Please The Palate |

Hand + Foot Restaurant in Corning, NY

Walking into the restaurant Hand + Foot, you might think that you were in any major city, not in the small town of upstate New York. But, it is in the charming town of Corning, population 11,000. Exposed brick walls, low lighting, a long bar filled with small craft brands and a communal table in the center of the room, this restaurant could be in Manhattan, Brooklyn, San Francisco, Los Angeles.

Owners Dan and Laurie Morton worked in bars in Orlando and New York City before moving back home to Corning. They took over an Irish bar that was covered in sheet rock and housed a golf simulator to create the warm and inviting Hand + Foot. My first thought when I heard about the restaurant was that they were on trend with the nose to tail movement, featuring whole animal cuisine. After all, what else would hand and foot mean? Well, actually it refers to a card game, similar to canasta, that Dan's family has been playing for generations.

12 October, 2015

The Pines Steakhouse at San Manuel Indian Bingo and Casino

In the mood for steak and some slot machines but don't want to go all the way to Vegas? Head to San Manuel Indian Bingo and Casino in San Bernardino County, an hour and a half east of Los Angeles. That's what I did with some friends when I was invited out to The Pines Steakhouse.

It was my first time to San Manuel Casino and I was impressed by the recently renovated casino. But, what is all the more impressive are the 3600 slot machines! That is a lot of slot machines and the sound of spinning slots and the bells are ringing from every corner.

Located on the second floor of the San Manuel Casino, The Pines Steakhouse is tucked away from the excitement and noise of the casino gaming floor. As you exit the casino and enter the restaurant, a sense of calm surrounds you. The large dining room will remind you of any Las Vegas dining room but this dining room is converted to a nightclub later in the evening.

07 October, 2015

FIN Culver City – A Neighborhood Spot

For the last year, I have driven up and down Centinela Blvd to and from LAX but I had never noticed Fin, a restaurant located half a block east of Centinela Blvd on Washington Blvd. Now I have! A modern space with minimal decor, Fin is located in the space that was formerly Mi Ranchita, a Mexican Restaurant. The menu at Fin is Asian-fusion. Perhaps this is because owners Michael Flanagan, Gerardo Reyes and Ken Whang had all worked together as servers at Koi in the past? Well actually, that is where they met. One night Michael and Gerardo were drinking at Mi Ranchita when they told the owner they wanted to buy the place. The owner wasn't looking to sell the 25 year old restaurant but somehow they convinced him. They set out to remodel the space and hire staff as they created their own concept. But what impressed me so much was that they ended up also keeping the original staff from Mi Ranchita. And why Asian Fusion? Because, as Michael explained, he wanted to offer a restaurant in the neighborhood that would be fun for a date spot or a night with friends.... flavorful, fun food that is easy to share and not too heavy. It's been a year now and Fin is a friendly local neighborhood restaurant.

26 August, 2015