Dining Around The Desert

Dining Around The Desert: Pueblo Viejo Indio

Authentic Mexican Food In A Friendly Setting

Living in Southern California and especially the Palm Springs area, you expect to have access to great Mexican food. With Pueblo Viejo Grill, that’s what you get.

Even though they have been open since ‘05, we just recently discovered them on HWY 111, just West of Monroe in Indio. They have good reviews on Yelp, so we decided to give them a try.

Small, Colorful Local Hangout

Pueblo Viejo Grill is a small, colorful space that's usually very busy. However, the tables turn fairly quickly there and the longest we’ve waited was about 20 minutes (reservations for parties of six or more only).

I’ve enjoyed both the Tostada Salad with Shredded Chicken and the Fajita Salad with Grilled Chicken. The Chile Verde Burrito was also excellent. Next will be the Viva Chile Relleno.

#4: Famous Tamales

The No. 4 Pueblo Viejo Famous Tamale with pork is my husband Bill's favorite. This entree includes refried beans and Mexican-style rice. The rice and beans are likely some of the best we’ve had. They are flavorful and stand on their own, not just as a side dish.

While waiting for our entrees, we made the mistake of munching on their fresh housemade chips and salsa. Once you go down this path it’s hard to stop.

Margaritaville in Indio

As you’d expect, they have just about any kind of tequila you might fancy and any flavor Margarita. I enjoy the Skinny Margarita made with Agave and Fresh Lime. They also have a full bar.

New Palm Desert Location Opening Soon

Soon, you’ll be able to enjoy the experience at their new location in Palm Desert in the old TGI Friday’s space. They should be open by the end of December, and we look forward to visiting them there as well.

Pueblo Viejo Grill features Fajita specials on Tuesdays and Thursdays, Seafood on Wednesdays and Happy Hour daily along with lunch specials from 11-3.

They make every dish from scratch using only the freshest premium ingredients. The menu also features all the usual items from Quesadillas to Fish Tacos to Steak Ranchero.

Pueblo Viejo Grill is located at 81931 Highway 111 in Indio (just west of Monroe). (760) 342-5900.

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Dining Around The Desert: Cork & Fork’s New Fall Menu

Cork & Fork Wine Bar, La Quinta

Cork & Fork Wine Bar offers small plates using the highest quality ingredients, organic and sustainable whenever possible. The new Fall Menu is one of their best and my husband Bill, and I have often been enjoying it.

One of my favorites is the Grilled Figs served with Burrata on Prosciutto, drizzled with truffle honey, olive oil, balsamic and basil and topped with candied pecans. My other go-to is the Crispy Cauliflower with a Sriracha aioli, Pine Nut Gremolata and pomegranate molasses. It’s addictive, trust me!

Comfort Food Also Served Here

If you are a comfort food lover, and who isn’t, consider the Grown Up Grilled Cheese with braised short rib, aged sharp cheddar, smoky tomato jam and truffled arugula.

Bill’s favorite Cork & Fork pizza is the Nonno with smoked mozzarella, Fulvio’s Italian sausage, shallots, rosemary and balsamic. Consider also the Rustic with wild mushroom mélange, parmesan, alfredo, gorgonzola, mozzarella and fresh herbs.

Cork & Fork also offers a nice selection of salads, street tacos, and soups. In fact, the soups are some of the best we’ve had from Tomato Basil to French Onion with a twist.

Eclectic & Affordable Wine List

Cork & Fork also features an eclectic list of affordable wines and beers by the glass and bottle, with pairing advice for their dishes.

If you’ve been reading these reviews for any length of time, you’ll know that I’m a dessert lover and the Butterscotch Pot Du Crème with crème fraiche and Maldon flake sea salt is delicious. They also feature a special gelato or sorbet every night.

This review wouldn’t be complete without mentioning the excellent Cork & Fork staff including Chef Andie of course. Cork & Fork Wine Bar is located at 47875 Caleo Bay in La Quinta (760) 777-7555

Dining Around The Desert: Mimmo’s Italian Restaurant & Bar

Keeping Our Recent Italy Trip Food Experience Going

Having just returned from our Italy vacation in September, you might think that my husband Bill and I might have had enough Italian food for a while. You’d be wrong!

