Palm Desert / Palm Springs Restaurants

[lleechef]

We are "Wanna-Be Snowbirds" so we just spent 3 weeks (not long enough for me) in Desert Hot Springs. Had wonderful BBQ at Woody's in Rancho Cucamonga. We also had a very lovely meal on a Thursday night.....street fair night in Palm Springs........at a place called Guido's.

[Coop]

We just returned from our annual golf trip to Palm Dessert. we had two very nice casual meals at the Fisherman's Market and Grill. They do a good job, and they don't try to be anything they aren't. The deep fried oyster were very good as were the tatare and cocktail sauces.

We had a terrible meal at the Yardhouse in the River's. We have been 4 times and it has gotten worse every time.

Oh I forgot to mention the Crazy Coyote taco stand in Cabazon. Great fish taco's (deep fried cod) in corn tortillas with exceptionally good salsa.

Edited March 24, 2004 by Coop (log)

[Foodie-Girl]

Well, on to the more important part trip (as far as restaurants are concerned)

We're staying in Rancho Mirage for 4 nights so it's an easy drive to either Palm Springs or Palm Desert.

Haven't been in 2 or 3 years so I'm not up to date on great places for dinner.

Thanks...

[rjwong]

Foodie-Girl,

When are you all coming? If it's not too late and you don't mind, I can drive out and do some quick "research" in the Palms Spring area (and Claremont perhaps).

It seems as though us eGulleteers in Southern California are not ready to retire to the deserts of the Palms Spring area and play golf yet.

PM me & let me know.

[SiseFromm]

I think Pommes Frites is a Zagat-rated Palm Springs restaurant, but I would never go back there again. They're class-A jerks. Don't get me started. I still recommend Citron. We were just there two weekends ago. I loved the Lemon-Crusted Sole with Heirloom Beans and Sauce Provencal. Top notch.

[andiesenji]

Regarding Claremont, the only time I go there is during the "Mission Circuit" round of dog shows at the L.A. County Fairplex and generally a bunch of us go to Tutti Mangia for Italian food. It is very good and the servings are extremely generous. We keep going back to the same place as everyone know how to find it and there is something for everyone on the menu.

It's on Harvard but that is all I recall.

Claremont is a college town and many restaurants are very crowded on weekends.

[Carolyn Tillie]

I used to go to Palm Springs for <ahem> White Party. Gotta admit, for White Party, there was not much eating to be concerned with...

I've had breakfast at Don & Sweet Sue's Cafe which is standard breakfast fare. I preferred Elmer's Pancake House for the Morning After Fix-Me-Up. El Mirasol is decent enough Mexican cuisine. St. James at the Vineyard has been known to have pretty exceptional specials but it never wowed me. Truthfully, I think it is a bit of a dining wasteland with lots of over-priced restaurants catering to tourists. Pity, too. I used to go to the Velvet Turtle just because I remember eating at that chain with my folks when I was six or seven years old and it has those odd, old memories of "classy restaurants" from the 70s.

[ludja]

Here's andiesenji's post from there as well.

I only get down to Palm Springs occasionally and was expecting to see someone else post here.

My friends and I tend to go back to the same places - The Blue Coyote Grill for southwestern and Gumbo Joe's for, what else, Cajun food and one friend loves their rack of lamb.

Murph's for fried chicken or chicken salad sandwiches, the best anywhere, is at the airport (Bermuda Dunes) but it isn't open all year and I have no idea when it is open but you can call the airport and ask.

There are several well known restaurants in Palm Springs but as I noted above, we keep going back to the same ones because we like them.

[JFLinLA]

I think part of the problem is that folks here on eG like to talk about really spectacular restaurants. While PS is great, I don't think it has any places that would set the food world on fire. That said, I can recommend 3 places that we ate at when we were there in December that are casual and work well with kids.

Las Casuelas -- This Mexican restaurant has 2 or 3 places in and around the area.

Shermans Delicatessen -- 2 locations - one in Palm Springs and one in Palm Desert. Good Jewish deli food.

New York in the Desert -- Good Jewish deli that is planning to take on Shermans.

Good luck.

[Foodie-Girl]

Hey everyone...thanks so much for all your thoughts.

Yes, as a former-California Girl I can agree..Palm Springs is not the culinary capital of anything...LOL. We do go every few years and the restaurant scene hasn't changed much.

I've added notes from all your posts to my files...and I truely appreciate everyone's help with this little trip!!

[Brie]

After wandering around hopelessly looking for a decent looking restaurant one evening, my husband and I found a very good one. We had a great dinner at American Zin in Palm Springs this past September. I think that the chef is Belgian, and the food is a sort of French Bistro/high end American ingredients hybrid. I fondly remember an excellent garlic salad dressing. I'm looking forward to our next weekend getaway so we can eat there again.

[Foodie-Girl]

Thanks Brie...that's one I haven't heard about.

[LarsTheo]

I really like Capra's Italian Ristorante 204 North Palm Canyon Drive, Palm Springs, but also agree that the Blue Coyote is great for southwestern food, although there is not much in the way of Mexican dishes. I asked for tamales and was told they had been taken off the menu for lack of interest.

