Dining in the Desert: Palm Springs, California

There are five crucial questions a journalist must ask (and answer) when researching and developing a story: Who, What, Where, When, and Why. These Five W's, along with a bonus "How" for further clarity, will preclude each blog post to provide proper insight into this weird, wild nomadic journey. ​

The Five W's + H:
​Who: The three travel-igos: my 10-year (seemingly) fiancé, a cat that's getting more spoiled by the minute,  and yours truly 
What: Top 5 places to drink up 
Where: Palm Springs, California 
When: April 2019 - September 2019
Why: It was beyond time for a trip with a relatively quick drive, and what better spot to spend a sultry summer than the middle of the desert? 
​+
How: After marathon travel sessions the last two stops on our travel nursing journey, I chose the path of least resistance. Less than eight hours and 500 miles after we started up the Honda in San Francisco (peeling out of the driveway because we're fast AND furious), we arrived in our new Palm Springs palace—complete with swimming pool and ancient neighbors. 

(Note: As of this writing, Covid-19—aka the plague—has infected more than 15 million Americans and killed at least 300,000 people here in the United States alone. Because of the pandemic, many restaurants have closed either temporarily or for good. It's especially important to support local businesses during these tough times, and virtually all of the restaurants on this list are locally owned and operated. Also to keep with the times, all of the restaurants listed below feature outdoor eating areas and/or offer to-go ordering. Stay safe out there.)

Five Places to Drink Up: Palm Springs, California

Grand Central (160 La Plaza, Palm Springs, CA 92262)

One restaurant that embodies the unique spirit of Palm Springs is Grand Central, conveniently located on the Palm Canyon strip in downtown PS. Friendly, knowledgeable servers and a cozy atmosphere await those who stumble upon this oasis in the desert. 
 
Food-wise, Grand Central provides a varied and unique menu. The Vegetarian Burger features an Impossible patty cooked to perfection with a nice outside sear for a crunchy bite. Then it's cheesed-up with cheddar and gruyere on a generously buttered and toasted brioche bun. 

Brunch more your jam? Try the Breakfast Burrito with fluffy scrambled eggs, your choice of meat (I went with turkey bacon) and melted cheddar on a yuuuge spinach tortilla.

And what goes better with brunch than a tasty mimosa? Nada, mi amigo and Grand Central lets you choose a Mimosa Flight with three of your favorite juices (pictured above). Fresh guava, peach, mango, cranberry and good ole fashioned orange juice are all available at your beck and call, but mango and guava were my two go-to's. 

TacQuila (415 N Palm Canyon Dr Palm Springs, CA 92262)

Also conveniently located on the Palm Canyon strip in downtown Palm Springs, TacQuila features delicious tequila cocktails (who could've guessed?!) teaming with authentic Mexican fare. 

Start with a flight of unique and tasty margaritas with your choice of Blackberry, Kiwi Mint, Pineapple or Watermelon. The Pineapple and Blackberry are both crafted with house-made agave, specially made in each flavor.

There are also three speciality sangria cocktails to choose from, each with their own unique liquor infusion and taste. My favorite was the Rosa, made with a rosé wine base, bourbon, honey and grapefruit juice; then topped with watermelon, strawberries and raspberries.

The Roja comes in at close second, less sweet with a red wine base, mezcal, orange juice and agave. It's also topped with assorted fruit (blackberries, blueberries, raspberries, strawberries and oranges) so you can make sure to get your vitamin c and essential nutrients for the day. (Health was clearly the reason you ordered two of these cocktails.)  

Contrary to the last few paragraphs, TacQuila is not just a bar. For starters the Beer Tempura Avocado Bites are battered and fried to perfection, then topped with pickled tequila onions and spicy aioli for the perfect mix of acidity and spice.

The Vegetarian Nachos come packed with refried beans, cheddar and Monterey jack cheeses. TacQuila then adds spicy ranchero sauce and tops this cheesy fiesta with pico de gallo, avocado, corn, jalapeños (for another nice kick) and Mexican crema.  

Whether you're in the mood for a full meal or just some snacks and drinks with a festive ambiance, TacQuila is the top spot for Mexican food in Palm Springs. 

Native Foods (Palm Springs 1775 E Palm Canyon Drive Palm Springs, CA 92264)

Craving vegan food that doesn't look, feel or taste like vegan food? Native foods has you covered.  As the original location, the Palm Springs restaurant is where their vegan/vegetarian restaurant journey began.   

Your meal journey at Native Foods should begin with the Spicy Cauliflower Dippers, as the Panko-crusted, deep-fried cauliflower florets drenched in buffalo sauce will leave you reaching for more. They don't call them dippers for nothing—take them for a brief swim into the homemade vegan ranch and you might contemplate how it's possible for cauliflower to be this delicious. 

