Help the children—and eat meatballs!
Sammy’s International Meatball Festival is back! The event benefits the Boys and Girls Club of Cathedral City, and it takes place there (at 32141 Whispering Palms Trail) from noon to 4 p.m., Sunday, April 7. This fun-filled event features music, food, wine, beer and games, with prizes in both amateur and professional meatball-making categories. It is a great way to taste delicious meatballs while helping our community. Regular tickets are $15 (and include five meatball tastings), while VIP tickets are just $25 (with 10 meatball tastings and a special lounge!). Get tickets and learn more at www.bgcccity.org/12th-annual-meatball-festival.
In other events news: The spring edition of Taste of On the Mark is happening from 4 to 7 p.m., Saturday, April 6, on Museum Way in Palm Springs, in front of the eponymous store. This is an opportunity to indulge in a variety of beer, wine and small bites from On the Mark and vendors from across the Coachella Valley. Tickets are $70 to $95; get details by going to onthemarkpalmsprings.com and clicking on events.
It is time again for Dining Out for Life. One of DAP Health’s most significant annual fundraisers will take place on Thursday, April 25. Last year, 68 restaurants participated here in the Coachella Valley, raising $270,000. If you are unfamiliar with Dining Out for Life, taking part is simple: You just need to go out to eat! Numerous wonderful restaurants and bars in our community then donate at least 33% of their sales for the day—with some donating 50, 60 or 100% of their sales, sometimes even more.
Dining Out for Life also takes place in other communities, always benefiting HIV/AIDS service organizations—but the Coachella Valley event raises as much or more than DOFL most major cities, including Los Angeles, New York, San Francisco and Chicago. A huge shout out and THANK YOU to the Coachella Valley restaurant community! Visit diningoutforlife.com/city/palmsprings for an updated list of restaurants—and make your reservations early.
In Brief
Wang’s in the Desert, at 424 S, Indian Canyon Drive, in Palm Springs, has reopened. We’ve heard that management is new, and that ownership may be in the process of changing, but we could not get any confirmation. A spokesperson said via the restaurant’s Facebook page: “At this time, until a few items are ironed out … they don’t want to speak out of turn.” I am trying to remain cautiously optimistic. Since the Facebook page seems to be more up-to-date than the website, watch facebook.com/wangsinthedesert for updates. … DJ’s Sports Bar and Grill, at 34331 Date Palm Drive, in Cathedral City, is slated to open in mid-to-late April. With 300 beers on tap, pool tales and bar food, DJ’s seems like it should be a fun place to hang out. Watch facebook.com/djscorporate for details. … Super Taco has opened at 67778 E. Palm Canyon Drive, in Cathedral City; this is the space that was briefly Le Petit Dejeuner, and before that was Yanni’s Taverna. This taqueria used to be at 68171 Ramon Road, next to Outpost Market; the owners have made their new Cathedral City space much brighter and more welcoming than previous occupants. Check them out at instagram.com/supertaco_taqueria. … In other taco news: Olga’s Tacos, which had been inside the Fiesta Market next to Paul Bar, has moved to 67850 Vista Chino, No. 105, in Cathedral City. It offers the same great tacos; only the location is new. Meanwhile, the Fiesta Market space (at 3700 E. Vista Chino, in Palm Springs) has become All Guys Tacos, with a delicious assortment of taco, burrito and quesadilla favorites. I have always been a fan of more taco locations, so huzzah! Learn more about Olga’s at www.instagram.com/olgastacos18, and get the details on All Guys at www.instagram.com/all_guys_tacos. … Rodeo Bar and Grill has applied for a liquor license at the former home of Trunks, at 36737 Cathedral Canyon Drive, in Cathedral City. The application refers to the space as a rodeo nightclub; there is no word yet on whether there will be food offerings (although having “Grill” in the name is telling), or whether it will return as a gay bar. … The new Indio Taphouse, at 82867 Miles Ave., in Indio, has some interesting takes on bar food, including grinder-style tortas, an “agua chili tostada” and a cauliflower steak in green goddess chipotle aioli. Combine all of that with more than 120 brews, including local favorites and some international gems I haven’t seen in the desert before, and the Indio Taphouse sounds like a great time. See the full menu at indiotaphouse.com. … Just down the street, a new café has opened. The menu at Victoria’s Café, at 82720 Miles Ave., features pizza, burgers, pasta, Mexican food and an intriguing “aguachiles frosty.” Find details on the café by searching for it on Facebook.
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