Syrah and Zinfandel are good choices — the latter is especially appropriate if there’s a little spice to your meal. Beaujolais Nouveau is appropriate a well. Light, fruity and served chilled, this Gamay grape pairs well with turkey. And Thanksgiving is Beaujolais season.

Babcock 2017 Pinot Noir Sta. Rita Hills ($35): A bold, dark, rich, well-structured Pinot Noir made exclusively from estate fruit. Babcock, the family that also owns Walt’s Wharf in Seal Beach, is one of the premier pinot producers in this burgeoning cool-climate AVA between Buellton and Lompoc that makes intense Pinots.

2017 Dante Dusi Zinfandel ($42): A classic, dense, peppery old vine Zinfandel from one of the original Italian wine-producing families in the Paso Robles region. Some of the family’s head-pruned Zinfandel vines near Highway 101 have been bearing fruit since the 1920s.

Eberle Syrah Steinbeck ($24): From Gary Eberle, one of the original Syrah producers on the Central Coast. Sumptuous flavors of ripe blueberry and black cherry with hints of vanilla, oak and white pepper, and graced by a slight sweetness.

WITH DESSERT

Once the pies start coming out, it’s time for fortified wines and other sweet, more boldly flavored sippers. Port is the go-to choice for autumnal pies. With pumpkin-flavored desserts, you might also consider a Spanish sherry to bolster the nutty, spicy quality of the pie. Late-harvest whites such as Riesling also make wonderful Thanksgiving dessert wines. Their honeyed, intense flavors can enhance many desserts.

W. & J. Graham’s10 Year Old Tawny Port ($30): This Portuguese tawny port offers good bang for the buck, comparing well to much pricier ports. Wine Spectator loves it: “A zesty, sweet floral aroma, with delicate, well-spiced flavors of apple tart, flan and cocoa powder. The plush, mouth-filling finish of cream, vanilla and raspberry is fresh and balanced.”

SOME ALTERNATIVES

Tempier Bandol Rosé ($39): If you’re going to serve rosé, why not splurge a little? It still won’t cost you more than a cheap bottle of Napa Cabernet. One of the most legendary and well-respected rosés out there, Domaine Tempier comes from the Bandol region in Provence. Hand-harvested old vine grapes aged for eight months in bottle add structure and complexity.

Spier Chenin Blanc ($18): From South Africa. You’ll get a hint of fresh mousse on the nose and palate. Mouth-watering acidity undergirds flavors of lemon and lime zest that lead to an Asian pear finish.

Gironata Vermentino ($30): The Vermentino grape makes a white wine that’s aromatic, dry, light-bodied and refreshing. We love the Vermentino from Giornata, a wonderful Paso label run by a charming husband-and-wife team, the Terrizzis, who really know their Italian wine. It has aromas of white peach, gardenia, and on the palate you’ll get white peach and a hint of salt.

FINAL THOUGHTS

We suggest offering both a red and a white during the meal, and setting the table with two wine glasses. Diners can then shuttle back and forth between white and red as they take a bite of this, a bite of that. Thanksgiving is about letting everyone have his or her choice, and that applies just as well to wine as it does to the green bean casserole that Uncle Ned can’t possibly do without.

Loma Linda now has Hiccups.

The long-gestating restaurant and tea house opened Monday at 25805 Barton Road, Suite 105A.

It’s the first Inland Empire location for the eatery, which also has locations in Orange and Los Angeles counties, along with ones in Arizona and Texas.

The chain specializes in Asian fusion cuisine, including chicken wings, noodle and rice dishes, and pho.

Hiccups also offers a variety of hot and cold coffee and tea drinks and smoothies.

Hours are 11 a.m.-10 p.m. daily.

Eat pizza, help nature

Garage Brewing Company in Temecula is helping raise funds to help restore the Santa Rosa Plateau Ecological Reserve in Murrieta.

In September, the Tenaja fire burned nearly 2,000 acres on the reserve, and its hiking trails and visitor center have been closed to the public since.

On Wednesdays and Thursdays through spring, the craft brewery and pizzeria will donate 25% of food and soft drink purchases to the Santa Rosa Plateau Foundation in its efforts to restore the preserve.

Guests simply need to mention the Santa Rosa Plateau Fire Fund to participate.

Donations can also be made directly by visiting: www.gofundme.com/srpfirefund.

Garage is at 29095 Old Town Front St.

Burgerim Redlands open

Burgerim has landed in Redlands.

The rapidly-expanding burger chain opened its newest Inland Empire location on Monday at 414 N. Orange St., Suite 2A.

Burgerim replaced a Subway that closed in 2018.

Hours are 11 a.m.-8 p.m. Sunday and 11 a.m.-9 p.m. Monday through Saturday.

Loving Hut coming to Redlands

Vegan restaurant Loving Hut is coming to Redlands.

Signage is up at the former Domino’s at 345 Pearl Ave., Suite 100.

Each Loving Hut location serves a unique menu. For instance, the Upland location leans toward Asian entreés, while the Claremont location features mostly Italian and Mexican dishes.

There’s no indication what the menu will be like in Redlands, but we do know it will be vegan.

Wild Barrel open in Temecula

San Marcos’ Wild Barrel Brewing Company has expanded north.

Last week, the brewery opened a taproom outside Promenade Temecula at 41493 Margarita Road, Suites 106 A and B.

Hours are 10 a.m.-9 p.m. Sunday, 3-10 p.m. Monday through Wednesday, 1-10 p.m. Thursday, noon-11 p.m. Friday, and 11 a.m.-11 p.m. Saturday.

LemonShark remodeling

Fans of Redlands’ LemonShark Poke are in for a bit of a wait.

The location — 360 Orange St. — is closed for remodeling.

A sign posted in the papered-up front door promises “a new LemonShark experience coming soon!!” (Yes, two exclamation points.)

The location is expected to reopen in January.

Meanwhile, the San Bernardino and Yucaipa locations remain open.

Beer and planes in Palm Springs

Want to check out some cool vintage aircraft, drink craft beer, listen to some tunes, and eat from food trucks?

Then you’re in luck! The Palm Springs Props and Hops Craft Beer Festival returns Saturday, Nov. 23, to the Palm Springs Air Museum, 745 N. Gene Autry Trail.

The event features all those things and more. It’s set to hit the runway from 1-5 p.m.

Local breweries expected to participate include Babe’s Bar-B-Que and Brewery, Brewcaipa Brewing Co., Coachella Valley Brewing Co., Desert Beer Company, Hangar 24 Brewing, La Quinta Brewing Co., Refuge Brewery, and Stone Church Brewing.

General admission tickets are $40 (plus $3.33 in fees if purchased online) in advance, and include commemorative glassware (while supplies last), and eight beer tasting tickets. Tickets will be $50 at the door.

A limited number of VIP tickets are available for $75 (plus $5.36 in fees if purchased online), which grant entrance at noon, plus beer pairings with bites from Babe’s, rare keg tastings from Babe’s, and twelve tasting tickets.

Airplane flight tickets are also available in advance.

For more details, or to purchase tickets, visit www.palmspringspropsandhopsfestival.com.

Cheap cheep

Here’s how to get a chicken sandwich on the cheap without waiting in line forever at that Louisiana chicken place.

Simply head to Roger’s Burgers, 591 N. D St., San Bernardino.

The restaurant is offering two different chicken sandwiches — hot chicken or spicy ranch — for just $2 through Sunday, Nov. 24.

We are looking forward to a cruise to Vietnam in the future and have been searching for a Vietnamese restaurant which offers more than pho, the rich noodle soup, to broaden our depth of knowledge of Vietnamese cuisine.

It is virtually impossible to find restaurants in the Inland Empire that specialize in the cuisine of northern Vietnam around Hanoi or central Vietnam around the area of Hue. An occasional pho restaurant may offer bun bo Hue, the rich and spicy beef noodle soup from Hue, but to take a deep dive into central and northern Vietnamese fare, you’ll have to venture to Westminster or Garden Grove in Orange County.

Pho Noon in San Bernardino, named after the owner’s wife’s nickname, is a pleasant outpost in the shopping center on Mill Street, just west of Mt. Vernon Avenue. Round, white flower-like orbs light the room and the walls are festooned with photos of many of the dishes which grace the menu.

During a recent visit, we began with an order of crispy beef rolls containing sausage-shaped links sliced lengthwise and packed with fresh greens and chopped fried wonton skins which add the pleasing crunchiness when you bite into the rice paper wrapped roll. Dip the roll into the rich and dark peanut sauce topped with chopped nuts before devouring this highly recommended appetizer.

The vermicelli with grilled beef is made with thinly sliced ribeye slightly charred around the edges. The noodles tend to stick together and are a challenge to untangle. (Tossing them with a little oil before serving would probably be beneficial.)

I particularly liked the pickled vegetables comprised of green onions, sliced cucumbers, carrot strips and torn pieces of lettuce topped with ground peanuts. A small dish of clear fish sauce with an abundance of red chile pieces provides nostril-clearing spiciness to the dish.

We selected the seafood pho with its rich broth consisting of 12 hours of cooking with beef bones, and the addition of chicken broth. It was so good, I wanted to just sip the broth by itself. Floating in the soup were plump shrimp, mock crab and sliced fish balls. Toss in fresh basil leaves, bean sprouts, a squeeze or two of lime juice and sliced jalapenos, if you’re so inclined to add some heat. It’s a very aromatic and texturally distinctive dish.

Two of the best dishes followed — “shaken beef” and lemongrass chicken.

The shaken beef (named for the way the meat sizzles on the extremely hot stone it’s served on) consisted of cubed filet mignon that was so tender it seemed to melt in your mouth. Mixed into the sizzling meat were onions and red and yellow bell peppers. It’s best served over the delicious garlic noodles, or alternatively, steamed rice if that’s your preference.

The spicy lemongrass chicken is chopped up and blended with as much chile as you can tolerate (order at your desired heat level) and is served with steamed rice and the aforementioned highly addictive pickled vegetables. The lemongrass adds a pungent, highly aromatic aroma to the overall effect.

The restaurant is open and airy. Owner Trung Nguyen is very personable and ensures that the food arrives in a timely manner. The visuals are pleasing to the eye, portions are generous and the prices are very reasonable.

David Cohen is a freelance dining critic who also writes for Riverside and Redlands magazines. Send him an email at dcohen4@verizon.net and follow him on Twitter @dcfoodfiles.

Pho Noon

Rating: 3 stars

Address: 1353 W. Mill St., Suite 110, San Bernardino

Information: 909-453-0882

Cuisine: Vietnamese

Atmosphere: Casual cafe

Hours: 10 a.m. to 9 p.m. Monday-Saturday, 11 a.m. to 8 p.m. Sunday

Prices: $6.50-$8.50 appetizers, $7.50-$8.50 pho, $9.95-$11 rice dishes, $8-$11 vermicelli dishes

Details: No alcoholic beverages. Assorted teas and bobas.

Recommended dishes: Shaken beef, lemon grass chicken, seafood pho

Cards: Most majors

What the stars mean: Ratings range from 4 stars to one. 4: World-class experience, not to be missed; 3: Worth a special trip, high-caliber cuisine; 2: If you’re in the neighborhood, the restaurant merits a visit; 1: Would not make an effort to eat here.

Whether you are hosting at home or contributing to a holiday gathering elsewhere, Christmas dinner represents goodwill and generosity, good conversation and delicious food. Time spent around the table with friends and family can be the makings of treasured memories.

Spread some cheer with these simple dishes that are appropriate fare for holiday potluck meals. They have the wow-factor, can be made in advance and are deliciously portable. Whether the protein planned is prime rib, turkey or ham, these add-ons are scrumptious team players.

Make them ahead and relax

Libby’s Cranberries: This tasty version relies on medium-dry sherry to add a nutty-like edge to the mix; a trio of tasty ground spices add to the allure. Make it two or three days in advance and refrigerate well-sealed. Making it ahead improves the taste.

