So our quick getaway weekend or as I renamed it "faux vacation" landed us in Palm Springs. I can't recall the last time I experienced 100 degree weather. Despite the unbearable heat unless poolside, we had a great time and all the research I did planning our dinners turned out to be a success! I was able to get a head start with some recommendations from a friend. I diligently looked up all the menus, Open Table availability, and distance from our hotel. I narrowed it down to 3: Amore Ristorante, Okura Robata Grill & Sushi Bar, and Arnold Palmer. Ok, I know, Arnold Palmer, isn't that a drink? The menu looked good, ok?! After getting a recommendation for sushi from our waiter at Okura, coincidentally enough it was one of my picks.
Amore Ristorante turned out to be this Italian restaurant right in La Quinta. The restaurant was huge, the staff was friendly, and they had live music that night. The place wasn't totally filled up on the Friday night but regardless, I think would be very accommodating for groups. It took us a bit to relish over the menu. It is chock full of appetizers, pastas, salads, meats, and seafood. Before getting started on food, we knew we needed a bottle of wine. After talking over a couple of Italian reds with the sommelier, we settled on a rather decently priced bottle of wine. I had vaguely recognized the name and sure enough when it came, it was a bottle I had purchased for my own collection. With the wine out of the way, time to focus on food. We actually ended up starting off with just a simple salad – hearts of romaine, cucumber, tomato, fresh mozzarella with a balsamic vinaigrette ($8) and then went with the two specials of the night – a seafood linguine and halibut. The salad ended up being so-so. I wasn't about to downgrade the place just off their lettuce. But when the pasta and 
halibut came, boy was I impressed. Amore was like the Buca di Beppo of La Quinta. The portion sizes were absolutely enormous and way too much food for two. The linguine was cooked in a rich tomato sauce with all kinds of seafood including calamari, clams, and rock shrimp. We were so full but kept reaching for one more bite after another. Finally stopping, we doggie bagged it and man, that cold pasta was still good the next day. One of the best seafood pastas I have ever had. I imagine myself craving that at odd hours of the day in my near future… The halibut was also equally as good. Served with spinach and topped with a mixed cherry tomato sauce. Everything was fresh, flavorful and perfectly seasoned.
The next night we were debating between what could be another pedestrian American food experience and sushi. Well, 9 times out of 10 I'm going to pick Japanese. That's my stranded island food. So when our waiter at Amore recommended Okura, I remembered that was the one I had narrowed down in our 3 choices and on top of that, it was in the top 10 on Open Table. Okura was a large and hip sushi bar and very trendy for La Quinta I must say! Slightly bar and loungey in the front with a dim and modern dining room. It reminded me much like Umami or Ozumo in SF. After ordering a lychee martini and cucumber gimlet, we studied the menu via candlelight. Note to self: Don't plan on dining solo with a book or mag!
We started off with a miso soup ($4), Takosu "Octopus" Salad ($9) and Hamachi Carpaccio ($12). The salad came with thin slices of octopus, cucumber, seaweed and served with a sweet vinegar dressing. This was the perfect salad to start off
with. Light, refreshing and a fairly good portion size. I thought the hamachi was excellent. Served with a fresh ginger, chives and shallots in a soy-lemon vinaigrette, it was very complex in taste. For the warm apps, we were eyeing the hamachi kama (yellowtail collar, $10) but alas, they were all sold out for the evening. Our back up of pan seared tuna with soy butter and an assortment of mushrooms and baby greens ($13) turned out to be my favorite of the evening. I love the dressing and again, light and fresh. They also offered Robata skewers of beef and chicken ($9-12), spareribs ($16) and crispy soft shell crab and tuna ($12 each).
Okura certainly offered more than just sushi. With so many hot appetizers, grill 
items, and seafood and meat entrees, this would be the perfect match for any group where some wanted sushi and some didn't. There was something for everyone. We definitely wanted to try the sushi that night so skipped the entrees and instead ordered 3 rolls: Red Spider Roll, James Dean and Marilyn Monroe ($15 each). All the sushi was exceptionally good and beautifully presented.
Service and atmosphere at Okura was exceptional but it could have also been that the restaurant was only 2/3 full. I've forgotten what it's like to not have to cram 10 tables in a 10×10 box with your neighbors hanging onto your very last words.
Despite the heat, the "faux" vacation was complete with relaxing pool time, two great restaurant finds, a trip to the famous Cabazon outlets, and I came back with a rockin' tan!
Amore Ristorante Italiano
47474 Washington St
La Quinta, CA 92253
(760) 777-1315
Okura Robata Grill & Sushi Bar
78370 Highway 111
Ste 150
La Quinta, CA 92253
(760) 564-5820
