The Press Club in Claremont, Good Food, Great Bands and they're Vegetarian.

ME! Eat at a Veggie Restaurant, no way I told a couple of friends of mine, but they convinced me to come along and I was glad I did....Not only was the food real good but so was the live band up on stage.....A group called "The Mt Baldy Mountain Jazz Band" was playing some tunes that you might think would only be heard in the Big Easy.

We were there on a Thursday Night, and the place was packed.....I was really surprised that a Vegetatarian Restaurant could be so good and filling....This is what I had while the band played on....I had what they call "French Fries for Boys," a heaping pile of kinnebec potatoes, topped with garlic, scallions and cheddar cheese....I also had the "Potato Taquitos"....These are spiced potatoes wrapped in a corn tortilla and deep dried and topped with cheese and guacamole and served with your choice of Salsa....Those were just the Appetizers.

For dinner I had the cheese and onion enchiladas that are topped with ranchero sauce made with fresh tomatoes and chilies and served with Mexican rice and beans....You can also add Portobello mushrooms and roasted red bell peppers as part of the toppings but it does make the dinner much more expensive.

On Sunday nights they have James Alcantara playing all night on the piano.....I have never heard him but I have friends who say he is very good if you like I guess you would call "Classic Piano Bar" music.

Saturday Night here is the big night for Night time entertainment with as many as 4 different groups scheduled to play....This includes groups like The Flamethrowers with The Joneses, both local bands from the IE, Rex Holmes, The HickMen, and another group known as Gayle and Company.

The also have a daily happy hour that starts at 3 in the afternoon and goes until 6:pm.....These are some of the wine offerings and prices for food during Happy Hour....Half-off wines by the bottle on Wednesdays....All of their house bottled wines are priced half-off each Wednesday, from opening until closing time.....They also have $2.00 off any draft pint, house wine by the glass, well drink or pint margarita....If you get Hungary during Happy Hour they offer snacks, like the Rolls & Tapenade for $2.00, and Mozzarella Sticks with Marinara for $2.00, Vegetable Quesadillas, for $4.00 and several differently priced Nacho Plates.

The Press Restaurant was built in 1995 in Claremont.....The name refers to the printing presses housed at 129 Harvard Avenue from the time it was built in 1920 for the presses of the Claremont Courier....The restaurant now occupies the refurbished Building at the same address.

To get to the Press Club, there are several routes....The easiest route is to come West on Foothill, (Route 66) from the IE, make a right turn on Indain Hill and go south till you get into town just south of the Claremont Colleges, turn left on 1 st street, then turn left on Harvard....It is on the left side of the street going north.

This is the Press Club's hour of operations;

Monday 8:00 pm to 12:00 am

Tuesday 11:00 am to 12:00 am

Wednesday 11:00 am to 12:00 am

Thursday 11:00 am to 1:30 am

Friday 11:00 am to 1:30 am

Saturday 11:00 am to 1:30 am

Sunday 5:00 pm to 12:00 am

So if you are ready for a unique food experience and some great late night bands and dancing, come visit the Press Club....It is the most unique Night Life destination in the IE.

Gary Hall, the ghostpainter