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Did you hear the former Cedar Creek Inn is open again? It's got a new name, new owner, new menu, and a new attitude — offering up good food, cheap.
The Old Creek House in Palm Springs serves an ambitious, multi-page menu of breakfast, lunch and dinner selections that run the gamut from homey favorites like meatloaf to snazzier specialties like chicken cordon bleu.
We perused the menu as we munched on thin, crispy breadsticks brought to the table in a glass tumbler — a neat diversion from the usual bread basket.
As for dinner, so many choices!
There's the Lucy's Meatloaf ($6.99), which comes with mushroom gravy. And the batter for the fish and chips ($6.99) contains Amber ale. A nice grilled salmon here, a crab cake appetizer there. There are lots of pasta dishes, too, plus chicken, beef, fish selections, and a different soup each day. Saturday boasts lobster bisque, yum.
Sandwiches, which come with fries or fruit, are a particularly good value.
I couldn't resist the Burly Ruben, at $4.99. It came on perfectly crisped, buttered and grilled rye bread, and was indeed burly — stuffed with thick slices of corned beef, sauerkraut and melted Swiss cheese. The sandwich arrived at the table in a deep basket, accompanied by a pile of flavorful sweet potato fries.
My dining partner went with the prime rib, and was pleased with the half-pound slab of beef and its accompanying au jus; it came with a loaded baked potato and steamed vegetables for $9.99. Other beef cuts are available; a 7-ounce sirloin is $6.99.
There's a special Sterling Club Members menu for diners over 60, with meals starting at $5.99. It's clearly popular — a slighter older clientele seemed to dominate the dining room on a recent early Wednesday evening.
Still, younger folks and families flocked in, too. We had to wait about 10 minutes for a table, but it was worth it, as we were seated next to a window in view of a glorious sunset.
The decor seems pretty much unchanged from the former roomy restaurant, with lots of tables, several tucked into intimate little alcoves, and floral and chintz touches everywhere. Since it has been just about a month since the new place opened in July, comparisons are natural, but give it a little time and a few newcomers — we predict Old Creek House will surpass its predecessor in popularity very soon.
