Norma's

The first time my mom visited me while I was living in New York, we brunched at Norma's. Tucked away in Le Parker Meridien hotel; it truly is a brunch gem. She could not stop raving about the meal (nor could I), so going forward, anytime she was in town, we made a stop at Norma's. I have since moved out of New York and I deeply miss my brunch visits.

Norma's Doughnuts

But I stumbled upon some great news. There is another Norma's...on the West Coast! It is located in the Parker Palm Springs (same affiliation as the New York hotel). Although we tend to stay in La Quinta and it is a 45 minute drive to PSP, I convinced Reid it was a great idea to make the trek because the brunch is that good. He suggested we bring our moms. Perfect! My mom was beyond thrilled when she heard the news.

Mod entrance to the Parker

We picked the perfect day to brunch. It was sunny and warm so we sat outside, shaded under brightly colored awnings and paper lanterns. The restaurant was bustling with LA hipsters who appreciate the hotel's mod 60's decor. All of us perused the menu, salivating over the options. I forgot Norma's had such an expansive menu...what to get, what to get? We shared Norma's Doughnuts, with lemon custard and blueberry jam and ordered the following:

Waz-Za: Waffle – Fruit Inside Fruit Outside, Crackly Brûlée Top

Artychoked Benedict With Truffle Porcini Sauce

Truffle anything, artichokes, mushrooms and benedicts - everything I love, packaged into one amazing dish! I think this might be my new favorite benedict. Instead of an Engligh Muffin, Norma's uses an artichoke heart. Umm...yum.

 Normalita’s Huevos Rancheros

Who doesn't love huevos?

Chicken and Wild Mushroom Omelet with fire roasted peppers

Needless to say, we all had to nap afterward. 

Norma’s, 4200 East Palm Canyon Drive, Palm Springs, CA 92264.

Hideaway Passover

It has been rather dreary in San Francisco so Reid and I were more than excited to get down to La Quinta for the long Passover/Easter weekend. The weather was absolutely gorgeous which made it hard to come back to rainy SF. We spent three blissful days indulging in some much-needed R&R: lounging by the pool, playing golf and eating delicious meals with the family. Friday was Passover so Reid's Mom, Robin, decided to cook dinner to celebrate the holiday. Although it wasn't your traditional Passover meal, it was still a great excuse to get the family together. And who doesn't love a home cooked meal? I, for one, am never opposed.

We started out the evening with cocktails (grapefruit and Grey Goose, anyone?) and some Chardonnay (Rombauer and Talbots). As we drank the tasty libations, we nibbled on some apps: Trader Joe’s edamame hummus (the best edamame hummus, hands down), Trader Joe’s kale dip (their healthier version on spinach dip…I highly recommend it) and cheese (!), of course.

Then we feasted! To start: A crisp romaine salad with fresh veggies.

The entree: Chicken Marbella (recipe below).

Sides: Roasted potatoes and carrots sprinkled with truffle salt (truffles…need I say more?), couscous and Matzah!

Desert: Macaroons and a trio of Talenti gelatos. Have you ever tried Talenti? If you haven't, you must - you'll be hooked on Talenti. My favorite is their Caramel Cookie Crunch.

 L'Chaim!

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RECIPE: Chicken Marbella

Ingredients

4 chickens, 2 1/2 pounds each, quartered
1 head of garlic, peeled and finely pureed
1/4 cup dried oregano
coarse salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
1/2 cup red wine vinegar
1/2 cup olive oil
1 cup pitted prunes
1/2 cup pitted Spanish green olives
1/2 cup capers with a bit of juice
6 bay leaves
1 cup brown sugar
1 cup white wine
1/4 cup Italian parsley or fresh coriander (cilantro), finely chopped

Preparation

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

In a large bowl combine chicken quarters, garlic, oregano, pepper and coarse salt to taste, vinegar, olive oil, prunes, olives, capers and juice, and bay leaves. Cover and let marinate, refrigerated, overnight.

Arrange chicken in a single layer in one or two large, shallow baking pans and spoon marinade over it evenly. Sprinkle chicken pieces with brown sugar and pour white wine around them.

Bake for 50 minutes to 1 hour, basting frequently with pan juices. Chicken is done when thigh pieces, pricked with a fork at their thickest, yield clear yellow (rather than pink) juice.

With a slotted spoon transfer chicken, prunes, olives and capers to a serving platter. Moisten with a few spoonfuls of pan juices and sprinkle generously with parsley or cilantro. Pass remaining pan juices in a sauceboat.

To serve Chicken Marbella cold, cool to room temperature in cooking juices before transferring to a serving platter. If chicken has been covered and refrigerated, allow it to return to room temperature before serving. Spoon some of the reserved juices over chicken.