Wine Spectator Magazine recently announced that it gave JEM Steakhouse a 2009 Restaurant Wine List Award, according to a press release. The restaurant is in the Spotlight 29 Casino in Coachella.

"We are thrilled for this recognition," said Robert Paull, general manager of Spotlight 29 Casino, in the press release. "JEM is well known for its incredible menu and now it will be known for its outstanding wine list as well. All of our wines are carefully selected to give each patron an amazing dining experience with delicious food and a perfectly paired wine."

In 2009, Press-Enterprise readers voted for Little Green Onions as the best Hometown Favorites Local Restaurant for the west region.

The award might as well have been called Best Business That Refused to Gouge Customers During a Recession.

What local restaurant do you know that still charges $3.49 for two pancakes, two eggs, and two pieces of bacon or sausage? Or $0.75 for tacos on Thursdays?

Patty Proctor, who co-owns Little Green Onions with husband Rod, flatly stated that their intent was to keep prices low for their customers. It's simply a part of their business philosophy.

For 11 years, she and Rod have maintained a restaurant that welcomes visitors as family.
"We want them to feel like it's a home," she said.

And that cozy touch is evident in the décor. Comfy red booths, a counter, a mantle with teacups on display and other homey touches communicate an unambiguous message: "We won't rush you here."

Patty, who had been a waitress all of her adult life, said she trains all the servers on how to deliver the checks in a tactful, patient manner.

Classic American and Mexican dishes populate the menu at the no-frills, independent diner where everything --- except the tamales and tortillas --- is made from scratch.

"I don't know how they do it," said Patty, praising the two main cooks Gilbert Garcia and Vicente Coronel.

Any specific boasts?

"I've got a lot of my customers hooked on our oatmeal," she said, referring to Little Green Onions' practice of making it to order with either water or milk.

At Little Green Onions, fresh is fresh and cheap is cheap.

Bo Bice may have sold more than 500,000 copies of his debut record and he may have nearly taken the crown on "American Idol," but the Southern rocker hasn't let fame go to his head.

"I don't see me as a celebrity," Bice said in a recent telephone interview. "I see me as a redneck done good."

The singer still gets starstruck sometimes, admitting it as he related stories of getting starry-eyed seeing Sugar Ray Leonard in person, performing with Richie Sambora of Bon Jovi on "The Tonight Show with Jay Leno" and his ultimate moment with Willie Nelson.

Nelson invited Bice onto his tour bus and then invited him to sit in on "Will the Circle Be Unbroken."

"We live the dream," Bice said.

The singer will bring his down-home rock to the California Theatre of the Performing Arts in San Bernardino on Oct. 16.

Bice has been working on a multiplatform project, "I Love the Road," which includes a documentary, songs and videos.

"It's catching you up to date on what's going on in Bo's world," Bice said.

For Bice, his fans, perhaps dubbed a little too preciously as the Bo Peeps, are part of this experience and the best thing about his job.

"I've played in plenty of empty bars in my career -- it's nice now because people show up," he said.