Desert Sage

I had a wonderful evening at Desert Sage on Christmas evening, Dec 25, 2008. One of the only restaurants open, the food and service exceeded my expectations. The music added to the ambiance, but did not overwhelm. We could still have a quiet conversation. The service was professional and attentive but not hovering, and each course from the Oysters Rockerfeller to the Bentley Salad to the Tenderloin were prepared to perfection. The finale was a tasty rhubarb strawberry cobbler with homemade gelato. Wow! Then to sit and listen to the music with an after dinner drink made for a memorable evening. The next night I brought back out of town guests for the happy hour and we tried five different appetizer selections that were excellent and once again were served in an relaxed and welcoming atmosphere. I can recommend Desert Sage without hesitation. Pros: Great food, professional staff, beautiful, welcoming, peaceful setting more

Went to Desert Sage with a group of clients while in town for a conference. Prior to going I had asked several people that live in town, as well as reading several reviews, and all said that they had heard great things about the restaurant....they heard wrong! We were greeted with snotty young girls as hostesses that seemed to not have learned the art of customer service yet. We were seated on a patio with two round tables pushed together to accomodate our group, and the table was not yet set even though we were exactly on time for our reservation. Since it was cold & windy outside, we asked to be moved inside. Again, the snotty girls said that ""we probably will not be able to help you with that"", meaning-too bad, you're staying outside. When I replied that we probably would leave they miraculously were able to find us a table inside. As for the food-sorry, but just so-so for the prices. My $17 escargot appetizer was presented beautifully but lacked much taste at all. And most disappointing was my $55 lobster entree-tastless and chewy. I am not opposed to payng high prices in a restaurant, but I do usually hope that the price reflects the quality of the meal. One good note about the restaurant-the server we had was very quick & very friendly. With the VAST amount of fine dining restaurants in the palm springs & palm desert areas, do yourself a favor & choose a different one. more

Truly a ""one of a kind"" dinner. My wife and I don't go out to fine dining restaurants often, mostly due to the fact that there are so few really good ones in the desert. We decided to give the Desert Sage a shot, and were absolutely amazed by what we encountered. Quite possibly the best meal we've ever had anywhere. more

My girlfriend and I went out to Palm Springs for a couple of days and found out about the Desert Sage. We were not disappointed. This was a tremendous meal! We knew from the get go that we were in for a great dining experience when we were served a ""Amuse Bouche"" of a thin slice of scallop that was bruleed served with a cucumber foam and a line of lobster powder. I highly recommend the Colorado lamb. It left me salivating for days. We got to meet the new chef Aaron Barnett he truly is a master of his craft. There is no need to explain every dish, but the my girlfriend and I really appreciated how the foods were new and exciting but above all they were damn tasty. A great wine list to pair. I highly recommend the Desert Sage! Pros: Amazing Restaurant Cons: The bar tender calls himself a wizard more

Chef Aaron Barnett is doing incredible things out at the Desert Sage Restaurant in La Quinta. My wife and I recently visited the Palm Springs area from Portland, OR, and I must say, our meal at the Desert Sage was the highlight of our trip. I found both the braised escargot and scallops particularly inspired. I mean, a smoked bacon emulsion with scallops, that to me is excitement. I ordered the Monkfish, and my wife the Duck Breast. I would recommend both dishes to anybody. The service was excellent, the wine list comprehensive, though out of fidelity perhaps we stuck with an Oregon pinot noir. In short, we had a perfect night. Pros: Perfect food Cons: light jazz muzak more

It's about time. The Sage is open again and better than ever before. I used to be a regular customer until it closed and last week i heard it was open again. My babe and I went for dinner and we were blown away. The new chef Aaron is super, try his escargot and the short rib. Monica had a sashimi appetizer and the lobster with risotto and Mark the wine guy found a grat wine for us.( Whetstone Pinit Noir).The patio where we sat was perfect and we also met Dave the owner who is a riot. We will be back again and again Pros: Excellent location and ambience, huge wine list and great food Cons: fairly pricey more

How refreshing! At last, a restaurant for those of us who expect more than the usual desert fare. Chef Aaron Barnett has created a menu worthy of the metropolitan areas in which he has previously worked, but prepared the with the careful consideration of local customers. The scallops and vodka-cured salmon were amazing! The filet rivaled any I've ever had. The wine list was incredible and Mark Sontz, the sommelier, lived up to his reputation. The dining room was casual, but elegant, and we felt right at home. The Desert Sage is a necessary stop for any true food lover! more