Picture it: Palm Springs, sun setting against the San Jacinto mountains, balmy breeze in the air, palm trees swaying, Palm Canyon is bustling with activity and suddenly the random thought that you’ve become a Golden Girl hits you smack dab in the face. (Technically, not Golden Girl age…but based on living in the Golden State combined with a popular retirement destination, by association I think we could make a case of qualifying as a Golden Girl.) The only remedy to a case of the “middles” is hitting the town with dear friends and celebrating that you’re still in the land of the living aka Gods Waiting Room. The alternative is booking an appointment with one of the locally renowned plastic surgeons and praying your credit card has a large enough limit to pay for their services.
Living in the Coachella Valley/Palm Springs has some interesting dynamics. There’s this unwritten rule of Five. Five minutes, five miles, if it doesn’t fit into those parameters many local residents simply miss out on some great destinations and activities this resort community offers. The need for a passport to go from Palm Desert to Palm Springs, or a hotel room if you’re dining in Palm Springs is frequented response from friends when you ask if they would like to try a new spot out that is outside of their comfort zone. There is also this unique oddity that most restaurant kitchens in the desert close between 9 and 9:30 pm so it’s kind of advance training for our upcoming retirement years to be at home and in bed before 10. If you’re under 75 you’re considered a youngster. (Okay, this part is actually pretty awesome because you can identify as 36 for a longer period of time…or until you go to Los Angeles and realize you might be older than the age you relate to.) Oh, and one other thing, restaurants in the desert have limited hours and months that they work so advance planning is frequently needed.
A new entry to the Palm Springs dining scene this autumn is Bar Chingona and Hoja Blanco which both are located at the Flannery Exchange Building. It is open Thursday thru Sunday from 5 pm to 10 pm. This is kind of a two for one experience (except you will get two bills). Drinks are ordered either at the very chic Palm Springs style renovated airstream or via app at your table from Bar Chingona. The food is ordered via app or your server (this is the desert and not everyone is tech savvy with online ordering) and you pay via app for each of the services separately. This is a cool way to dine because you can split the bill fairly easily, or if you wanted to buy your friends drinks and then pay for your food individually it allows you to accomplish without being a nightmare table of splitting for the staff.
Bar Chingona’s lead bartender is Kevin Carlow and he crafts beautiful specialty cocktails like the Boca Linda with is mezcal, apricot, blackberry, lime and serrano pepper. It’s a bit like Palm Springs with its smoky nod to the sweet, spice, heat and pucker you experience from locals and the natural environs. The list also includes classics like The Chingona Classic Margarita made with Libelula Tequila (blend of Blanco 80% and Reposado 20% and aged for a minimum of 8 months in whiskey barrels), or the Chingona Poblano Margarita which has the addition of Ancho Poblano Liqueur for that extra spice). Cocktails are in the $14 range which is typical for the Coachella Valley. The wine list is decent and you can have a glass of cava served in a coupe glass for $8.
Hoja Blanco bills itself as modern inspired Mexican and Chef Omar Limon is at the head of the kitchen. It started as pop up restaurant and gained a following with their ever-changing innovative food. The fresh, elevated flavors combined with artistic presentation make this experience completely different from the typical Mexican restaurants you find that are laden with beans, cheese and fried greasy food. Our table was completely blown away with not only the presentation but the flavors and quality. We sampled six of the items on the menu from Chicharrones (downright addictive with the white cheddar and ancho seasoning) to the coconut ice cream as a finish.
The beet salad ($16)was our first foray into non-bar food. The beets were prepared with smoked almonds, requeson (ricotta cheese), citrus and hoja santa (aka yerba santa and Mexican pepperplant), this combination was so spectacular that we ordered two and there were no leftovers. There was discussion about the flavors, what they were and some ponderance if it could be recreated at home because it was that delectable. In the end we concurred that it was an excellent to return if for nothing other than the beet salad. It’s not often that you will find people specifically planning dinner reservations because of a beet salad, but it is that good.
Next up was the Hamachi Tostada ($18). This was a vibrant dance of flavors with fresh Hamachi (yeah, I know no one orders stale Hamachi intentionally), avocado, aioli, English cucumber, salsa mancha and peanuts. The presentation was almost like a Jackson Pollack painting with a few of Frida Kahlo’s flowers added just to remind you of the feminine, delicate nature of the ingredients. Chef Omar has an artistry that tells a story of each ingredient and how they intertwine to make a marriage of flavors in each bite. There’s not excessive ingredients or trying to throw in popular trendy ingredients to satisfy the hipsters or want to be foodies. This is good, solid food that is artistically presented.
I’ve had many Aguachiles ($23) at our local restaurants and the Aguachiles at Moja Blanco are by far the best I’ve tasted. If you’re not familiar with Aguachiles it’s basically a stuffed chile with shrimp. Again it’s the balance of flavors that make this exceptional. White shrimp, salsa negra, red onion, radish, English cucumber, grapes, salsa macha are meticulously prepped and stuffed into the chiles and served with a side of tostaditas. It is one of those Goldilocks moments of just right.
The finale of entrees was the Flat Iron Steak ($35) served with burnt eggplant mole (who knew that was thing) potato pave, a chimichurri sauce and alliums. The guys scarfed this down and barely remembered to share a bite, so I can’t give a full account of this – but the mere fact that they didn’t willing offer a bite probably says all you need to know.
The final verdict is both Bar Chingona and Hoja Blanco are welcome additions to the Palm Springs dining scene and worth putting into rotation on spots you love to frequent. It’s refreshing to see young innovators willing to make their mark on our dining scene and push the boundaries of the traditional foods that frequent resort areas. The ambiance, price point and service make this one of those places you can frequent without breaking the bank. As a bonus the fresh ingredients are also good for your waistline.
Bar Chingona and Hoja Blanco are both located in the Flannery Exchange building located at 750 N. Palm Canyon, Palm Springs. Hours are Thursday through Sunday 5-10 pm. Most of the dining is outdoors so dress appropriately according to weather.
PS, don’t forget to plan your Modernism Week events soon – they sell out fast. 2023 dates are February 16-26, 2023 and tickets are on sale now.