Here we discovered a gem of a restaurant hiding in plain site right off of Hwy 111 and San Pablo in South Palm Desert. Mimmo’s opened just over two years ago and has been going strong ever since.

Dine Inside Or Out Front In The Patio Area

Victoria, Sheri Dettman & Mimmo

The owners, Mimmo and Victoria Di Salvo warmly greeted us at the entrance and offered us our choice of seating either out front on the enclosed patio or inside. And as soon as we were seated our waiter appeared at the table, offering water and bread with a wonderfully flavorful tapenade that was bursting with a fresh olive goodness.

The menu has something for everyone with a good selection of Starters, Pasta, Fish, Meat and Chicken, not to mention desserts. Mimmo's also offers a large selection of wines both by the glass and the bottle.

House Made With Top Quality Ingredients

Mimmo's strives to use only top quality local produce, high-quality meats and fish; fresh picked herbs from their garden, organic eggs, sugars and whole grain flours. Mimmo's sauces, breads and desserts are all made in-house and was reflected in every dish we ordered.

My Caprese salad appetizer had a flavorful Balsamic Reduction drizzled on top, and Bill's evening special of vegetable soup was perfection.

For dinner, I enjoyed the fresh Halibut special with lemon and cherry tomatoes with a side of sautéed spinach. The fish was perfectly cooked, light and delicious. Bill ordered the Veal Scaloppine alla Sicula topped with eggplant, tomato sauce and mozzarella. His two sides were Mimmo’s special carrots (think back to the day when carrots cooked in butter and brown sugar at home) and a wonderful soft polenta.

For dessert, we enjoyed house made Tiramisu and the Sicilian Cannoli which has the added touch of Rum and Chocolate Chips in the Ricotta. La Dolce Vita indeed!

Owners Mimmo & Victoria Are Passionate About Food & Service

Mimmo's Patio Area

What made the dining experience come together were the owners. Mimmo and Victoria are lovely, personable people, full of passion for food and for their restaurant and ready to share that with their guests.

Bill mentioned to me that the staff seemed happy to be working there. And as we witnessed, they train their staff well and are hands on to make sure everything is running smoothly.

Here They Know Your Name

As we enjoyed our evening at Mimmo's, group after group arrived, with many being addressed by name. I assume these diners would not be returning if they weren’t pleased with their Mimmo's dining experience.

Bill and I look forward to returning to Mimmo’s, and I’m sure that this will become one of our “go to” places for dinner here in the Palm Springs area.

Mimmo’s Restaurant & Bar: 73-540 Hwy 111 in Palm Desert (760) 346-9712. Closed Sunday’s.

Dining Around The Desert: Bistro 60

The View From Bistro 60

Last year my husband Bill and I attended a party catered by the Bistro 60 Restaurant at the Golf Club at Trilogy in La Quinta. They did a great job, but we kept forgetting to go see them at the restaurant. Well, we finally made it a couple of weeks ago and it was really good. In fact, we went back two nights in a row.

Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner At Bistro 60

Bistro 60 is a casual setting where you can get breakfast, lunch or dinner, seven nights a week. Bistro 60 is best known for its laid-back atmosphere, great service, and fresh, eclectic food. They use local farm-raised vegetables, quality meats, and Santa Monica seafood. They also offer theme nights and live music in the evenings Wednesday through Saturday.

I had the Pear Salad of mixed greens, almonds, grape tomatoes and Brie in a Guava Vinaigrette both nights. It was perfectly dressed, and the pear was excellent. Bill had the Caesar salad which was good but if you don’t like anchovies then you probably won’t like it as it tastes as if they are added to the dressing even though it doesn’t come with them on it.

Fish N' Chips In Stella Beer Batter

Sheri at the Bistro 60 bar

We both had the Bistro Fish N’ Chips the first night. It’s not something that we normally have, but our waiter sold us on it. We were not disappointed. They were light and flaky and not a bit of grease. They coat their Cod fish in a Stella Beer Batter and Chipotle Tempura served with a Jalapeno Tartar Sauce and French Fries.

The next night I had a perfectly cooked Pan Seared Steelhead Salmon served in a Spanish Achiote-Seasoned Beurre Blanc, with Cilantro Risotto and Squash. Great! Bill tried the New Zealand Lamb Chops in a Mojito Demi Glace, served with Garlic Mashed Potatoes and the Chef’s Choice of Fresh Vegetables. Bill switched out the potatoes for Asparagus, which the chef was happy to do.