Homemade Cheese Straws: Made with store-bought puff pastry, these tasty twisted straws can serve as an appetizer or take the place of bread in the main menu. They look pretty arranged upright in two or three glasses and placed on the table Italian breadstick-style. The unbaked straws can be frozen for several weeks (in a single layer); thaw them in the refrigerator before baking. They can be baked and stored at room temperature several hours in advance. Leave on baking sheet for portability.

Orange and Beet Salad: This stunning salad makes a great impression served on a large platter on a buffet table, doubling the ingredients if necessary. It can be prepared several hours in advance, covered with plastic wrap and refrigerated. If you want a beet shortcut, use ready-to-use steamed red beets that are sold in the refrigerated deli at some supermarkets and Trader Joe’s. In that case[CT1] , double the red beets and omit the golden beets. Fresh blackberries can be added as a garnish.

Gingerbread Cake with Whipped Cream and Lemon Curd: This delectable cake can be prepared a day in advance. The cooled cake can be frosted up to 6 hours in advance and stored at room temperature; the trick for the whipped cream’s longevity is the addition of powdered sugar. That powdered sugar prevents the whipped cream from weeping. I’ve even made and frosted it a day in advance and stored it airtight in the fridge. Perfect.

Libby’s Cranberries

Yield: 8 to 10 servings

INGREDIENTS

One 16- or 12-ounce package fresh cranberries

1 1/2 cups medium-dry Sherry

2 cups granulated sugar

1 teaspoon ground allspice

1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1 teaspoon ground cloves

PROCEDURE

1. Combine all ingredients in large saucepan and bring to simmer on medium heat, stirring to dissolve sugar. Continue to simmer until cranberries soften and start to burst, about 10 minutes. Remove from heat. Cool (sauce will thicken as it cools). Store covered in refrigerator up to three days.

Citrus and Beet Salad

Yield: 4 to 6 servings

INGREDIENTS

2 medium red beets, tops trimmed 1-inch from bulb, see cook’s notes

2 medium golden beets, tops trimmed 1-inch from bulb

3 blood oranges, divided use

1 Cara Cara or Navel orange

1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice

1/2 small fennel bulb, very thinly sliced crosswise

1/4 red onion, very thinly sliced

Good-quality extra-virgin olive

Coarse sea salt, such as fleur de sel or Maldon sea salt

Freshly ground black pepper

1/4 cup loosely packed fresh cilantro and/or Italian parsley

Cook’s notes: For a shortcut, use ready-to-use steamed red beets are sold in the refrigerated deli at some supermarkets and Trader Joe’s (double the red beets and omit the golden beets). All you need to do is cut them up.

PROCEDURE

1. For beets, preheat oven to 400 degrees. Wash beets, leaving some water on skins. Divide and enclose in 2 separate aluminum foil packets; place on rimmed baking sheet and roast until beets are tender when pierced with a knife, about 1 hour. Let cool.

2. Meanwhile, using a sharp knife, cut all peel and white pith from all citrus except 1 blood orange (cut top and bottom off citrus, making those 2 cuts parallel to each other and cutting just below white pith – place cut side down on work surface and cut off peel and pith in strips starting at the top following the contour of the fruit). Cut remaining blood orange in half and squeeze juice into small bowl or cup.

3. Peel cooled beets and cut off stems. Slice 2 beets crosswise into thin rounds. Cut remaining 2 beets into wedges.  Layer beets and oranges on plates or a platter, dividing evenly. Arrange fennel and onion over beets. Add lemon juice to blood orange juice; stir and spoon over salad; drizzle salad generously with oil. Season to taste with coarse sea salt and pepper (do this at the last minute if making ahead).  Let salad stand for 5 minutes to allow flavors to meld or refrigerate up to 4 hours covered with plastic wrap. Garnish salad with cilantro and/or parsley leaves.

Homemade Cheese Straws

Yield: 4 to 6 servings

INGREDIENTS

1 (9 1/2-by-9-inch sheet) puff pastry, thawed (but cold)

2 ounces grated (not shredded), about 3/4 cup, Parmesan or aged Asiago cheese

1 tablespoon minced fresh parsley

1/4 teaspoon salt

1/8 teaspoon ground black pepper

Parchment paper

Cook’s notes: To thaw frozen puff pastry, place in refrigerator for 24 hours. Once you get the hang of this method, it is easy to swap in other cheese varieties, or add poppy seeds, mustard seeds or fennel seeds.

PROCEDURE

1. Adjust oven rack to middle position and heat oven to 425 degrees. Line rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper

2. Lay puff pastry on second sheet of parchment and sprinkle with Parmesan, parsley, salt and pepper. Top with third sheet of parchment. Using rolling pin, firmly press cheese mixture into pastry, then roll pastry into 10-inch square.

3. Remove top sheet of parchment and cut pastry into thirteen 3/4-inch-wide strips with sharp knife or pastry wheel. Gently twist each strip of pastry and space about 1/2-inch apart on prepared baking sheet.

4. Bake until cheese straws are fully puffed and golden brown, 10 to 15 minutes (keep an eye on them – don’t over-bake because cheese will burn). Let cheese straws cool completely on baking sheet. Use a thin metal spatula to loosen from parchment.

Source: “Cooking at Home with Bridget and Julia” by Bridget Lancaster and Julia Collin Davison (American’s Test Kitchen, $35)

Gingerbread Cake

Yield: 8 servings

INGREDIENTS

Cake:

Nonstick vegetable oil spray

Parchment paper

1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour

1 teaspoon ground dry ginger

3/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon

3/4 teaspoon kosher salt

1/2 teaspoon baking powder

1/2 teaspoon baking soda

1/2 cup (1 stick) butter, cut into 1/2″ pieces

1/2 cup (packed) light brown sugar

1/2 cup mild-flavored (light) molasses

1 large egg, beaten to blend

2 teaspoons grated peeled fresh ginger

Topping:

1 cup chilled heavy cream

1 1/2 tablespoons powdered sugar

1/4 cup store-bought lemon curd

Optional: finely grated lemon zest

Special Equipment: 8-inch square metal cake pan

PROCEDURE

1. Cake: Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Coat pan with nonstick spray. Line bottom with parchment paper; spray paper. Whisk the flour, ground dry ginger, cinnamon, salt, baking powder and baking soda in a medium bowl. Place butter in a large bowl. Pour 1/2 cup boiling water over; whisk until melted. Whisk in sugar, molasses, egg and fresh ginger. Add dry ingredients; whisk to blend. Transfer to prepared pan.

2. Bake until a tester inserted into center of cake comes out clean, about 25 minutes. Let cool in pan for 10 minutes. Invert onto a wire rack; let cool. Remove parchment.

3. Topping: Beat cream and powdered sugar in a medium bowl until firm peaks form. Fold in curd, leaving swirls. Spread over cake. If using, garnish with zest.

Source: epicurious.com

You’ve got the turkey to roast, the centerpieces to pick up and a million side dishes to deal with; do you really have hours to spend baking a gorgeous pie or layer cake?

Sometimes it’s best to leave it to the pros and for a big holiday dinner you need a lot of choices for a dazzling dessert that will be artistically decorated and delicious. We turned to three of Southern California’s most trusted bakeries for advice on what to consider and how to order. So don’t even bother to fake it. Sweets from La Brea Bakery, Eataly L.A.’s La Pasticceria & Venchi, and Porto’s Bakery & Cafe are always welcome, so you won’t even have to hide the box.

La Brea Bakery

Long a go-to for the freshest breads and pastries, La Brea Bakery has lots of choices for dessert to finish your dinner party with a flourish. Henk Drakulich, division vice president of La Brea Bakery, has made his customers a freshness promise: Everything  you see is baked on site. That goes for the panettone too, a beautiful holiday bread filled with dried fruit that’s served at the end of meals in Italy.

“The ones you buy in Costco or Trader Joe are ordered in  August and they get shipped over on a slow boat from Italy and yeah, they have a lot of preservatives in them,” he said. Those are good, but La Brea’s ($24, available starting Friday, Nov. 29) are great he says. They’re made fresh using Nancy Silverton’s original sourdough starter and would be great for anyone hosting or bringing a treat to a holiday potluck.

Whether you’re in New York, LA or Rome, the bakery you choose is a status symbol he says. “You bring it to a friend’s house and that, that reflects on your friendship, how well you think of them. So we know people take that to heart here and we hope they think of us when they consider panettone for the holidays,” Drakulich said. Another tip from the chef: Get two and save the second one to make french toast with the next morning.

Drakulich has also been very busy making pies. La Brea offers Traditional Pumpkin ($20), Pecan Bourbon ($24) and a very special Apple Streusel ($22) which he says is  his favorite. He revealed its secret: Let the apples sit in sugar, pour out the liquid, mixing it with cornstarch, mix it all together, pop it in the crust and bake it slowly. “It’s almost like a tarte Tatin,” he said. “The apples get really caramelized and they have an amazing flavor.”

Another way to end the meal would be to present decoratively iced gingerbread boys and girls ($2 each) or holiday sugar cookies ($2.75 each) all lined up on a tray. “We will  always have some here in our case, but if you’re going to want more than a half dozen we suggest ordering.”

When to order: Sunday, Dec. 22 for Christmas Eve and Sunday, Dec. 29 for New Year’s Eve.  La Brea Bakery Café, 468 S. La Brea Ave., Los Angeles, 323-939-6813, labreabakery.com.

Porto’s Bakery & Cafe

Most of us think of Porto’s as Cuban coffee and guava cream cheese pastries. But the popular restaurant was actually started as a cake baking business in Cuba by Rosa, the matriarch of the family. “That’s what made her famous, baking cakes for weddings, quinceañeras and big birthday parties,” said Tony Salazar, vice president at Porto’s. “Cakes are something that we definitely put our heart into,” he said.

At holiday time last year Porto’s stepped up its game, upgrading the seasonal decorations on its signature cakes. “We started putting sprigs of rosemary on the cakes, chocolate ribbons, cranberries, it’s really natural. I think it’s so warm and it really makes you feel like it’s Christmas,” Salazar said.

Order early. But if you don’t, call around to the other Porto’s locations that might be able to help if they have more in stock. Keep the cakes refrigerated and they are ready to serve right out of the icebox, no warming up necessary. Porto’s will offer 9-inch round layer cakes that feed 12-15 for $28.50 in bright red strawberry, vibrant yellow mango and tiramisu flavors. The foundation of each one is Rosa’s original sponge cake recipe and each has its special ingredients such as strawberry curd, fresh mangoes, or mascarpone cream cheese and lady fingers in the tiramisu.

Other fancy choices include a 10-inch tres leches cake for $23.50 and the Parisian, a 9-inch cake for $29 with chocolate sponge layers filled with whipped Belgian chocolate ganache. “It’s an amazing flavor of chocolate, but it’s so light and delicate that you want to have more and more,” Salazar says.

Porto’s also offers a traditional European style Yule Log ($35) in two versions. The bakery started making the original 20 years ago as a rolled chocolate mousse cake with raspberry, coated with ganache and decorated to resemble a fire log. But 10 years ago the bakers began making a second version that’s very popular in Europe, according to Salazar. “We do an almond spongecake and mocha buttercream with caramel sugar bits inside and coffee mascarpone. “That has become our most popular one,” Salazar said.

Another tradition at Porto’s is its signature yellow box. For the last five years it has taken on a different look for the holidays. Porto’s closes on Black Friday and the seasonal boxes will appear the next day. “We’re very fortunate in that  when the box is on the table, it sometimes gets just as much recognition and attention as the cake itself,” says Corporate Marketing Manager Jennifer Wells. “Your guests will be impressed with where you got it because with Porto’s the family’s there, the tradition is there, and then you have the taste.”

