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Keeping Don Callender's Legacy Alive

When Don Callender (DC), founder of the Marie Callender’s restaurant empire sold the chain, creating new projects was still in his blood. Inspired by the movie Babe, and the exploding Micro-Brew industry of the 1990s, DC came up with a new project, Babe’s Bar-B-Que Grill and Brewhouse.

Mr. Callender’s instincts proved right on the money, says Executive Chef and General Manager Arthur L. Vasquez. “If I had a dime for every picture taken with those iconic pigs in front of the restaurant, I could retire,” Vasquez laughs. “Of course, Mr. Callender’s influence went way beyond décor. He was here nearly every day, in the kitchen, personally inspecting the food quality and ingredients, it was his passion!”

Babe’s atmosphere is desert casual with southern charm, bringing together a house mix of blues, rockabilly, country and southern rock. The restaurant offers up All-American hickory-smoked pork, chicken, and beef, and sauces to please a multi-regional range of bar-b-que lovers, from Baby Back Ribs to mouth-watering Pulled Pork Sandwiches.

Accompanying the signature bar-b-que is a unique list of libations including more than a dozen hard-to-find beers from the South, great California wines with customer-friendly prices, 25-ounce Colossal Coolers in refreshing flavors such as Southern Peach Lemonade and Hogwild Hurricane, and, of course, the award-winning micro-brews. Babe’s recently won four medals for four entries in the 2009 Los Angeles International Commercial Beer Competition, taking the Gold over Samuel Adams in the Black Lager category.

As if bar-b-que and micro-brew were not enough, diners should save room for dessert. After all, this pastry comes from the man who gave us Marie Callender pies! Executive Chef Vasquez’ daughter Dominique is the Le Cordon Bleu-trained pastry chef, now behind Babe’s rustic home-style pies and shortcakes made individually all day long to ensure freshness the Don Callender way.

Babe’s is on a roll with awards from Palm Springs Life as the Best of the Best BBQ in 2006 and 2007, and Desert Magazine’s Best BBQ of 2008 and 2009. Says Vasquez, “Although Don is no longer with us, his legacy truly lives on here, I miss him all the time.”

Open for lunch from 11:30 a.m. to 5 p.m., dinner from 5 to 10 p.m. Bar is open until 11 p.m. happy hour 3 to 6 p.m. December to July; 3 to 6:30 p.m. July to December.

“A delicious extensive bar-b-que menu, brews and blues, are an ongoing tribute to Babe’s founder. Join the fun!”

Text by Gayl Biondi