Sampling Bistro 60's Desserts

For Dessert, (it is a three-course menu after all) I had the Butterscotch Crème Brulee both nights and it was very nice. Tasted just like regular Crème Brulee though. I didn’t detect any butterscotch.

Bill had the Flourless Chocolate Cake, which was a very dense slab of chocolate. I like chocolate as much as the next gal, but it was a little too rich for me. The second night Bill had the Tiramisu that was good, but I’ll be sticking to the Crème Brulee.

Both nights had good live entertainment. We heard a husband and wife duo one night and a keyboard player the next. Nice, relaxing dinner music which was a welcome change.

Good Food, Good Service & Great Views

Overall the food was very good, the service was welcoming and efficient, and the staff actually act like they enjoy working there. The Bistro 60 prices are hard to beat as well, and the views of the golf course and nearby mountains add to the experience. We'll be back!

Bistro 60 is located at The Golf Club at La Quinta at 60151 Trilogy Parkway, La Quinta (760) 501-0620

Dining Around The Desert: Adobe Grill At La Quinta Resort & Club

The Patio Area At Adobe Grill, La Quinta Resort & Club

This past week, my husband Bill and I along with another couple decided to visit the Adobe Grill at the La Quinta Resort & Club. It had been years since any of us had eaten there, so we were looking forward to the experience.

Entering the bright and cheery space that is upstairs and to the right from the main entrance to the Resort, we were promptly greeted and taken to a very nice table in front of the ten-foot tequila display.

More Than 100 Tequila's To Choose From

Keeping with the theme, we ordered a variety of different margaritas from our server Osvaldo, all of which were very tasty and not too strong. Mine was peach, and it was just the right balance of sweet and tart. You can’t go wrong with a margarita here as they offer more than 100 tequilas.

We started out with their signature guacamole that our server made tableside. Just the right mix of avocado, onions, tomatoes, jalapenos, cilantro and lime juice served with very good tortilla chips that came with two different types of salsa.

Sampling Fresh House Made Tamales

Bill asked about tamales, and the server had the tamale maker fire up a sample to try. The tamale was very good, so Bill and our friend Guy had some of these award-winning tamales served with rice and beans. They were moist and had just the right amount of masa in relationship to the fillings.

My friend Terri had a chicken quesadilla, and I had the combo platter of a chicken enchilada and chili relleno. I ended up only eating half as I had enjoyed too much guacamole before dinner!

Dine On The Large Patio

The Adobe Grill is a colorful and happy place with a nice bar inside and during the season offers one of the best outdoor patios in the valley.

On weekends, there is live music to enjoy outside among the citrus trees and a nice view too. It’s on the pricey side for Mexican food, but you are at a resort, paying resort prices.

Summer Hours: Wednesdays through Sundays: 5 PM to 10 PM. Happy Hour from 5 to 6 PM.

The Adobe Grill at the La Quinta Resort & Club is located at 49-499 Eisenhower Drive, La Quinta. Reservations: (760) 564-7525

Photo Credit: Waldoph Astoria Resorts

Dining Around The Desert: Putting On The Ritz At State Fare

My latest culinary adventure was joining my husband Bill at the newly opened Ritz-Carlton Resort in Rancho Mirage in The State Fare restaurant and lounge.

Set in a very cool, contemporary setting featuring panoramic views of the Valley, State Fare offers breakfast, lunch and dinner as well as brunch on both Saturday and Sunday.

Offering The Best of California, It’s Prized Harvest & Ingredients

State Fare features a California sourced open-kitchen concept allowing guests to see how their food is prepared, as well as charcuterie and cheese station with cured meats and terrines made in-house.

Our knowledgeable server offered some great suggestions on both food and drink. I started out with their signature drink featuring Rosemary. This savory lemonade style drink was both refreshing and full of flavor. At State Fare, they create their own syrups and mixers and also feature a California-driven wine list.

For dinner, I started with the chilled Sweet Pea soup, and Bill ordered the Tortilla soup. Both were excellent! The Pea soup was just what you’d want, cool, silky and loaded with fresh pea flavor. The Tortilla soup was spiced just right with a little kick.