When to order: All Porto’s locations take “preorders” in person and by telephone. Preorders for Christmas begin Saturday, Dec. 7 and continue through Tuesday, Dec. 31. Walk-in sales for holiday cakes begin Dec. 13. (For pastry, Porto’s recommends preordering through the bakeries and online at Porto’s Bake at Home.) Locations: 3614 W. Magnolia Blvd., Burbank, 818-846-9100; 7640 Beach Blvd., Buena Park, 714-367-2030; 8233 Firestone Blvd., Downey, 562-862-8888; 315 N. Brand Blvd., Glendale, 818-956-5996; 584 S. Sunset Ave., West Covina, 626-214-3490; portosbakery.com. 

Eataly L.A.

Love Italian food? Then you’ve got to finish your fancy supper with elegant sweets from Eataly. The patisserie section has loads of traditional treats. “Each region — and even each town — of Italy has their own traditions when it comes to holiday desserts. Some prefer torta, or cake, while others create batches of biscotti or cookies to celebrate the season,” said Eataly USA Head Pastry Chef Katia Delogu in an email.

The cake selection includes too many to describe here but if it’s seasonal fruit flavors you’re looking for, Chantilly Ai Frutta di Bosco ($28)  is a classic orange-soaked sponge cake layered with Chantilly cream and fresh fruits. “Pears are also in season during the winter, which we use in our Pere e Frangipane tarte (pear and almond frangipane tarte $28),” Delogu said.

Want something decadent? Ask for the Sette Viele ($35) with seven layers of chocolate sponge cake, hazelnut crunch, dark chocolate mousse and hazelnut with chocolate glaze. For something on the lighter side, choose Torta Amalfi ($28),  a lemon and almond tart with a torched top, or Torta alla Fruta ($28) filled with seasonal fruit and edible flowers.

And don’t forget the panettone. “Literally ‘big bread,’ this treat is hardly ever made at home because of the time-intensive process — it takes at least 30 hours to rise!” Delogu said. “We work with many artisanal bakers that still craft panettoni in their original bakeries to have the authentic Italian treat in our marketplace.”

Eataly will also offer classics such as Tiramisu della Nonna made with ladyfingers, espresso and mascarpone cream ($38) and pasticcini, a selection of easily transportable individual pastries that come in a 24-pack for $39.80. They’re traditionally served with espresso or sparkling wine. “The best part is that you can choose an assortment of these handmade treats for a little bite of everything—from chocolate to pastry-cream filled,” Delogu said. “Plus, the box looks beautiful on the table!”

When to order: Last day to order for Christmas is Monday, Dec. 23,  last day to pick up is Tuesday, Dec. 24. 10250 Santa Monica Blvd., Los Angeles, 213-310-8000, eataly.com.

Barons Market, a small chain which originated in San Diego, fills a needed niche in the quality grocery store firmament.

It’s not huge like Whole Foods Market or Sprouts Farmers Market, yet Barons carries such items as hormone- and antibiotic-free grass-fed beef, local farm-grown vegetables and fruit and hot foods along with cordial, personalized service that one would expect from a local neighborhood grocery.

One of the cool things that sets Barons apart is the regular beer tastings paired with foods cooked in the market’s kitchen. Called Backroom Beer Pairing, the series is held at the back of the store where kegs are used as tables and you can sample four different bites with a uniquely paired beer served with each one.

Recipe cards also are distributed to participants.

When I visited the Barons in Menifee, they were serving goat cheese mascarpone crostini with Orderville IPA, Mediterranean chicken Schwarma wraps with Modern Times Fruitlands rose, chile verde pork tacos with Space Ways IPA, and dark chocolate cheesecake with Black House Stout.

The event occurs monthly and costs $15 per person. Proceeds from the four southwest Riverside County locations support Michelle’s Place, a shelter for abused women, while proceeds from the four San Diego locations benefit the Susan G. Komen Foundation to fight breast cancer.

Afterwards, I took a stroll through the store and tried several food offerings. There’s a hot food bar with a rotating menu of 50 items including eggplant rollantini topped with ricotta and mozzarella cheese, a classic chicken arrabiata (spicy), black bean stew, stuffed cabbage and black pepper steak. Stop by the marinated vegetable bar and create your own meatless dinner as well.

At the grab-and-go bar, you can opt for a pre-packaged dinner when you don’t feel like cooking. These options also include assorted sandwiches.

For pizza lovers, pick up one of the frozen pizzas or flatbreads, or if you’re feeling industrious, some pizza dough and make your own pie. They also carry bread from the Brooklyn Bread Company baked at Damascus Bakeries, which has been around since 1930.

Perhaps the most impressive food station is the soup bar. Two selections bear special mention. First, the New England clam chowder is a textbook version of what this east coast classic should taste like, thickened only with potatoes, an abundance of clam juice, sweet cream and lots of clams. The other unique item is a scintillating white chicken chile dotted with diced roasted poblanos with just enough heat to get your juices flowing.

Unique to the market in Menifee is the olive oil and vinegar tasting bar. When you find something you like, you can purchase a bottle to take home.

Of course, there’s an array of farm fresh vegetables and mushrooms from which to choose.

Finally, the beer selection is one of the most extensive I’ve encountered in a supermarket. It includes such stalwarts as Modern Times from San Diego, Allagash Brewing Company from Maine and Brewery Ommegang from upstate New York.

There are plans for additional Barons Markets in San Bernardino County in addition to the four current southwest Riverside County locations: Menifee, Wildomar, Temecula and Murrieta.

Barons Market would be a perfect fit for the Redlands/Yucaipa area as well as the Rancho Cucamonga/Upland region. It’s a neighborhood market with high quality products, friendly and courteous customer service, reasonable prices and regular beer tastings paired with food.

David Cohen is a freelance dining critic who also writes for Riverside and Redlands magazines. Send him an email at dcohen4@verizon.net and follow him on Twitter @dcfoodfiles.

Barons Market

Where: 29787 Antelope Road, Menifee

Additional locations: 40545 California Oaks Road, Murrieta; 31939 Rancho California Road, Temecula; 32310 Clinton Keith Road, Wildomar

Hours: 8 a.m. to 9 p.m. daily

Information: 951-672-5100, baronsmarket.com

California Pizza Kitchen will be treating California firefighters to a free meal on Tuesday, Nov. 26,  according to a news release from the Playa Vista-based restaurant chain.

The offer includes choice of one entree per firefighter plus a soft drink or iced tea.

The selection includes CPK’s signature BBQ Chicken Pizza; five other kinds of pizza; four salads; and three kinds of pastas.

Active and retired firefighters are included. To qualify, come to a participating restaurant in uniform or show firefighter identification.

For menu and details, visit cpk.com/CAFire

Take a sip of the Chief IPA at the brewery at Harrah’s Resort Southern California and you’ll know you’re drinking an IPA, but what you might not realize is that it’s a product that’s reflective of the tribal-owned brewery it came from; there’s a backstory behind the beer’s ingredients from the kind of hops used to the water supplied.

The beer, a new variety, is just one of multiple changes that have come to the brewery as part of a major rebranding effort. The brewery, which opened in 2016 as SR 76 Beerworks, is not only changing its name to Rincon Reservation Road Brewery, or 3R Brewery for short, but also has a new brewmaster and new upgrades to its tasting room.

Frank Mazzetti, a board member for the Rincon Economic Development Corporation of the Rincon Band of Luiseño Indians, said the board wanted to “break clean” and come up with a fresh concept following the arrival of a new brewmaster.

Creating the beers is Shawn Steele, a brewer with more than 20 years of experience who previously oversaw the quality control program at Karl Strauss Brewing Company before becoming director of operations at Coronado Brewing Company. Steele started making the first batches of new beer for the rebranded brewery in early September.

Steele was at the brewery working alongside brewery staff to can batches of the brewery’s four signature beers: Its Chief IPA, Rez Dog hefeweizen, Red Rattler amber ale and the Oasis Blonde ale.

On the lighter side

The slate of beers is noticeably light.

Steele said there are a couple reasons for that: one is that the brewery has to appeal to its casino audience which skews a little older and more traditionalist in its beer tastes. Also, that’s not far off the mark from what people want these days, as the flood of double and triple IPA varieties wanes.

“You’ve got a lot of other examples out there of people in the craft world (who) now want to drink a blonde,” he said. “So I think that’s great for us that that was something we needed to have for the casino crowd, but now that the craft crowd wants to go back to a little bit of an easier drinking beer that you can drink more of.”

Some of the ingredients in the beer tie into the fact that brewery is native-owned. For example, the brewery’s IPA is flavored by Zappa hops, a variety that’s uniquely American and hails from New Mexico (most commercial hops varieties draw their lineage from Europe). The hop gives the beer lighter pine notes than European varieties as well as hints of mango and herbs.

All the beers are made from water from within the reservation.

“The idea is that the water is actually from the reservation from the headwaters there and basically there’s no impurities of blended water from the Colorado River,” Mazzetti said.

The water, which is pulled from an on-reservation aquifer, is softer water, which makes it ideal for making a variety of beers, Steele said. He explained that hard water is good for making IPAs but it’s not good for making other kinds of beers.

By starting with soft water, Steele said, the brewery can make practically whatever beer they want. If they want to make an IPA, all they have to do is add some minerals to make it harder.

Currently, the brewery has only the four beers and will soon bring back a seasonal favorite from SR 76 Beerworks, the Blueberry Saison. Steele said he is hoping to ramp up production to have four signature beers and four seasonal beers at any given time.

The tasting room 

Harrah’s Resort Southern California has taken over the brewery’s adjoining tasting room and transformed it into more of a lounge, with a full bar that serves the brewery’s beer but also liquor. Large screen televisions and projector screens line the walls.

Mazzetti said the resort is also working to craft a food menu and some happy hour specials to draw customers in.

Much of the rebranding has already been completed, Mazzetti said, with a lot of the SR 76 signage removed. Guests can already try the new beer both at the lounge as well as several other locations within the casino. However, there will be an official reopening of the tasting room in late January.

The future 

Mazzetti said that Steele has shared his brewing expertise with staff.

“Eventually we may try to get more of the tribal members involved in becoming junior brewmasters and make more opportunities for tribal lineals and members to have employment on the reservation and a career that can take them anywhere they want to go,” Mazzetti said.

The beer is currently only available at the casino and reservation stores because Steele said it was important to measure demand on the casino side before trying to supply the product to other businesses. He said as production ramps up the goal will be to have the beers in tasting rooms and bars elsewhere in San Diego County.

“Now we can start brewing more and getting it out to wherever we can,” Steele said.

If you go

Where: 777 Harrah’s Rincon Way, Valley Center (located near Harrah’s Resort Southern California’s valet parking area)

Hours: 2-8 p.m. Monday and Thursday; 2-10 p.m. Friday; noon-10 p.m. Saturday; noon-8 p.m. Sunday.

Information: facebook.com/3RBrewery

You have to admire Paddy Li and Carlie Lu, the owners of Fuji Moto, who have taken over a Cherry Valley location which has had multiple owners in the past, with none of the previous ventures having succeeded.

The restaurant has undergone a facelift and is much brighter and more welcoming than past incarnations. They offer a seven-seat sushi bar with space for additional chairs. There’s a large room for banquets and the main dining area is decorated with painted paper dragons and birds, courtesy of Carlie’s grandmother.

Both owners are extremely personable and more than happy to guide you through the voluminous menu of Japanese and Korean dishes, as well as Chinese noodle dishes.

During a recent visit, from the appetizer section we opted for salt and bell pepper squid — small tender squid rings and tentacles tossed with red and green peppers and onions. It was generous enough to share.

There are 20 special rolls from which to choose. We ordered the Las Vegas Roll — six pieces of tempura fried roll stuffed with a four-fish combination, avocado and cream cheese, topped with eel sauce and spicy mayo. The fish was cut into small cubes and there was more rice than protein in the interior.

The Korean kimchi beef and tofu soup was particularly good. The kimchi is prepared on the premises using fermented cabbage with red chili and blended with tender slices of beef, enoki mushrooms and creamy tofu cubes — an amalgam of complimentary flavors and textures which can be ordered spicy or non-spicy.