My absolute favorite item at Native Foods is The Real Nashville Hot sandwich (pictured above). Spicy fried faux veggie meat tossed in house-made Nashville hot sauce is topped with tasty Southern slaw and pickle chips. Slap on some plant-based mayo and you've fooled your friendly neighborhood blogger into thinking he's eating a real Nashville hot chicken sandwich—but without the guilt. Damn that's good!

The Poppin' Jalapeño Burger (pictured above) is another must-have, served with two plant-based burger patties blanketed with Follow-Your-Heart vegan American cheese on a salty and delicious pretzel bun. Pickled jalapeños, crispy fried onions, vegan jalapeño-pimento cheese and green goddess dressing round out Native Foods' creative take on a spicy burger. 

Want to venture outside the bun? The Orange Cauliflower (pictured above) is Native Food's take on the classic orange chicken dish, but features crunchy cauliflower tossed in savory, sweet, and sour orange sauce. Fried brown rice mixed with a tofu scramble and peppered with carrots, onions and peas come together to make this dish the total package.  

Giuseppes Pizzeria (1775 E Palm Canyon Dr  #410, Palm Springs, CA 92264)

As I've found across our travels, great deep dish pizza is not an easy commodity to come by but Giuseppes (located literally next door to Native Foods above) has some of the best you can find in the desert. 

​The only way to start your meal at Giuseppes is with the one-of-a-kind Crispy Raviolis (above). Cheese raviolis breaded with Italian-seasoned breadcrumbs bombard your tastebuds with deliciousness. 

After you downed some crispy raviolis, it's pizza time. Whether you like em thick (deep-dish) or skinny (thin crust)—I'm Switzerland in this fight—Giuseppes will satisfy your appetite.  

Having now been to Chicago, I can attest the deep dish here is an authentic Midway experience. Thick, buttered crust provides a sturdy base for a hearty helping of Wisconsin mozzarella cheese and tasty crushed tomato sauce. Add your favorite toppings and you've created the pizza of your dreams. 

The Square Cut pizza is no slouch in its own right, with crisp and crunchy hand tossed dough  supporting mozzarella and crusted tomato sauce goodness. My go-to toppings for any pizza are fresh garlic, peppers, onions and pepperoncini, and Giuseppes features fresh ingredients that don't disappoint.   

Kaiser Grille (74-040 Highway 111 (at Portola) Palm Desert, CA 92260)

The best (and only) locally owned steakhouse in Palm Desert, a nearby suburb of Palm Springs, Kaiser Grille is the premier place for primo steak and seafood. 

As with most quality steakhouses, Kaiser Grille showcases a deep drink menu with options for any liquor preference. One cocktail that sticks out is El Jefe, a south-of-the-border classic with Serrano pepper-infused tequila, pineapple juice and a hint of agave syrup. The Manhattan Project martini with Bulleit rye and luxardo cherries is another classic at Kaiser Grille for those wanting a darker drink. 

Now that you've got a drink in one hand, let's get something hot and savory in the other. Thinly battered and fried to perfection, the Crispy Brussels Sprouts with sweet chili glaze is a showstopper. 

And, speaking of showstoppers: Steak, steak, steak, steak, steak, steak: Everybody! 

Why else come to a steakhouse if not for a perfectly cooked, seared and juicy steak. The Filet Mignon, an 8-ounce lean and tender cut comes how you want it with a perfectly matched side of whipped potatoes.

​You've come this far: get dessert. The Vanilla Bean Creme Brûlée is perfectly crunchy on top and deliciously custard-filled in the middle with the perfect hint of vanilla bean. You only live once, treat yo self! 

Bonus: Talay Thai (70065 CA-111 #1, Rancho Mirage, CA 92270)

 A hidden gem located in the beautiful city of Rancho Mirage, Talay Thai is home to some of the most authentic Thai cuisine you can find in the United States. 

One crucial aspect that separates authentic Thai cuisine from the rest is the emphasis on fresh vegetables in their dishes. Order any meal at a restaurant in Thailand that has veggies in it and you can expect a staggering amount of high quality vegetables bursting at the edges of every plate.

However, some amazing Thai dishes require little to no vegetables. Kanom Jeep is a steamed Thai dumpling in a house-made wonton wrap filled with ground chicken, cabbage and onion. Dip this tasty appetizer in a side of spicy vinegar soy sauce and you've started this meal off right.

One of my favorite Thai entrees is Pad Krapow, which is onions, bell pepper and your choice of protein (tofu for me) topped with chili sauce and fresh basil on a bed of sticky, steamed Jasmine rice. A potent trio of heartiness, freshness and mouth-burning spiciness, this meal (if you choose to accept it) is one of a kind.