We ate at Las Casita on Palm Canyon Drive once, and I ordered a grilled fish that was supposed to have adobo sauce on it. Instead, they served it to me with a very sweet barbeque sauce. I asked the waiter was on my fish, and he admitted it was barbeque sauce, at which point I told him that the menu specified adobo sauce. As it turns out, they didn't have adobo sauce, but he took my plate back and added hot sauce to the barbeque sauce to pretend it was adobo. I make my own adobo sauce, and so I know how it's supposed to taste, but I guess they expected most of their patrons to be ignorant. I won't go back there.

Capra's has a really interesting atmosphere - like going back to the 1960s, and there are photos of Frank Sinatra, et al. Actually the food was very good when I was there. I had a swordfish steak, which was grilled properly and therefore not dry. It has a traditional menu, but it's prepared well.

[gourmande]

... we just got back from the desert and enjoyed some fine food at:

Haleiwa Joe's (Rancho Mirage) - fresh ingredients beautifully prepared, and stunning surroundings: view here

The Deck (Palm Springs) - Jazz/dinner lounge offering an eclectic Californian/Asian menu

The Left Bank (Palm Springs) - Classic French with a southern California influence

We also enjoyed good, casual fare at:

The Kaiser Grille

Las Casuelas

... sorry, can't remember the other restaurants we tried...

Edited January 29, 2008 by gfron1 (log)

[Foodie-Girl]

Sisefrome...what happened to you at Pomme Frittes? We ate there last week and have been several time...never problem.

We also ate at The Falls and, despite it looking 'touristy' it was GREAT food.

Took a look at Citron but the menu was so short..and, well, the room..SO yellow...I just wasn't sure so we went to Pomme Frites.

Claremont lunch was sushi....dang I can't remember the name of the restaurant...it was fine...plenty of variety and room for the high chair. THANKS to all who gave thought to my request

[shead]

Any recommendations of good restaurants in the La Quinta area of Palm Springs? My husband and I were there a few years back, and don't know much about the current dining scene. Anyone willing to fill us in? Thanks!

[rjwong]

shead,

Welcome to eGullet, California forum!

In the 15 Feb. 2006 edition of the Los Angeles Times Food Section Digest, LA Times food critic reviewed a fine dining hotel restaurant at the Le Meridien hotel called Mister Parker's. It got a decent review. Mind you, Palm Springs tends to be a few decades behind the rest of Southern California ...

[shead]

Thank you for the leads, I do remember it being a bit behind the times, I guess I was hoping for the revitalization to have already taken place. Thanks again!

[jamiemaw]

Any recommendations of good restaurants in the La Quinta area of Palm Springs?  My husband and I were there a few years back, and don't know much about the current dining scene.  Anyone willing to fill us in?  Thanks!

←

It's in Rancho Mirage, not La Quinta, but no visit to the desert is complete without a visit to Lord Fletcher's Inn, that retro mid-century palace of Pre-Ironic Era comfort food, such as:

Pot Roast-Potatoe Pancakes-Sir Matthew 19.95

Old Fashion English –Style Pot Roast, Country Red Cabbage, Apple Sauce

Olde Fashion English Chycken & Dumplings 19.95

Our Large, Fluffy, Homemade Dumplings, Garden Vegetables

Roast Prime Rib of Beefe-Sir Michael

Roasted in the Time-Proven Manner, Yorkshire Pudding, Red Cabbage

Lords Cut Prime Beef 23.00

Kings Cut With Bone 26.00

The chicken and dumplings is one of my favourite meals anywhere, but you must start with the salad - real iceberg with 1000 Island.

More delicacies here!

[shead]

Oh my gosh, their menu looks delicious! We will try this place, thank you!

[rjwong]

In the 4 April 2006 edition of the LA Times Food Section Digest, the LA Times food critic jotted down a few words in her "Critic's Notebook" about a southern Italian restaurant in Rancho Mirage named Villa Abbate Ristorante Italiano.

She was impressed because it was traditional and high-end, not your stereotypically "cheesy" southern Italian restaurant.

But once we sit down in a roomy booth and watch as the tuxedoed waiters roll a wheel of grana cheese past us to another table, I'm hooked.

[fyfas]

The wait for a table at Lord Fletcher can be horrendous when the desert/valley is busy as it is now, around Spring Break but oh that Chicken and Dumpling dish !!! The very definition of "comfort food".

[*Deborah*]

Greetings

I'll be spending a few days in Palm Desert/Indio in April (Coachella fest), and I expect my cash flow to be pretty constrained.

I hope to continue my usual California trend and eat Mexican at least 90% of the time but I'm not familiar with Palm Desert...early indications are typical resort.

I found a decent joint in Indio last time I was there, but I'd like to know of any Palm Desert places anyone can recommend, since that's where my hotel is this time. Also, is there a supermarket or one of those hyper drugstores where I can stock up on water and, uh, reposado?

Thanks in advance !

[rjwong]

*Deborah*,

Palm Springs area is not known for their culinary innovations. Retirees go out there and play golf. Mind you, there is a Trader Joe's grocery store in Palm Desert:

44-250 Town Center Way; Palm Desert, CA 92261; 760-340-2291

Maybe, one of these days, I just might go out there for a day and find some restaurants, for research purposes, of course ...

[*Deborah*]

Thanks for the link!

I know there are a lot of chain restaurants and such in the neighbourhood, and of course there's a lot of pricey stuff since it's a resort, but I hope I can suss out a little mom and pop kind of place to find something a little autentico.

Many thanks for the TJ address! I'm sure I'll find what I'm looking for there.