Bento boxes are served from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. For those of you unfamiliar with this Japanese classic, you choose a protein which is accompanied by four pieces of California roll, steamed rice, salad and tempura vegetables. We opted for sliced deep-fried Katsu chicken served with a soy based dipping sauce. The tempura, unfortunately, was fairly greasy, suggesting that the cooking oil wasn’t hot enough or that the batter wasn’t cold enough. My guess is that since we arrived right after the restaurant opened, the oil hadn’t yet reached the appropriate temperature. Properly made tempura battered veggies are ethereally light and virtually grease-free.

The Korean barbecue pork also was a distinct winner, served with a side salad. A generous portion of sliced tender pork with sweet overtones is served mixed with sauteed onions. Big enough to be shared, it comes with a bowl of steamed rice to mix with the other ingredients.

Our final item was a fine rendition of Singapore style sauteed rice noodles with a generous amount of curry sauce and enough red chile to impart a nice glow on the palate. Four plump shrimp and barbecue pork along with sauteed onions, carrots and bell peppers completed this oh so flavorful dish.

More great eats: Mexican food goes upscale at Don Orange in Redlands

Overall, there’s no shortage of items to choose from, and many colorful pictures are included on the menu so you can see exactly what will be arriving tableside — a nice touch.

If anything, the menu is probably too extensive and could be reduced in length to make it easier for customers to choose what they want. That said, the quality is high and the portion sizes are generous — an auspicious beginning.

David Cohen is a freelance dining critic who also writes for Riverside and Redlands magazines. Send him an email at dcohen4@verizon.net and follow him on Twitter @dcfoodfiles.

Fuji Moto 

Rating: 3 stars

Address: 10151 Beaumont Ave., Cherry Valley

Information: 951-797-3860, www.fujimotoca.com

Cuisine: Japanese & Korean

Atmosphere: Casual cafe, sushi bar and bar

Hours: 11 a.m. to 9 p.m. Monday-Thursday, until 9:30 p.m. Friday and Saturday; 11:30 a.m. to 9 p.m. Sunday

Prices: $3.49-$12.49 appetizers, $3.49-$4.49 sushi/sashimi, $4.49-$7.49 sushi rolls, $9.99-$13.99 special rolls, $11.49-$15.99 Korean barbecue teriyaki, $9.59-$12.45 Korean tofu soups, $18.49-$23.99 Korean combos, $9.99-$11.99 Chinese noodle dishes, $10.99 sushi or sashimi lunch specials (choice of two rolls from 15 served with soup and salad)

Details: Beer and wine. Kids menu. Catering available. Delivery available on Uber Eats. Lunch specials from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m.

Recommended dishes: Singapore noodles, Korean kimchi beef and tofu soup, Korean barbecue pork

Cards: Most majors

What the stars mean: Ratings range from 4 stars to one. 4: World-class experience, not to be missed; 3: Worth a special trip, high-caliber cuisine; 2: If you’re in the neighborhood, the restaurant merits a visit; 1: Would not make an effort to eat here.

There’s much stress involved in both giving a holiday meal as a gift…and having to choose a destination for a holiday meal for friends, family and especially co-workers.

Giving a gift card to a restaurant for the holidays probably less agonizing — after all, the recipient can always re-gift it, though of course, the soul to whom you pass along a $5 gift card to Taco Bell may wonder what, exactly, you were thinking.

It’s choosing the right meal for a family get-together, a company party, entertaining out-of-towners — whatever! — that will really keep you up into the small hours of the morning. And, on top of that, reservations (especially for large groups) tend to vanish quickly. You may want to impress your CEO with a feed in the private room at Spago. But the private room was very likely booked months ago. And choosing the Olive Garden may not put you on the fast track to success.

Herewith, therefore, is a highly biased, shamelessly selected guide to the restaurants I’d like to go to for a multitude of occasions. These are my choices of where to go for holiday cheer, without holiday fear. It’s not an easy list to compile since so many of the names left me drooling with hunger. I hope they do the same for you.

When you want to impress your connection to the groovy side of life

There’s no getting away from the sheer, unmitigated…trendiness…of LA’s born-again Downtown Arts District. What was once given up as an urban wasteland, best paved over, has evolved into our equivalent of New York’s SoHo, and San Fran’s SoMa.

If you haven’t been, it’s a revelation — and marks you as a dweller on the cutting edge of LA life. And so, do the restaurants!

Be sure to go online really early (like yesterday!) to score reservations for the Italian wonders at Bestia (2121 E. 7th Pl., DTLA; 213-0514-5724; bestiala.com), the Middle Eastern joys at Bavel (500 Mateo St., DTLA; 213-232-4966; baveldtla.com) and New York uber chef David Chang’s remarkable Asian Fusion cooking at Majordomo (1725 Naud St., DTLA; 323-545-4880; majordomo.la).

At any of these, you will be hailed by one and all as an urban wonder, with a knowledge of the city that dazzles.When you want to impress even the most jaded palate

Not to be too obvious, but after all these years, Wolfgang Puck’s Spago (176 N. Canon Drive, Beverly Hills; 310-385-0880; wolfgangpuck.com) remains the hallmark for the food that defines our cuisine. It’s more formal than it used to be when it was on the Sunset Strip. But there’s still a sense of unabated perfection about an evening at Spago — which also includes a fine private dining room that should earn you a key to the executive restroom. Or perhaps the company jet.

When wine is a deciding factor

Is there a better wine list to be found than the one at Bistro 45 (45 S. Mentor Ave., Pasadena; 626-795-2478; bistro45.com)? There may be lists that are longer, but when you get right down to it, is there a wine lover more enthusiastic than Robert Simon, who can astutely guide you to the best of his list? If you want to talk wine — especially California wine — he will give you an evening, which he does at his regular (and very popular) wine dinners. This place is vintage.

Where to enjoy a gut-buster of a Sunday brunch

When you want to eat the big buffet brunch, there’s nothing better (and in many cases, pricier) than the feeds found at our grander hotels.

• San Gabriel Valley: Terrace at the Langham Huntington, 1401 S. Oak Knoll Ave., Pasadena; 626-568-3900; langhamhotels.com/pasadena
• South Bay: Catalina Kitchen at the Terranea Resort, 100 Terranea WayRancho Palos Verdes; 310-265-2800; terranea.com
• San Fernando Valley: Café Sierra at the Universal City Hilton, 555 Universal Hollywood Drive, Universal City; 818-824-4237; cafesierrahilton.com
• Long Beach: Royal Brunch at the Queen Mary, 1126 Queens Hwy., Long Beach, 877-342-0742; queenmary.com

Where to give out-of-towners a taste of Southern California

Is there anyplace more ultimately…us…than the Saddle Peak Lodge (419 Cold Canyon Road, Calabasas; 818-222-3888; saddlepeaklodge.com). Situated high in the Malibu Mountains, even the drive is breathtaking — just the beginning of an experience that dazzles on every level.

Where to go by the water

• Sea Level at the Shade Hotel (655 N. Harbor Drive, Redondo Beach; 310-921-8950; rb.shadehotel.com/dine)
• Ballast Point (110 N. Marina Drive, Long Beach; 562-296-4470; ballastpoint.com)

Where to take the kids

Simply speaking, NOT Chuck E. Cheese. Anything but. Your kids will thank you.

The winter holidays can be a time of joy and family togetherness, but they have the potential to be stressful and challenging, especially for people with diabetes. Navigating festive meals while keeping blood sugar in check is a real-life daily struggle for those with diabetes, which is heightened during this season. A plan that incorporates smart food choices and the use of technology can ease the stress while improving blood sugar levels even during the holidays.

Chef Sam Talbot, restaurant owner known for competing on a top television cooking show, has a unique perspective on healthy eating as he has been living with type 1 diabetes since he was a child. As a spokesperson for Medtronic’s new “Live More. Worry Less.” campaign, Chef Sam has firsthand experience using a continuous glucose monitoring system along with a smartphone app to better control his blood sugar levels. He uses his skills in the kitchen and love of food to strike a balance when preparing healthy holiday meals that are reminiscent of traditional family favorites.

Chef Sam believes that people with diabetes can make simple diabetes-friendly swaps in their holiday recipes to be able to enjoy what they love without too much compromise. For example, he makes his holiday pie crusts using chickpea flour, which is higher in protein and fiber than all-purpose flour. The chickpea flour is more nutritious and helps keep blood sugar levels stable. In addition, he recommends using natural fruit instead of sugar in certain recipes to help boost sweetness. He recommends using seasonal whole foods that are fresh and flavorful.

Starting with healthy, high-quality ingredients is key to planning a diabetes-friendly holiday menu. Here are some more helpful holidays tips for better blood sugar levels this holiday season:

1.      Don’t forget the vegetables. Leafy green and other vegetables are low in carbohydrates and calories and can add both volume and flavor to your plate. You can load up on the veggies for a more satisfying and balanced meal.

2.      Keep portion control in mind. It’s okay to enjoy your favorite holiday foods, but eating reasonable portions will help you avoid overeating while better controlling your blood sugar.

3.      Don’t skip meals. Counterbalancing hefty holiday meals by skipping other meals can take a toll on your mood, energy and blood sugar. Try to eat on your typical schedule, even during the holidays.

4.      Plan in the activity. When gathering with family and friends for a holiday meal, incorporate a non-eating activity like a brisk walk or a game of football in the yard. Getting up and moving around feels good and can be a lot of fun.

5.      Stay hydrated with low-carb and low-calorie beverages. Sweet drinks and alcoholic beverages can make glucose control even more challenging. Opt for low-calorie drinks, especially water, to help take in enough fluids.

6.      Use technology to your advantage. Talk to your doctor or endocrinologist about technology for better diabetes control. With ongoing research and scientific advances, more tools are being developed to help people with diabetes better incorporate tight blood sugar control into their lifestyle.

LeeAnn Weintraub, a registered dietitian, provides nutrition counseling and consulting to individuals, families and businesses. She can be reached by email at RD@halfacup.com.

Lazy Dog Restaurant and Bar has come up with a fun and festive way to help build homes for deserving folks this holiday season: Gingerbread houses.

Through Dec. 31, the restaurant chain is offering gingerbread house kits for $5.95, which guests can construct at the table while enjoying their meal.

Each kit includes edible gingerbread walls and roof pieces, icing to hold it together, and gummy and chocolate candies for decorating, and perhaps best of all, all proceeds from the sales of the gingerbread house kits will benefit Habitat for Humanity.

In addition, through Dec. 13, the chain is offering $30 and $40 per person prix fixe menus for groups of 8 or more.

The price includes a gingerbread house kit for each member of the group, and again, proceeds will benefit Habitat for Humanity.

Donations can also be made directly by visiting www.habitat.org/donate.

Lazy Dog has locations in Rancho Cucamonga, Corona, Temecula, and soon, Montclair.

Less flair

The longtime Ontario TGI Fridays is closing.

Reader Timm emailed us to let us know that the restaurant at 3351 Centre Lake Drive posted a notice that it will be shutting down Sunday, Dec. 8.

Am employee noted that the restaurant opened in 1993.

The location will host a “Go out with a bang” customer appreciation party from 6-10 p.m. Thursday, Dec. 5.

Remaining Inland Empire locations include Rancho Cucamonga, San Bernardino, Riverside and Corona.

Veterans eat free

Veterans Day deals have come and gone, but Logan’s Roadhouse is continuing to show support.

Through the end of the year, the chain is offering a free American Roadhouse Meal for veterans and active military — with the purchase of an entree at $8.99 or more.

The free meal is available from 3-6 p.m. on Wednesdays.

The sole Southern California Logan’s Roadhouse location is at 13480 Base Line, Fontana.

More more information, visit www.logansroadhouse.com/folds-of-honor.

Coachella Valley Brewing turns 6

Coachella Valley Brewing Co. is celebrating its birthday with a whole lot of music and a whole lot of beer.