House Specialty: The State Fare Burger

Sheri Dettman At State Fare

For our entrees, I went for the house specialty, The State Fare Prime Burger, which in true Ritz style is no ordinary burger. There’s Fiscalini Hopscotch cheddar, arugula, aioli and an onion bacon jam, all served on a yummy pretzel bun. This heaven on a bun came with a side of tasty Sweet Potato Fries.

Bill enjoyed the Spring Lamb Stew containing braised lamb, spring veggies and tomato jus, which fell apart to the touch of a fork. Very flavorful.

Recent Seasonal Dinner Selections

The State Fare dinner menu offers seasonal selections including Carlsbad Oysters and Pacific Halibut with Smoked Potatoes, Rotisserie Saddle of Lamb, Organic Pasture-Raised Chicken for Two, and, of course, the signature State Fare Burger.

If you are in the area, craving Ritz-style service and attention to quality and detail along with killer views, State Fare is truly worth a visit.

The Ritz-Carlton Rancho Mirage: 68900 Frank Sinatra Drive in Rancho Mirage (760) 321-8282. Reservations suggested.

Luxury Real Estate Near The Ritz-Carlton

The Ritz-Carlton is located adjacent to the Palm Springs area real estate developments of Mirada Estates and The Villas of Mirada.

Dining Around The Desert: Chez Pierre, Palm Desert

Sheri Dettman And Chef Pierre

Our Two Recent Visits To Chez Pierre

This last week we had the pleasure of dining twice at a restaurant that we’d never been to before, mainly because it had been in a strip mall that was a bit of a drive for us. However last October they changed locations and now are next to the Chop House in Palm Desert on Hwy 111.

The restaurant is Chez Pierre and yes, Pierre is the chef and owner along with his lovely wife, Esther. Pierre is a chef who knows how to run a restaurant. He comes out several times a night to meet and greet his patrons, to make sure they are happy and that the food is to their liking. By the responses we could see all around us, he is succeeding nicely.

Cute, Simple And Friendly Atmosphere

The space is cute, simple and a friendly atmosphere. There is a bar but it and the restaurant are small so you’ll want to make reservations. Every time it was filled up by 7:00 PM.

The whole experience was easy-going and delightful from booking the first reservation online, the greeting from the hostess, the very attentive service from the three waiters, the delicious food, very good wine, and last but not least, Pierre himself.

When you first sit down you are presented with a basket of crusty bread to have along with the butter and pate you are served. The bread was great both times and they mix it up with the variety, as the second time they served an olive bread that was my favorite.

Dinner For Two, Cooked Perfectly

The first visit I had a goat cheese salad and my husband Bill enjoyed the Organic greens salad. Both were very fresh and dressed just right. For entrees, I had the poached Skate Wings in a Dijon, caper, butter sauce, which was one of the specials that night and Bill had the Pot Roast. Both were cooked perfectly and came with sides of decadent scalloped potatoes and sautéed asparagus.

The second visit I tried the soup of the day, a cold, red bell pepper puree with a dollop of goat cheese. Bursting with fresh vegetable flavor! We both had the Saturday only special of Coq au vin featuring lots of mushrooms, pearl onions and chicken that was falling off the bone on a bed of really great, perfectly al dente pasta.

Must Try Fabulous Desserts

Great as both dinners were, the desserts were simply fabulous. You must try the Apple Tart, which is about 8 inches of thin, flaky crust, tasty apples and a scoop of vanilla ice cream. Probably the best we’ve had. The Beignets with fresh whipped cream, chocolate and caramel sauce were the best I’ve had outside of Café Du Monde in New Orleans.

If you get the opportunity and want some authentic French cuisine, be it Frog’s Legs, Sweetbreads, Liver, Escargot or any of the fresh fish, this is the place to go.

Chez Pierre is located at 74040 Highway 111 (corner of Portola) in Palm Desert next to the Chop House. Complementary valet and self-parking. Reservations suggested. (760) 346-1818

Dining Around The Desert: Nobu At The Indian Wells Tennis Garden

Dine While Watching Professional Tennis

One of the biggest events in the desert is the annual BNP Paribas Open at the Indian Wells Tennis Garden. My husband Bill and I attended a night match last Friday evening, and we chose to try one of the three new pop-up restaurants overlooking the new Stadium 2 facility. In fact, Stadium 2 is the only Tennis Stadium in the world where you can watch professional tennis while experiencing ‘foodie dining.'

