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Dal Rae Night (Photo credit: Thomas Hawk)
By Brian Hews
The Dal Rae is one of the finest upscale dining rooms in all of Southern California and has a solid reputation for its spectacular menu that literally has not changed in decades.
Table side dishes are flamed to perfection. The martini’s a shaken cold, with the perfect amount of shaven ice surfacing to the brim of the glass.
It is an institution for political insiders in East Los Angeles and has attracted some of the biggest names in Hollywood for decades.
Deals are cut daily at the vintage round leather covered booths, and the Sand Dabs are legendary.
Dal Rae (Photo credit: Davidag)
Now, the Dal Rae, located on Washington Boulevard in Pico Rivera, is becoming famous for apparently being one of the places where undercover Agents for the Federal Bureau of Investigation were targeting the Eastside Los Angeles political dynasty family known as “The Calderon’s.”
Hews Media Group-Community Newspapers, as well as other media outlets have been publishing a series of critical investigative reports on State Senator Ronald Calderon, and his two brothers, former Assemblyman Thomas Calderon and former Senator Charles Calderon as well as political newbie Assemblyman Ian Calderon for the past eight months.
Last week, the Calderon’s became international political stars thanks to a series of hard hitting investigative reports from the Arab based media outlet Al Jazzera.
It appears that the FBI went to no expense, and detail, to craft an elaborate “movie production studio” that was over seen by one of their own agents known as “Rocky Patel.”
“Rocky Patel” played the role of a slick, aggressive, independent movie executive who engaged Ronald Calderon and Tom Calderon to help him craft legislation in Sacramento.
HMG-CN spoke to at least three sources who claim that they were introduced to “Rocky Patel” while they were dining at the Dal Rae.
One of the sources, said that Calderon Press Secretary Mario Beltran accompanied Patel at one of the meetings at the Dal Rae and took the liberty to introduce the undercover agent to them.
HMG-CN has called Beltran at Calderon’s Montebello District Office for comment about his association with Patel, to no avail. At least three messages where left to Beltran during a three day period.
“Can you believe it, we met Rocky Patel,” the source said. “We happened to the at the Dal Rae that night and Mario Beltran came up to us with Rocky,” the source continued.
“I can’t believe it, this is definitely a made for television movie,” the source told the newspaper.
In addition, the source joked that Rocky Patel was “young and hot!”
Dal Rae Co-Owner Kevin Smith told HMG-CN in an interview on Monday that he had never met Senator Ron Calderon. “I don’t even know who the guy is, meaning Calderon. Sorry, I can’t help you with any details about the situation,” Smith said.
Smith, when pressed about how many times “Rocky Patel” had dined at the Dal Rae, he said, “this conversation is over,” and hung up the phone.
You failed to mention that the Dal Rae is also home away from home for recently reelected Pico Rivera Councilman David Armenta. He even has his own special dish, an lobster omelete. He never pays so he could care less about the costs. He’s also big on the abalone seafood plate that runs about $50.00. Ah, the good life if you can get it.
I’ve seen all the Calderon’s holding court there many many times. Chuck (with his son Ian), Tom (with his late wife Marcela and his kids -especially his eyesore son Cameron), and Ron (who had a fundraiser there last time I saw him)…they practically lived at the place for decades now. I also have seen David Armenta there as well a million times. Another leech draining the political well dry.
let me get this straight, the FBI is leaking stuff to Al Jazeera because the NY & LA Times are too busy to run the story, and the DOJ is stalling the prosecution?