The brewery’s Sixth Anniversary Beer & Music Festival is set for noon-10 p.m. Saturday, Nov. 30.

Fourteen musical acts will perform on three stages during the free, all-ages event.

The brewery will release its anniversary beer, and food will be available from Smoked Gourmet BBQ.

The event will also feature games, drink specials, and a free raffle for brewery-related prizes.

Coachella Valley Brewing Co. is at 30640 Gunther St., Thousand Palms.

La Quinta Brewing turns 6

Apparently, it’s sixth anniversary Saturday in the Coachella Valley: La Quinta Brewing Company is also celebrating.

The free event is set for 1-9 p.m. Saturday, Nov. 30, in the brewery’s parking lot, 77917 Wildcat Drive, Palm Desert.

The celebration will include five musical acts, food from Kuma Catering and Thai by Benz, games, anniversary merch, and of course, new beer releases.

With a little luck, next year’s celebration will take place at its new brewery, set to open in late 2020.

Mountain Mike’s opens

We’ve been patiently waiting for Mountain Mike’s Pizza to open in Redlands, and the wait is now over.

The location — which features an all-you-can-eat buffet from 11 a.m.-2 p.m. Monday through Friday — opened last Friday. Hours are 11 a.m.-10 p.m. daily.

Mountain Mike’s is in the Packing House District at 605 N. Eureka St., Suite 100.

Pints for presents

Sandbox Brewing Co. in Montclair is again helping collect toys for the less fortunate.

Through Saturday, Dec. 7, head to the brewery and donate a new, unwrapped toy, and in return, you’ll receive half off one pour.

The toys are being collected for the city of Montclair’s holiday food and toy basket program.

Sandbox Brewing Co. is at 4650 Arrow Highway, Suite A-9.

Double gift card bonus

The holiday season is fast approaching, and many eateries have begun announcing their gift card bonus deals for this year.

Miguel’s Jr. is giving $5 bonus gift cards — valid Jan. 2 to March 31, 2020 — with every $25 in gift card purchases from Dec. 2 to 31.

However, from Friday, Nov. 29 to Sunday, Dec. 1, the chain is doubling the deal: Guests will receive $10 in bonus cards for each $25 in gift card purchases.

Gift cards are available at all Miguel’s Jr. locations.

Free Impossible Burger

Burgerim is celebrating the introduction of the Impossible Burger to its menu by giving them away.

On Black Friday, Nov. 29, the chain will give guests a free Impossible Burger with the purchase of any Big Burgerim, the chain’s full-size burger, available in nine patty options.

Inland Empire Burgerim locations include San Bernardino, Rancho Cucamonga, Riverside, Corona, Redlands, Moreno Valley, Montclair, Ontario, San Dimas, Norco, Eastvale, and Fontana.

OK, so nobody actually expects to give or receive 12 Christmas presents, like the old carol implies. And not many of us know the reason for the tradition. The 12 days of Christmas marks the span between the birth of Christ and the coming of the Magi, the three wise men, on Jan. 6.

But here’s a dandy way to mark the year’s turning: a different drink for each of those dozen days. We’ve found three cocktails, three wines, three beers and three nonalcoholic alternatives that are fit for your end-of-the-year enjoyment.

Cocktails

Chambord Kir Royale

This tasty twist on the French Kir Royale combines Champagne and black raspberry liqueur, rather than the traditional creme de cassis.

.5 ounces Chambord

4 ounces Champagne

Add the Chambord to a flute and top with Champagne.

Garnish with a raspberry and a lemon twist.

(Source: liquor.com)

Mistletoe Martini

1.5 ounces vodka

.5 ounce elderflower liqueur

1.5 ounces cranberry juice

.5 ounce simple syrup

Cranberries

Mint leaves

Fill a cocktail shaker halfway with ice.

Pour in the vodka, elderberry liqueur, cranberry juice and simple syrup.

Shake until chilled.

Strain into a martini glass.

Garnish by tossing in a few cranberries and floating mint leaves on top.

(Source: mixthatdrink.com)

Rum-Brandy Punch

4 lemon peels

I cup fine-grained raw sugar

8 ounces fresh lemon juice

24 ounces VSOP cognac or Armagnac

8 ounces Jamaican dark rum

In a 1-gallon punch bowl, muddle the lemon peels with the sugar and let stand for 3 or 4 hours.

Add the lemon juice and stir until the sugar dissolves.

Add the remaining ingredients and stir to combine.

Slide in a 1-quart block of ice and garnish with freshly grated nutmeg.

Ladle into punch cups in 3-ounce portions.

This recipe makes about 30 servings.

(Source: liquor.com)

Wine

Schramsberg Blanc de Noirs 2015 ($37): Christmas is sparkler season, and this Napa stalwart is a reliable crowd pleaser. Winery notes: “Generous aromas of white peach, dried mango and fresh honeycomb. Rich flavors coat the palate with apricot, strawberry cream, almond and dark spice, while a lively acidic backbone gives way to a candied ginger and Mandarin orange finish.”

2015 Smith-Madrone Cabernet Sauvignon ($50): Stuart Smith, who founded this winery in 1971, almost lost his Spring Mountain estate to wildfire a couple of years back, which would have eliminated one of Napa’s best higher-altitude wineries. Smith says this about the 2015 Cab: “Aromatically the wine is thrilling in its laser-like focus and intensity of fragrance. At the same time, it delivers remarkable complexity; every inhalation reveals a new and surprising element. Bright fruit, dark fruit, black currants, red plums, lavender, spices violets, green olives, all are present and more. The aroma is so intriguing it is an end in itself.”

2017 Merry Edwards Sauvignon Blanc Russian River Valley ($33): Widely lauded as one of the best Sauvignon Blancs in America, produced by famed winemaker Merry Edwards. Wine Review Online gave it 97 points: “The 2017 is all finesse and flavor, showing notes of white peach, citrus and wood spice. With exquisite balance and impressive length, it is a wine truly worthy of its author’s storied history.”

Beer

Anderson Valley Winter Solstice: 6.9% ABV. Cloudy and amber, with a thick, white-colored head. Flavors of caramel, berries, candy, spices, cinnamon, brown sugar, vanilla, oak and honey. The taste is earthy, sweet, and has a balanced bitterness. (Beercollections.com)

The Bruery 8 Maids-a-Milking: 13.7% ABV. This is latest member of the celebrated holiday series from Placentia’s award-winning craft brewery. Aged in bourbon barrels for about a year. Deep, rich, dark milk chocolate notes, roastiness, and ripples of caramel, coconut and vanilla character.

2019 Anchor Christmas Ale: 6.9% ABV. This year’s Christmas offering from the famous San Francisco brewery is layered with toasted caramel and coffee flavors and has subtle hints of Mexican chocolate, rounded out with herbaceous spices.

Nonalcoholic drinks

Nutmeg and Orange Christmas Coffee

4 tablespoons ground coffee

1 small cinnamon stick

2 pitted dates

Pinch of ground nutmeg

2 cloves

Strip of pared orange

Orange zest

Put the ground coffee, cinnamon stick and dates in a large French press coffeemaker. Add the ground nutmeg, cloves and orange zest, then pour over 14 ounces freshly boiled water. Stir gently with a wooden spoon to combine, then leave to steep for 4 minutes. Slowly push down the plunger and serve in espresso cups.

(Source: bbcgoodfood.com)

Holiday Mule

3/4 ounce cinnamon syrup3/4 ounce lime juice1/2 ounce cranberry juiceFever Tree Ginger Beer

Combine the cinnamon syrup, lime juice and cranberry juice in a cocktail shaker and shake with ice. Pour into a collins glass over ice. Top with ginger beer and garnish with fresh cranberries and rosemary sprig sprinkled with a dusting of powdered sugar.

(Source: XV Beacon, Boston)

Cranberry Spice

1 1/2 ounces sparkling water

2 ounces cranberry juice

4 dashes Peychaud’s Bitters

2 1/2 ounces apple cider

10 cranberries (plus additional for garnish)

Orange wedge

Muddle cranberries and orange wedge in cranberry juice, and then pour in the rest of the ingredients and stir with a spoon. Garnish with cranberries and orange peel and serve on ice.

(Source: Waldorf Astoria Chicago)

Fast food chains did their best to grab headlines in 2019.

But Beyond Meat and Impossible Foods really hit the big time, not just on CNN and Fox News. In November, they were featured on “Weekend Update” in a skit about the plant-based burger boom on “Saturday Night Live.”

Here are five ways fast food made the news this year.

1. Meatless meat

There’s a demand for meat alternatives and companies are working to make them ever more accessible. Any lingering doubt was dispelled by fast food behemoth McDonald’s. It tested an item called the Big Vegan in Germany and the Beyond Burger in a PLT sandwich — Plant, Lettuce, Tomato — in Canada.

Beyond Meat also expanded its presence in Del Taco and Carl’s Jr., while Little Caesars launched an Impossible Pizza Supreme with plant-based sausage. Dunkin’ began serving a Beyond Sausage breakfast sandwich and Subway came up with a Beyond Meatball Marinara sandwich.

Impossible Foods pulled off a coup when Burger King began serving Impossible Whoppers in August. It followed it up in November by testing an Impossible Burger in its King Jr. kids meals.

2. Chicken sandwich mania

The frenzy over Popeyes Louisiana Kitchen’s new chicken sandwich created the kind of media sensation you can’t buy, although plenty of other restaurant chains tried. Popeyes launched the sandwich in August and withdrew it after two weeks of super-long lines in stores and at drive-thrus. After two months of silence, Popeyes brought back the sandwich on Nov. 3, and the frenzy resumed.

3. Taco Bell Hotel

Of all the Instagram moments fast food chains sought to create in 2019, Taco Bell’s pop-up hotel in Palm Springs was among the most elaborate. The Irvine-based chain took over a boutique hotel near downtown and transformed it into a haven for influencers filled with all things Taco Bell for four days and nights.

Highlights included a guest room converted into a lounge for sipping Baja Blast slushes; a salon where guests could get Taco Bell nail designs or hairstyles; a pool with hot sauce packet-shaped floats and synchronized swimmers in hot sauce-colored swimsuits; and a poolside bar debuting Taco Bell foods. A cheddar cheese chalupa shell served there later made it onto the regular Taco Bell menu for a limited time.

Other notable pop-ups included a Baskin-Robbins ice cream shop in Burbank dressed up like Scoops Ahoy in “Stranger Things” for the debut of season three of the hit Netflix series.

4. App orders

“Tech takeover” made many restaurant hot trend lists for 2019, and it will likely return for 2020.

Chipotle Mexican Grill jumped on it, introducing a line of Lifestyle Bowls exclusively for its online and app menus.

Dunkin’ expanded its On-The-Go Mobile Ordering to all customers, not just rewards program members, while Chick-fil-A launched dine-in mobile ordering, allowing guests to take a seat in the dining room and have their orders brought to them without waiting in line.

Pizza Hut followed Little Caesars’ lead by testing carry-out lockers at a store on Sunset Boulevard in Hollywood.

5. Out-there limited time offers 

Many quick service chains rely on short-term menu items, often outrageous as possible, to bring in customers.

In July, KFC served Cheetos Sandwiches in July. It featured an extra crispy chicken filet sitting on a bed of puffed corn snacks from Frito-Lay and, for good, measure, a Cheetos sauce.

Pizza Hut offered a calzone with a crust that looked and tasted like Cheez-It cheese crackers.

Panda Express flirted with handheld items when it offered Sichuan Hot Chicken strips in July and tested bao buns with pastrami pork belly at its Innovation Kitchen in Pasadena. Panera Bread also sought to get in on the popularity of handhelds with three breakfast wraps that are on the permanent menu.

And limited time offers aren’t just limited to food, as chains sought publicity from tie-in products.

Wienerschnitzel began selling its chili in can for $5.

