At the reimagined Hyatt Regency event to the Grand Hyatt Indian Wells Resort and Villas, I learned about a new restaurant bound to elevate the food scene in Coachella Valley.
With an invitation from the Grand Hyatt, I was delighted to invite a friend to dine with me at the Tia Carmen on a Wednesday night. We took our time because we were a bit early for our reservations, so I showed him the beautiful patio and the Camino Springs Market, which had everything one could need to visit a resort.
Checking in at Tia Carmen Restaurant
Once you walk in through the Grand Hyatt’s stunning front door, walk straight ahead, and you will see the check-in desk on the right for the Tia Carmen Restaurant. We were graciously greeted and escorted to a corner booth near the kitchen, which offered a view of the entire restaurant.
I immediately noticed the sparkling crystal stemware. Lights from tables spread out through the space, causing reflections to dance from the table's glassware. There definitely was a sense of elegance, increasing the anticipation of the evening ahead even more.
An Overview of Tia Carmen Restaurant
The look and feel of Tia Carmen Restaurant is a labor of love by Chef Angelo Sosa. He used his 25 years of experience in Europe’s three-star kitchens, working with renowned restaurateurs and opening restaurants in New York City, San Diego, and Phoenix to develop this beautiful concept for the Grand Hyatt Indian Wells and Villas.
I heard stories from the Manager and one of two other chefs about how Chef Sosa personally called and recruited them to work at this restaurant. Having crossed paths with him during their careers and valuing his expertise, they uprooted their families and moved to Coachella Valley.
Outstanding Knowledgeable Staff
I would be remiss if I didn’t mention the kindness of the staff who served and watched over us during the evening. Their storytelling about where the ingredients came from for this Contemporary Southwest cuisine was also a history lesson.
Then, the ultimate customer service explained what utensils to use or how to construct the food set before us. Think about it: How often have you told a companion when dining out, "I wonder if I should pick it up to eat?
An explanation was graciously presented as these unusual dishes were set before us. For example, it often began, “The Chef suggests you may want to use a spoon for this dish.” Truthfully, the suggestion was so appreciated. I commented to my dining companion, “You know, in the future, I’m not going to hesitate to ask a server how something should be eaten.”
Another added touch. At the end of the meal, we commented on the pace of the meal. We didn’t feel rushed or think attention wasn’t being paid to us. The reply was with a smile, “Oh, we were watching you; we calculated the arrival of your courses and knew when your wineglass needed to be refilled.”
Our Meal Like No One Other
The produce used to prepare our meal came from local farmers, ranchers, and artisans, some of whom are in Arizona.
I will post my menu so you can see the dishes we had the pleasure of experiencing. Neither of us has ever tasted a cuisine like this—each dish provided an absolutely delicious array of flavors that blended to have us say, “Wow,” more than once.
1. Pan Frito – cotija cheese, serrano Chile, butter, and pine thistle honey.
2. Fluke-banana, Asian pear, lime leaf, Japanese cucumber, leche de tigre.
3. Octopus and tepary bean – Spanish pulp, sherry vinegar, black garlic, and squid ink.
4. Romaine Salad-baby romaine, fried egg dressing, Manchego, melon, radish, dill, fennel.
5. Ember roasted yam.
6. Lamb Barbacoa and caviar-lamb belly, banana leaf, adobo, cilantro, perrilla leaf, pina asada.
Yes, we had dessert, too. The picture above shows how it was presented. Again, the chef recommended that we start from the left. Not a lover of macaroons, I took a bite of this macaroon and said to my companion, “OMG, I don’t want this to end. Certainly not your normal macaroon.” He quipped, “That’s an excellent way to end your article about the evening.”
Honesty in My Reviews
People ask me about my reviews of restaurants, “What if you don’t like something? What do you say?” Okay, here’s an example: I told the server, you know, on the fluke, I wasn’t thrilled with using the lime leaf as my taco-type shell—I felt like I was eating a leaf. My dining companion piped up— “I liked it—I don’t think Kathy put enough into the leaf.” So, there you have it, two different views of the same dish. So, I will share my view with you. People who know me, I do not shy away from giving my opinion…and you can trust my reviews and the thoughts I present are genuinely what I think.
You probably noticed that I thought my meal at Tia Carmen Restaurant at Hyatt Indian Wells Resort and Villas was outstanding. Frankly, it may be the best I ever had, for every course was unique and flavorful. No question, dining here will be an extraordinary experience for even the most seasoned foodie.
Kathy Condon is a journalist, travel writer, and award-winning author. Her niche is luxury experiences, and small communities live in the shadows of larger cities. Her blog is www.PalmSpringsInsiderGuide.com
760-902-3094 Kathy@kathycondon