We chose Nobu as I was always a big fan of Nobu’s original restaurant in Los Angeles, Matsuhisa, which was always outstanding and one of my favorites. This concept is a little different for the desert as it’s essentially a pop-up restaurant in that it’s temporary and will only be open during the tennis tournament.

Jam Packed Upon Arrival

We arrived at 6 PM, and Nobu was jam-packed with a line out the door. Nobu doesn't accept reservations at this special pop-up location. It’s first come first served and for our visit they had a two-hour wait both for tables and the popular sushi bar.

They did have several seats available along the window overlooking the new smaller “center court” and we took those even though they were down a long hallway leading to a service exit. Not the greatest location but the view of the court and the players were great.

Service left a lot to be desired as they were just slammed. The wait staff was very knowledgeable about the menu and very personable so I have to think that if the place wasn’t so crazy busy it would have been a different experience service-wise.

The Nobu Food Experience

We started off with a California Roll and a Bigeye Tuna hand roll. Neither one was anything that I’d order there again. Not that it was bad; it just wasn’t anything special or even above par considering the high price tag. We did enjoy a couple of Nobu Tacos made with tuna that were very tasty, one bite wonders. We’d have those again.

Our waiter suggested we try the Yellowtail Sashimi with Jalapeno and the Fluke Sashimi with Dried Red Miso and Yazu Sauce. These items are clearly the stars of the menu. The fish was exquisite, and the sauces were delicate and flavorful, enhancing the fish and not over-powering it.

We had Columbian ATP tennis player Alejandro Falla and his wife seated on our left, and they were very interesting to talk to as we all enjoyed our meals. We also met another couple seated on our right that it turns out has been on our web site for a long time to keep up with the desert real estate scene.

Check Please

Overall I'd say that Nobu at Indian Wells Tennis Garden was a fun experience, and the Indian Wells Tennis Garden setting is highly recommended. That said; Sushi and wine for two was about $400 without the gratuity! Nobu is open February 28th to March 16th and you must have a tennis admission ticket for entry to the restaurant.

Photos courtesy Nobu® and Watkins Landmark Construction®

Dining Around The Desert: il Corso, Palm Desert

Italian Fine Dining, Bar, Pasta & Wood Oven Pizza On El Paseo

My husband Bill and I had a return visit to newcomer Il Corso this week. Open just shy of a month, we tried it the first week, and there were a few issues at that time to be worked out mainly with regards to the staff knowledge of the product.

The interior is very inviting, and hip that you would expect since the chef’s partner is developer John Wessman who is well known in the valley. They used a variety of materials and textures such as reclaimed wood, metal and glass. The bar has large flat screen TV's that are well placed and don’t distract from the space itself.

Dining In The Stylish & Busy Bar

Part Of The Dining Room (A Small Patio In The Front)

This visit was a much better experience overall. We sat at the busy bar and it was packed as usual, as was the inviting dining room. The bartenders were attentive and helpful with suggestions when we asked. We had a bottle of nice chardonnay called Notes from California in a style that we like which is un-oaked. The last visit I tried a Maison Premiere Absinthe Colada, a mouthful to pronounce, but very refreshing!

I started with a spinach salad featuring mushrooms, nuts, dry ricotta and warm pancetta in a balsamic dressing. Good size, fresh ingredients and the dry ricotta was a nice touch.

Time To Enjoy Our Main Courses

Sheri At A Bar Table. Decisions, Decisions!

I then had the gorgonzola and pear pizza from the wood oven which was perfectly cooked. The crust was about as thick as a tortilla with a very thin layer of gorgonzola and then very thin slices of pear. It was not at all heavy and very tasty. Bill had the pork chop in a juniper sauce, and it was about three inches thick. Perfectly cooked, moist and served with heavenly mashed potatoes.

We followed it up with a cannoli because we have no will power. As usual, the pastry was crisp, and the ricotta filling was tart and sweet at the same time.

We’ve heard that Il Corso's bar menu is likely in the works. That will be a good addition for some smaller bites. We’ll be back!

il Corso is located at 73520 El Paseo, Suite B, Palm Desert (760) 341-6700. Complementary valet parking out front. Note: We arrived at 5PM to take photos, and the bar was packed by 5:45 PM and the dining room by just after 6 PM so reservations are suggested.