Del Taco came up with aromatherapy, little bottles of churro, vanilla, and chocolate scents.

And if you’re in a holiday mood, Taco Bell is currently selling a limited edition snow globe featuring a vintage Taco Bell stand for $30 on its merchandise web page, tacobelltacoshop.com.

December can be a time for self-reflection, goal-setting and planning for the New Year.

The end of this year may seem even more significant as we enter the twenty-twenties, a whole new decade. Before tallying up your health and nutrition goals for 2020 and beyond, let’s take a moment to reflect on just how far we’ve come over the past ten years. By looking at how we collectively are changing our eating habits and overall approach to nutrition, we can better plan for an even healthier future.

1) Demand for Transparency in Food

During the past decade, we have benefited from access to even more nutrition information. About ten years ago, mandatory posting of calories on restaurant menus throughout California went into effect. We have become accustomed to making more informed food choices or at least having the knowledge to make better choices, particularly when dining out. Many restaurants now offer health-conscious menus featuring these lower-calorie offerings. Conversely, in 2012 Californians voted against the mandatory labeling of genetically engineered foods otherwise known as GMOs. Many believe that the industry’s advertising of the potential increased grocery costs associated with GMO labeling is what resulted in the proposition not passing.

2) Appetite for Plant-based Options

Today six percent of Americans identify as vegan, which means that they do not consume any animal products. This number may seem insignificant, but veganism has risen 600 percent in just five years. Interest in vegan diets is likely due to multiple factors including health, the environment and animal welfare. Fifty-two percent of Americans report increasing their intake of plants with an emphasis on plant-based proteins. Consumption of dairy milk has been declining for decades and continues to decline as consumers reach for accessible alternatives like non-dairy beverages made from oats, peas and nuts. Even those who are not vegan are choosing to eat more plant-based, which involves eating fewer animal products, but not necessarily avoiding them altogether.

3) Innovation and Technology Affects Eating Habits

Technological advances have always impacted how Americans eat and this is no different today. When it comes to cooking at home, time-savings is an important factor. Over the past decade, we have seen an explosion in social media, innovative services and tools and smart devices. Busy families are relying on a variety of products and services like home-delivered groceries, meal kit delivery services and even a growing selection of healthier convenience food options. According to the Pew Research Center, cell phone ownership has increased from 35 percent in 2011 to 81 percent today. And while these nutrition and lifestyle innovations are available with just the click of a button, quality time around family meals is even more scarce as our attention is spread between loved ones and devices like cell phones.

4) Organic Foods on the Rise

Healthy food and organic produce is now available at not just expensive health food stores and farmer’s markets, but most mainstream grocery stores and discount markets, too. Even with higher prices, organic food sales continue to rise. Many shoppers are looking for organic labels when buying fruit, vegetables, poultry and dairy. Many conventional food and beverage companies are trying to meet the growing demand for natural and organic products by offering healthier, more nutritious snacks, condiments, soups, and more.

Californians often lead the rest of the country in setting trends in healthy eating and nutrition. From food policy that affects all of us to individual grocery shopping habits, many new ideas and innovations stem from our state. As you prepare for the year to come, think about your lifestyle and eating habits and how they have evolved over the past decade. Then, take a moment to consider how you would like to be eating in five or even ten years and take smalls steps now to make that a reality.

LeeAnn Weintraub, a registered dietitian, provides nutrition counseling and consulting to individuals, families and businesses. She can be reached by email at RD@halfacup.com.

If you want to dine out on Christmas Day, Southern California’s casinos will be open with plenty of options, whether you’re looking for a high-end multi-course meal or the kind of selection that only a buffet can offer.

We’ve rounded up this handy list of 25 Christmas meal options. Most of the casino restaurants will serve special meals on Christmas day itself but a few will have special offerings on Christmas Eve.

Agua Caliente Casino Palm Springs 

401 E. Amado Road, Palm Springs. 888-999-1995, aguacalientecasinos.com.

Oasis Buffet (Christmas Eve): Roasted turkey, baked ham and cooking stations for custom entree orders. 11:30 a.m.-3 p.m. for lunch and 4-8 p.m. for dinner, Dec 24. $10.99 per person for lunch and $17.99 per person for dinner (champagne included at dinner for guests 21 and older).

Oasis Buffet (Christmas Day): Festive holiday dishes as well as specialties such as osso bucco, steamed snow crab legs and prime rib. Includes champagne for guests 21 and older. 11 a.m.-8 p.m. Dec. 25. $34.99 per person.

The Steakhouse (Palm Springs): Three-course dinner with choice of butternut squash bisque or baby spinach salad; entree of beef short ribs or baked salmon and crab; dessert of apple, cranberry and pecan cobbler or tiramisu chocolate cup. 4-10 p.m. Dec. 25. $115 per person. Reservations recommended, and can be made by calling 888-999-1995.

Agua Caliente Resort Casino Spa Rancho Mirage 

32-250 Bob Hope Drive, Rancho Mirage. 888-999-1995, aguacalientecasinos.com.

The Steakhouse: Three-course meal featuring choice of beef wellington or sausage-stuffed pork chop. 4 p.m.-close Dec. 25. $120. Reservations recommended, and can be made by calling 888-999-1995.

Three Palms Buffet: Christmas meal featuring American, Asian and Italian selections. 11 a.m.-9 p.m. Dec. 25. $27.99 per person.

Waters Café: Three-course meal featuring choice of prime rib or seared salmon. 11 a.m.-10 p.m. Dec. 25. $28 per person.

Cahuilla Casino

52702 Highway 371, Anza. 951-763-1200, cahuillacasinohotel.com.

Roadrunner Bar & Grill: Meal that includes prime rib, whipped potatoes, baby carrots, vegetables and a choice of apple or cherry pie. 11 a.m.-9 p.m., Dec. 25. $19.95 per person, with discounts for club members.

Harrah’s Resort Southern California 

777 Harrah’s Rincon Way, Valley Center. 760-751-3100, harrahssocal.com.

Fiore: A la carte menu featuring items such as mussels with parmesan steak frites, $17; filet mignon with butter poached shrimp and chive whipped potatoes, $72; and grilled swordfish with Moroccan couscous stuffing and smoked tomato butter, $38. 5:30-9 p.m. Dec. 24 and 25. Reservations recommended.

The Café: Salmon Oscar, lump crab, asparagus, rice and Choron sauce. All day Dec. 24 and 25. $24.99 per person.

Morongo Casino, Resort & Spa 

49500 Seminole Drive, Cabazon. 951-849-3080, morongocasinoresort.com.

Cielo Steakhouse: Multi-course menu of roasted chestnut and prosciutto soup, osso bucco and dulce de leche for dessert. 3-9 p.m. Dec. 25. $68 per person. Reservations recommended. 800-252-4499 ext. 6.

Good Times Cafe: Autumn green salad with dried cranberries, walnuts, crumbled blue cheese and vinaigrette; pork roulade; and chocolate cherry cream log cake. 11 a.m. Dec. 25-2 a.m. Dec. 26. $28.95 per person.

Potrero Canyon Buffet: Prime rib roast, herb-crusted rack of lamb, cedar plank salmon and roasted duck. 10 a.m.-10 p.m. Dec. 25. $40.95 per person, with discounts for club members.

Pala Casino, Spa & Resort 

11154 Highway 76, Pala. 877-946-7252, palacasino.com.

Bar Meets Grill: Prime rib au jus with twice-baked potato, grilled shrimp with artichoke and fennel frittata or salmon in yuzu Hollandaise sauce with pine nut risotto. Entrees come with salad and dessert. 5-11 p.m. Dec. 24 and 25. $62.

Choices The Buffet (Christmas Eve): Ham, carved turkey, prime rib, cakes, pastries, ice cream. 4-9 p.m. Dec. 24. $46 per person. Discounts apply with club card.

Choices The Buffet (Christmas Day): Same items as Christmas Eve. Limited brunch menu through 1 p.m. 10 a.m.-9 p.m., Dec. 25. $46. Discounts apply with club card.

Pala Cafe: Atlantic salmon, roasted beef strip loin, roasted beats and parsnips, herb roasted potatoes. Holiday yule log. All day, Dec. 25. $29.95.

The Oak Room: Entree options that include duck and brandied cherry sauce and bison tenderloin with smoked pear demi-glace. Salad and dessert served with entrees. 5-10 p.m. Dec 24 and 25. $68. Reservations recommended. 760-510-5100 before 5 p.m. or 760-510-4540 after 5 p.m.

Pechanga Resort Casino 

45000 Pechanga Parkway, Temecula. 877-711-2946, pechanga.com.

Journey at Pechanga (restaurant adjacent to golf course): Holiday menu items include shrimp bruschetta with white wine tarragon butter, heirloom tomatoes and focaccia crostini, $7; Pancetta-wrapped filet of beef with charred leeks, $26; and gingerbread cheesecake, $5. 11 a.m.-3 p.m., Dec. 25. Regular menu will also be offered from 7 a.m. to close.

Kelsey’s Bar & Grill: Three-course menu of baby field greens and poached pear salad; filet of beef and lobster tail Thermidor; and chocolate bundt cake with peppermint glaze. 11 a.m.-11 p.m. Dec. 25. $48 per person. Regular fall menu will also be available.

The Lobby Bar & Grill: An assortment of holiday-inspired dishes including a king crab tamale with pomegranate pico de gallo, poblano almond cream and micro greens, $11; a stuffed Cornish game hen with rice pilaf, green beans, cauliflower and a curry butter sauce, $25; and a cranberry lime tart, $5. 7 a.m.-10 p.m. Dec. 25.

Paisano’s: Three-course meal with choice of acorn squash soup or arugula and shaved beets with ricotta salata; filet mignon served with lobster and shrimp-stuffed jumbo shells; and a dulce de leche cake with amaretto. 5-10 p.m. Dec. 25. $65 per person. Reservations suggested and can be made by calling 877-711-2946 or visiting pechanga.com/dining. Paisanos will also serve its regular menu.

Pechanga Buffet: Christmas day buffet with such offerings as snow crab, shrimp and mussels; Asian, Italian and Latin dishes; pastries, cakes, ice cream and mini milkshakes. 9 a.m.-10 p.m Dec. 25. $36.99 for adults, $14.99 for children 3-11.

Pechanga Café: Holiday special featuring braised short ribs, fingerling potatoes and Brussels sprouts. $25. Add a gingerbread cheesecake for dessert for $5. All day, Dec. 25.

The Great Oak Steakhouse: Four-course Christmas dinner of lamb chops, pear and gorgonzola salad, beef Wellington and cranberry cake. 5-10 p.m. Dec. 25. $75. Reservations recommended and can be made by calling 877-711-2946 or visiting pechanga.com/dining.

Spotlight 29 Casino 

46-200 Harrison Place, Coachella. 760-775-5566, spotlight29.com.

Capitata Buffet: The buffet will serve a special Christmas day meal. 11:30 a.m.-10 p.m., Dec. 25. $28.95 for adults, $14.95 for children 3 to 8. Discounts apply with club card.

READ MORE about Southern California casinos 

Casino expansion: What’s new at SoCal casinos and what’s plannedRestaurants: Casino dining guide | SoCal casino buffetsNon-gambling amenities: Video games, cigar lounges, concert venues and moreGambling: High-limit rooms get getting flashier, multiplying 

Tamale fans, if you’ve got plans for this weekend, cancel them.

That’s because the Indio International Tamale Festival takes place from 10 a.m.-6 p.m. Saturday, Dec. 7, and 10 a.m.-5 p.m. Sunday, Dec. 8, on the streets of downtown Indio. The festival — the world’s largest — takes between Highway 111 and Indio Boulevard, along Bliss Avenue, Miles Avenue, Towne Street, Smurr Street, and Requa Avenue.

Of course, there’s plenty of tamales of every flavor, along with plenty of tamale contests, including ones for tamale eating, best tamales, and booth decoration.

