Page 32 March 2015 Longtime dream becomes reality with new restaurant Adela’s Italian 4041 E. Thomas Road 602-955-0588 adelasitalian.com By Amanda Goossen Over 30 years ago when Pedro Delgado was a cook in an Orange County, California restaurant, he made a promise he’ll never forget. Working the line at Luigi’s D’Italia in Anaheim, Pedro was a young immigrant from Guerrero, Mexico. This job changed his life. Luigi, himself, taught Pedro to cook. He educated him on Italian recipes, guided him through technique and mentored Pedro on not only cooking, but also life. Pedro was only 17 years old. A young man with a grateful heart, Pedro told Luigi that if he ever had a daughter he would name her after Luigi’s mom, Adela, to honor the man who didn’t just give him a job, but taught him a trade. “I also told Luigi that if I ever opened my own restaurant, I would name the restaurant Adela as well,” said Pedro. Three decades later, in a city in the desert, Pedro’s promise materialized. “Opening my own restaurant was my big dream for the past 20 years,” said Pedro. “On New Year’s Eve 2013 I asked myself what I wanted my resolution to be. I asked myself what I really wanted for my life in the new year.” Telling himself that 2014 was finally the year, Pedro began mentioning it to friends and family members. “I guess once you start telling people, things start to actually happen,” said Pedro. “You have to follow through.” Adela’s Italian Restaurant opened on October 27, 2014. The new restaurant took the place that once housed Olympic Flame in the 40 Palms Plaza on Thomas Road and 40th Street. A family-run operation, son Jaime works alongside his father in the day-to-day operations, with Pedro’s daughter, wife and nephew pitching in to help as well. The décor is simple, with checkered table clothes and a Venetian-inspired mural covering one wall. The menu is a complete array of Italian favorites. Pedro promises to use only the best ingredients possible and at the most affordable prices. He wants to satisfy the neighborhood’s craving for delicious bowls of pasta and meats, without breaking the bank. He wants his menu to offer selections without being overwhelming. “Our menu is made up of all the things people know and like,” said Jaime, Pedro’s son. “You can open the menu and immediately know what you want.” With offerings such as Osso Buco served over fettuccini, Linguini with Fresh Clams and Chicken Marsala, Pedro’s technique and knowledge is obvious. “I don’t focus as much on the decoration, it’s just not my thing,” said Pedro. “I just focus on making really delicious food.” The homemade bread served when I sat down proved not only the talent in the kitchen, but the dedication to quality. The Fettuccine Della Casa, pasta served with bacon, peas, mushrooms and a delicate cream sauce was top-notch. The sauce was rich and flavorful, while the pasta, bacon and vegetables were cooked to a perfect al dente. And for dessert, the homemade tiramisu was light and fluffy with a decadent coffee essence, capping off a surprisingly superb meal. (Left) Pedro and Jaime Delgado work together to run their new casual Italian eatery. (Right) Adela’s homemade Tiramisu. Follow us on KACHINA Quality Dry Cleaning 602-955-5540 3926 E. Indian School Road Arcadia Family Owned & Operated Since 1959 Home & Office Pickup & Delivery Available

Page 33 March 2015 Festive food options for vegans on St. Patrick’s Day By Amanda Savage When you think of Irish food, something vegan or vegetarian doesn’t typically come to mind. Meats and dark beers are usually no-nos when it comes to eating animal-free foods. Although, it may be surprising that there are easy ways to take part in festive eating and drinking on St. Patrick’s Day, without compromising your vegan or vegetarian values. Since St. Patrick’s Day falls on a Tuesday, and not everyone is into the busy bar scene of this holiday, this article will offer food and drink options for both going out around town and staying in for the evening. A NIGHT ON THE TOWN Cornish Pasty Co. has the most options for meat-free Irish dining in town. They offer a full menu or vegetarian pasties, and have daily special vegan pasty options. If you’re feeling really festive, opt for their Veggie Cottage Pie pasty. If you’re going out for drinks, there are a decent amount of vegan-friendly beers available. As I wrote in last year’s column, most stouts, like Guinness are not vegan- friendly. Vegan dark beer options include: Alaskan Smoked and Baltic Porter, Sierra Nevada Porter and Stout, Wasatch Polygamy Porter, Squatters Captain Bastard’s Oatmeal Stout, and Lagunitas Imperial Stout. A big bar tradition is to serve green dyed light beer on St. Patrick’s Day, fortunately most of the standard light beers like Bud Light, Coors Light and Miller Light are all vegan-friendly. Most bars will opt for one of these brands for their green beer base, but be sure to ask before you order. Not many Irish beer brands are vegan, although one that’s easy to find is George Killian’s Irish Red. If liquor is more of your thing, most name-brand Irish whiskies like Jameson are vegan-friendly. Veggie Beat STAYING AT HOME If the busy bars aren’t your thing, a subtle way to acknowledge the festive spirit of St. Patrick’s Day is with a relaxing night and a home-cooked meal. One surprising vegan or vegetarian Irish food option is shepherd’s pie. Making a vegetarian version of shepherd’s pie is pretty simple. Follow an original recipe, and substitute the meat and other animal-derived ingredients with nonmeat products. Specifically, the meat filling typically calls for ground lamb or beef, Worcestershire sauce and chicken broth – which are all not vegetarian. Fortunately, there are easy-to-find substitutes for all of these. First, Boca’s Ground Crumbles or Yves Meatless Ground are at grocery stores around town like Safeway, Sprouts and Whole Foods. Boca’s product is frozen, so it needs to be thawed out prior to mixing it into the recipe. I suggest tossing the grounds lightly with olive oil upon thawing them, to give them a good consistency. Yves’ product is not frozen, and can literally be dumped into the recipe upon opening the package. Traditional Worcestershire sauce typically contains anchovies, but brands like Annie’s Naturals make vegan substitutes. Chicken broth can be easily replaced with vegetable broth, without compromising a lot of flavor. To make shepherd’s pie vegan, the potato topping requires substitutes for egg and butter. Original Earth Balance is my go-to for dairy-free butter. For the egg, substitute a quarter block of silken tofu, or any other brand, and you’ve successfully altered the original recipe into a vegan one. Pair your meal with a vegan-friendly stout. Vegan shepherd’s pie 602-956-0178 4144 E. Indian School Rd. Welcome Spring Training Fans! Come enjoy all your TeePee favorites with the great weather on our cool patio!