Eats: Palm Springs, Palm Springs, California

No matter how near or far you are from home, a recommendation for a good restaurant or bar is always nice to have. EATS is a collection of places that I’ve enjoyed during my travels.

If you want an exceptional meal with a hint of old Hollywood glamour than you have to go to Melvyn’s. The restaurant is located at the historic Ingleside Inn, which dates back to the 1920s. The inn was purchased in 1975 by Melvyn Harbor who opened the restaurant that shares his name and almost immediately it became a magnet for celebrities like Cher, Liza Minnelli, John Travolta, Marlon Brando, Arnold Schwarzenegger, Debbie Reynolds and perhaps most notably Frank Sinatra. In fact, Sinatra had his very own booth and was known to be quite the tipper around the place. Even after the restaurant underwent an update in 2017 it still has a way of making present day visitors feel like Hollywood royalty with retro elegance and top-notch service provided by its accommodating staff, many of which have worked at Melvyn’s for decades (including long-time maître d’ Brian Ellis) and are more than happy to share a story or two about the famous guests they have served.

We were seated in a romantic table for two (which we learned was on the other side of the wall from Sinatra’s booth) and stared with some delicious old school cocktails including the Melvyn’s Martini and French Martini. Our meal began with the spinach and tomato salad with onions, pancetta and blue cheese prepared tableside with fiery theatrics. For our main course my husband ordered the short rib of beef and I couldn’t pass up the filet with a side of steamed broccoli, both of which were served with whipped mashed potatoes. For dessert we were treated to more fire as our waiter cooked up our cherries jubilee tableside before serving them warm à la mode. Our experience at Melvyn’s was nothing short of wonderful from top to bottom. It’s no wonder that Ol’ Blue Eyes loved this place. ...... (follow the instructions below for accessing the rest of this article).