The event also features six stages of entertainment, carnival rides, a beer garden, a kids zone, games, food trucks and a farmers market.

Admission and parking are free, with a free shuttle available from the Larson Justice Center at 46200 Oasis St.

Advance carnival tickets are available by visiting the event’s website: tamalefestival.net.

Tamale time

Speaking of tamales, some restaurant chains are dishing out tamales — as they do with seafood offerings during Lent — for the holidays.

Del Taco’s tamales are available individually for just over $2 or two for $4. The tamales are also available in pairs either “smothered” — covered in red and green salsa and served with a dollop of sour cream — or covered in chili and cheese and again served with a dollop of sour cream.

El Pollo Loco’s chicken tamales are available a la carte or in three new tamale bowls: Two tamales; a tamale and chopped chicken breast; and a tamale and two-piece leg and thigh. All three bowls include rice and beans.

Miguel’s Jr. has two varieties for sale: California Chile and Chile Rojo Pork. Both use founder Mary Vasquez’s signature recipe. Guests can get a tamale a la carte for $2.99; in a combo with rice, beans, and a regular drink for $6.99; a pre-ordered dozen for $29.99; or six tamales, large chips, 8-ounces of salsa, and four regular drinks for $22.99. The tamales are available through Jan. 6, 2020, or while supplies last.

Wienerschnitzel covers its beef tamales in cheese and its signature chili sauce. The chili cheese tamales are available for a limited time at participating locations.

Raising Cane’s again

The Inland Empire’s newest Raising Cane’s opened this week.

The chain’s second Ontario location has opened at 1437 N. Mountain Ave.

Hours are 9 a.m.-2 a.m. Sunday through Wednesday and 9 a.m.-3:30 p.m. Thursday through Saturday.

New in town

Nguyen’s Kitchen — a “modern Vietnamese eatery,” according to its website — has opened its first Inland Empire restaurant.

The location opened about a month ago at 4021 Grand Ave., Suite B, Chino, in the Chino Spectrum Towne Center.

Hours are 10 a.m.-11 p.m. daily.

Food drive

We here at Southern California News Group are helping to collect food for a local food bank.

The lobbies of three Inland Empire newspapers have collection bins for non-perishable food items.

Feel free to visit us and drop off donations during normal business hours through Friday, Dec. 13 at the following locations:

• The Press-Enterprise: 1825 Chicago Ave., Suite 100, Riverside.
• Inland Valley Daily Bulletin: 9616 Archibald Ave., Suite 100, Rancho Cucamonga.
• Redlands Daily Facts: 19 E. Citrus Ave., Suite 102. Redlands.

Donations will go to Feeding America Riverside | San Bernardino, which in turn will distribute them to local soup kitchens, senior citizen homes, schools, homeless shelters and the like, depending on need.

Brewery helps out

Also helping to collect food — and toys — for the holidays is Feathered Serpent Brewery in San Dimas.

The brewery, 555 W. Allen Ave. Suite 11, is collecting non-perishable food and new, unwrapped toys through Wednesday, Dec. 11.

Donors will receive $2 off a pint for their donations.

The donations will go to a local shelter.

$1 pizza buffet

John’s Incredible Pizza has a couple of incredible coupon deals for those of you with kids ages 3 through 12.

Through Friday, Dec. 20 — unless it gets extended yet again — kids can dine for just $1 with an adult buffet purchase. Up to four kids can eat at this price, but the deal doesn’t include a beverage.

Through Monday, Dec. 30, kids can basically eat free. John’s is offering admission, buffet, and a $5 Fun Card for just $5. The coupon is good for up to four kids, but again, a beverage is not included.

For more information (and more coupons), visit johnspizza.com.

John’s Incredible Pizza locations include Riverside, Montclair and Victorville.

Last December, a Claim Jumper Restaurant in Corona was serving turkey, ham and tri-tip to holiday diners.

This December, the rustic restaurant is only a memory and a different but similar rustic building stands in its place. After Claim Jumper was torn down, Lazy Dog Restaurant & Bar built on the spot. It is serving pot roast and lamb shank pot pie.

What happened in Corona is happening all over.

Californians love spending on restaurants. Competition is fierce for their business, and less of it is going to casual table service chains. Legacy brands are shrinking while others are taking their place.

They have to decide whether to throw in the towel or to reinvest.

Brands that reinvest need to find ways to reach younger diners, keep up with technology, and refresh aging properties.

Founded in Los Alamitos in 1977, Claim Jumper has been ceding ground in Southern California. The Corona closing was one of three in 18 months. The others were in Temecula and Brea. In each case, its parent company cited “natural lease expiration.”

Other chains are shrinking one by one. They include Coco’s Bakery, founded in Corona del Mar in 1948, which closed a restaurant in Pasadena to make room for a new development, and Hometown Buffet, whose spot in the Moreno Valley Mall was eventually replaced by an escape room.

This year’s most dramatic decline was Marie Callender’s, founded in Long Beach in 1964. In August, nearly 42 percent of Marie Callender’s restaurant chain disappeared faster than a strawberry pie.

Its parent company declared Chapter 11 bankruptcy and shut 19 locations in one day, leaving only 27.

Such chain have “complicated expansion histories,” according to Jason Y. Zhang, a lecturer in hospitality management at Cal Poly Pomona.

After becoming popular, they expanded, contracted, were sold off, sometimes multiple times, to parent companies that snap up distressed brands.

Californians spend big on restaurants. It was the top state for sales in 2017 with $82.2 billion, according to the National Restaurant Association. The California Restaurant Association estimates sales at $97 billion for 2018.

But competition is stiff. The California association put the number of eating and drinking places at 76,201 for 2018. And the cuisine at more than one in five is classified as American, according to analytical firm Restaurant Data. That’s where Claim Jumper, Coco’s, and Marie Callender’s live.

Legacy restaurants often don’t adapt to the rapid changes in their industry, according to Zhang.

“It’s not because they’re bad. They just can’t seem to catch up.”

The whole package

While some brands are shrinking in Southern California, others are looking to expand their presence. They include Tennessee-based Cracker Barrel Old Country Store, which opened its second Southern California location in Rialto in May, and Norms Restaurants, a diner founded in 1949 in Hollywood.

Diners, especially millennials and younger, are not just focused on food and beverages, Zhang said.

“They’re looking for personalization.  And what I mean by that, think Disney, the perfect, whole-experience package.”

Cracker Barrel gets it, he said. Although it has an American menu with meatloaf and country fried steak, it also has a strong theme with antiques decorating each location and retail shops filled with nostalgic knickknacks. Customers almost have to browse as they wait for their tables and line up to pay for their meals at the cash register.

“People go there for a blast-from-the-past themed experience,” said Zhang.

Norms is banking on retro architecture. It opened a new location in Inglewood on Nov. 21 and has others in the works with an update of a 1950s style called Googie. It features lots of glass and neon.

“We have a design that’s based on Googie, but it’s not a Googie wannabe,” Norms Chief Executive Officer Mike Colonna said in a phone interview.

“We made it bigger and better. We’re trying to adhere to the legacy of the brand, but we’re trying to adapt it to the future.”

The need for speed

Table service restaurants aren’t just competing with each other.

“That sector overall is shrinking,” said Zhang.

Quick service restaurants make up a faster growing sector. And two of the hottest trends of the last decade, food trucks and food halls, draw attention away from stand-alone brick-and-mortar businesses.

The main advantage of food trucks is convenience, but some can compete with sit-down restaurants with Kobe beef or free-range chicken sandwiches.

Food halls such as Rock’N Fish in the new Brews Hall at Del Amo in Torrance serve entrees like wood-grilled salmon. The Sizzlin’ Place in Rancho Cucamonga’s Haven City Market serves ribeye steak.

Customers place their orders at computerized kiosks and swipe credit cards to pay at the latter.

“For millennials, their basic expectation of a restaurant experience now is that it will incorporate some aspect of technology,” said Hudson Riehle, senior vice president of research and knowledge for the National Restaurant Association.

There are two kinds of technology:

— Front of the house, which the customers see, such as video menu boards, tablets at the table and online ordering.

— Back of the house, which uses computers to aid in food preparation, business administration and keeping track of inventory.

Technology is actually changing the definition of a restaurant, Riehle said, to include curbside service or your living room through home delivery.

“If you think about it from a customer’s perspective, there’s nothing more convenient than having the restaurant come to them.”

Restaurants are exploring a variety of options to update the table service experience.

“Restaurants haven’t changed for 300 years. There are a lot of things, thanks to tech, that can be improved,” entrepreneur Stas Matviyenko said in a phone interview earlier this year.

Matviyenko is behind a San Francisco-based startup called Allset. It partners with full service restaurants to get customers in and out of their dining rooms without time-consuming steps such as waiting for tables.

The app-based service allows people to order and pay for meals online, show up at a pre-set time to be seated and served within minutes.

“As they paid in advance, they’re free to go when they’re done. … It usually takes 15 minutes to dine with Allset,” Matviyenko said.

He viewed Los Angeles as a growth market for Allset. It got a boost through a partnership with BJ’s Restaurant & Brewhouse. The Huntington Beach-based chain is working with Allset at three Southern California locations — Burbank, Culver City, and Westwood.

Do the right thing

Marie Callender’s new owner agrees that people aren’t as willing to sit in restaurants as long as they used to.

“The hour-and-15 minute dining experience is now for special occasions,” said Ernie Romo, chief operating officer of the Elite Restaurant Group, which recently acquired the chain in the bankruptcy.

Based in Chatsworth, Elite is known for acquiring Slater’s 50/50 and Daphne’s, a fast casual Mediterranean chain.

Romo said in a phone interview that the parent company wants to reopen as many of Marie Callender’s shuttered restaurants as possible as franchises.

Target locations include Torrance, Modesto, Placentia, and Bakersfield.

It may be possible for Marie Callender’s and other legacy chains to come back if they face the realities of the market.

Priorities for Marie Callender’s include an updated, app-based loyalty program and refreshing the closed restaurant sites.

Romo is also watching the performance of an “express” location in San Pedro, which he said at 3,000 square feet is smaller than most Marie Callender’s and serves a shorter menu with a bigger emphasis on pies.

Other chains are doing remodels, including Sherman Oaks-based Black Angus Steakhouse. Known for its high, secluded booths, Black Angus has begun a program of making over its dining rooms with more open space and a lighter palette.Restaurants revamped in 2019 include San Bernardino and Lancaster, and the chain is considering more in 2020.

El Torito, founded in 1954, is bringing back some of its older menu items as it strives to return to its roots.

Chief executive officer Randy Sharpe said in a phone interview his staff looked over decades of menus to restore items such as fajita tacos and Mudd Pie to the menu as seasonal items.

“It has a great history. How do we take that and not lose that while bringing it to the current time frame?”

El Torito, Chevys Fresh Mex and Acapulco faced nearly a decade of turbulence under Real Mex, which filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy in 2011 and 2018. The parent company is now called Xperience Restaurant Group, with Sharpe in charge.

He said El Torito’s sales are up in 2019 thanks to reinvestment.

“Quite frankly, it’s had some bad times over its history. But it’s shown that it’s a strong brand if you do the right thing by it.”

If Christmas cheer for you means having a little adult happy juice, then we have good news for you. The Disneyland Resort is offering some special cocktails just for the holiday season, available now through Jan. 6, mostly at the Festival marketplace booth in Disney California Adventure, but other spots around the resort have some offerings too.

Here are some ways to get your buzz on:

At the Festival Marketplace booths: 

• Cranberry Sangria with Lime Garnish $11.25 (At Holiday Duets)
• Bourbon Cranberry Cocktail $13 (At Winter Sliderland)
• Vanilla Pear Mule with edible orchid $14 (At A Twist on Tradition)
• Apple, pomegranate or cran-blackberry mimosas $15 (At Making Spirits Bright)
• Warm Bourbon Cider with with House-made Bourbon-infused Marshmallow $13 (At Favorite Things)
• Habanero Hibiscus Margarita with House-made Habanero Syrup, garnished with Hibiscus Flower $13 (At Merry Mashups)
• House-made Horchata with Rum Cream Liqueur topped with crispy Cinnamon Cereal $13 (At Merry Mashups)
• Crimson Pear Beer Cocktail with Modela Negra, Prickly Pear Purée and Hibiscus Sugar Rim $12 (At Grandma’s Recipes)

Other locations:

• Holiday Egg Nog Holiday Egg Nog with Spiced Rum $12.25 (at the Hollywood Lounge in Hollywood Land)
• Mistletoe Mule Cranberry-Orange Lemonade with Ginger Ale and Vodka  $13.25 (at the Hollywood Lounge in Hollywood Land)
• Seasonal Margarita Grapefruit Tangerine Margarita served over Ice $12.50 (At Bayside Brews in DCA)
• Specialty Holiday Cocktail with Anejo Tequila, Mezcal, Agave, Hibiscus and Lemon Juice $15 (At the Lamplight Lounge)
• Sleigh Ride Cinnamon Rice Cream Liqueur, White Crème de Cacao, Gingerbread syrup, Joffrey’s Coffee Cold Brew, with nutmeg and a glow snowflake $18 (At Carthay Circle Lounge, DCA)

Disney’s Grand Californian Hotel

• Chocolate Chip Cookie Shot with Grand Marnier®, Bailey’s®, Peppermint Schnapps, Captain Morgan® rum, or RumChata® (At the holiday cart in the lobby )
• Spiced Christmas with Captain Morgan Spiced Rum, Rumchata, Pumpkin Spice Syrup, garnished with Cinnamon $15 (At the Hearthstone Lounge)
• Merry Apple Berry Crown Royal Regal Apple Whiskey, Butterscotch Schnapps, and Cranberry Juice $15 (At the Hearthstone Lounge)
• Jungle Jolly Captain Morgan Parrot Bay Rum, Midori, Orange Juice, and Pineapple Juice $15 (At the Hearthstone Lounge)
• Jolly Holly Jack Daniels, Peach Schnapps, Orange Juice and Cranberry Juice $15 (At the Hearthstone Lounge)
• California Snowball Parrot Bay Rum, Don Q Rum, and Coco Lopez blended and served in a martini glass, garnished with Coconut Flakes $15 (At the Hearthstone Lounge)

Disneyland Hotel

• Gin-ger Snaps Hendrick’s Gin, Canton Ginger Liqueur, Lemon Juice, Ginger Syrup and Cinnamon Syrup, with cinnamon and candied ginger  $15 (At Trader Sam’s)
• Jungle All the Way Fernet Branca, Kahlúa, Lime Juice, Pineapple Juice and Coconut Cream $15 (At Trader Sam’s)
• Peppermint Barks El Dorado Rum, Rumple Minze Peppermint Schnapps, ginger syrup, cream of coconut, lemon and pomegranate juice, mint leaves, with a Candy Cane $15 (At Trader Sam’s)

And, if you want to make the Disneyland horchata at home, here’s the recipe (sans the alcohol)

Disneyland horchata Serves 1 to 2

RICE BASE

• 2 cinnamon sticks
• 1 cup jasmine rice
• 2 cups filtered water

HORCHATA

• ¾ cup whole milk
• ¾ cup condensed milk
• ¾ teaspoon vanilla syrup
• ¼ cup water

GARNISH

• Dollop whipped cream
• Pinch of ground cinnamon
• 1 Mexican cinnamon galleta (cookie)

For rice base:

• Combine cinnamon sticks, jasmine rice, and water in container and cover with lid.
• Allow to sit, in refrigerator, overnight or for a minimum of 8 hours to ensure cinnamon sticks and rice are softened.
• Blend and strain through cheesecloth and set aside.

For Horchata:

• Combine whole milk and condensed milk in large container and stir  in rice base. Add vanilla syrup; stir.
• Add ice to serving cup and pour Horchata over ice.
• Garnish with whipped cream and sprinkle cinnamon on top.
• Cut Mexican cinnamon galleta in half and place on whipped cream to create Mickey “ears.”

And here’s another recipe from the Disney Festival of Holidays

Vanilla Pear Mule

Serves: 1

• 1.25 ounces vodka
• 4 ounces pear nectar
• 1 ounce vanilla syrup
• 2 ounces ginger beer
• 1 edible orchid, garnish
• Combine vodka, pear nectar, and vanilla syrup in cocktail shaker with ice
• Shake well and strain into 16 oz. copper mule mug over fresh ice
• Fill with ginger beer
• Garnish with edible orchid.

Cookbooks make great holiday gifts, especially when they are practical and help to produce foolproof dishes. Deborah Schneider, executive chef at Sol and Solita restaurants that include locations in Huntington Beach, Newport Beach, Playa Vista and Valencia, has written an excellent new book, “The Essential Mexican Instant Pot Cookbook” (Ten Speed Press, $19.99).  It showcases the vibrant flavors of Mexican food with fresh and authentic recipes for soups, tacos, burritos and tamales, as well as side dishes, salsas and desserts. All the recipes are made using an electric pressure cooker.

Both of my grown daughters are busy working mothers. They use electric pressure cookers on a regular basis; one uses an Instant Pot, the other has mastered a different brand. Weekends are often spent using these workhorse gizmos to produce future weeknight meals. They appreciate the shorter prep times, and the reduced amount of cleanup.

Chef Schneider, a James Beard Award-nominated author, joined me in my home kitchen for an Instant Pot 101 session. She said that most new electric pressure cooker owners are intimidated when they first open the box. The number of function buttons can “scare the pants off them,” she said, assuring that initially users only need to know about the “saute” and “cancel” control buttons.

Start with a simple recipe to build up confidence. She suggested a simple rice or bean dish as a starter recipe. Put the machine through its paces and after that, move on to something more complicated. At my house she made an irresistible Chicken-Tortilla Soup in 30 minutes. It was one the best versions I’ve ever tasted.

The base of the soup is a salsa-like mixture that is sautéed-until-thick in the Instant Pot, and then the broth and chicken join the party. This simple technique added a delicious depth of flavor. Tortilla chips and cheese added richness, placed in the bowls before the steaming hot broth was poured on top. Then, of course, there were those mouthwatering garnishes; diced avocado, cilantro and a squeeze of fresh lime juice.

Instant Pot Chicken Tortilla Soup

Yield: 4 servings

INGREDIENTS

2 dried guajillo chilies, stemmed, seeded, and torn into pieces

1 cup boiling water

2 Roma tomatoes

2 tomatillos, husked, wiped clean, coarsely chopped

2 garlic cloves, peeled

1/2 large white onion, finely diced, plus 1/4 cup diced white onion for serving

1 tablespoon vegetable oil

1/2 small carrot, peeled, cut into small dice

1/2 fresh Anaheim chili, seeded, diced

1 1/2 pounds boneless skinless chicken thighs

6 cups chicken broth

1 teaspoon salt, kosher salt preferred

2 cups toasted corn tortilla strips or tortilla chips broken into bite-size pieces

1/2 cup shredded Monterey Jack or cheddar cheese

Garnish: 1 ripe avocado, halved, pitted, peeled, diced, 1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro leaves, 4 lime wedges

PROCEDURE

1. Place guajillo chilies in blender; add boiling water. Soak 10 minutes or until chilies are softened, then drain off and discard water. Cut 1 tomato into quarters and scoop out and discard core and seeds. Coarsely chop quarters and add to blender. Core, seed and finely dice second tomato and set aside. Add tomatillos, garlic and 1/2 cup finely diced onion. Blend until very smooth, scraping down blender as needed. Do not add any water.

2. Press Saute-High on Instant Pot and heat oil. Add the diced tomato, the remaining finely diced onion, carrot and Anaheim chili; sauté for about 1 minute until beginning to soften. Add the chili puree from blender and cook, stirring until mixture is quite dry and beginning to stick to pot. Press Cancel. Add chicken, broth and salt. Secure the lid and set the Pressure Release to Sealing. Press Soup, then set cooking time to 20 minutes.

3. When cooking program is complete, press Cancel. Perform a quick pressure release by moving the Pressure Release to Venting. When venting is complete, open the pot, then transfer the chicken to a plate. Using two forks, shred the chicken into bite-size pieces. Divide chicken among 4 bowls. Top each with tortilla strips, cheese and diced onion, then ladle the hot broth over the top. Garnish with avocado and cilantro. Serve with lime wedges.

Source: “The Essential Instant Pot Cookbook” by Deborah Schneider (Ten Speed Press, $19.99)

Green Chili Mac ‘n’ Cheese

Yield: 4 to 6 servings

INGREDIENTS

2 tablespoons butter

1 small white onion, diced

6 garlic cloves, minced (about 2 tablespoons)

1 jalapeño chili, stemmed, minced (with seeds)

2 cups vegetable broth or chicken broth

2 cups heavy cream

5 teaspoons kosher salt

1 tablespoon freshly ground black pepper

1 pound elbow macaroni

1/2 cup sour cream

2 cups shredded mild cheddar cheese

1 cup Monterey Jack cheese

2 fresh poblano chilies, roasted, seeded, peeled and cut into 1-inch pieces, see cook’s notes

Thinly sliced green onions, green part only, or chopped fresh cilantro

Cook’s notes: Start by roasting the poblano chilies. Place chilies on a gas flame, turning occasionally with tongs until evenly blistered and lightly charred on all sides. Wrap in paper towel until cool. Rub off charred skin. Split open; remove stem and seeds.

If desired, serve the mac n’ cheese topped with crushed corn chips or with 6 ounces of Mexican-style chorizo (casings removed, cooked in a skillet, then crumbled).

PROCEDURE

1.  Press Saute – normal/medium on the Instant Pot and melt butter. Add onion, garlic and jalapeño; cook, stirring occasionally, for about 3 minutes, until softened but not browned. Press Cancel. Add broth, cream, salt, pepper and macaroni, then stir to combine.

2. Secure lid and set the Pressure Release to Sealing. Press Pressure Cook, then set the cooking time for 8 minutes.

3. When cooking time is complete, press Cancel. Perform a quick pressure release by moving the Pressure Release to Venting. Open the pot, then add the crema, cheddar cheese and Jack Cheese; stir until cheeses have melted. Stir in poblano chilies, then replace the lid without securing it. Let stand for 2 minutes. Taste and adjust the seasoning with salt and/or pepper if needed. Serve right away sprinkled with green onion slices.

Source: “The Essential Instant Pot Cookbook” by Deborah Schneider (Ten Speed Press, $19.99)

Carnitas

Yield: 4 to 6 servings

INGREDIENTS

1 tablespoon lard or vegetable oil

2 1/2 pounds boneless pork shoulder, cut into 1 1/4-inch pieces

1 teaspoon kosher salt

1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

1/2 white onion, thinly sliced

4 large garlic cloves, cut in half

1 1/2 cups water

For serving in tacos: salsa (tomatillo salsa preferred), warm corn tortillas, diced avocado, diced white onion, chopped fresh cilantro leaves

PROCEDURE

1. Press Saute – normal/medium on the Instant Pot and heat the oil. Working in batches, add the pork in a single layer and cook for 3 to 5 minutes per side until well browned on all sides. Transfer to large plate and season with salt and pepper. Press Cancel. Add onion, garlic and water. Use a wooden spoon to scrape up any browned bits on bottom of pot. Return pork and any accumulated juices.

2. Secure lid and set the Pressure Release to Sealing. Press Meat/Stew, then set the cooking time to 30 minutes.

3. When cooking program is complete, press Cancel. Let the pressure release naturally for 20 minutes, then move the Pressure Release to Venting to release any remaining steam. Open the pot and let cool for 10 minutes, then serve with salsa, avocado, onion, cilantro and warm tortillas.

Source: “The Essential Instant Pot Cookbook” by Deborah Schneider (Ten Speed Press, $19.99)