Copley's Palm Springs

I love old movies, like the ones with Clark Gable and Cary Grant, when going out to dinner meant that men wore tuxedos and women wore feather boas. It is fun to go to a place that has ties to that era, like Copley's in Palm Springs which used to be Cary Grant's Estate. It is even better when the food is excellent and the ambiance makes you want to linger on a warm desert night.

Taking full advantage of Palm Spring's Restaurant week, my friend Cindy & I went to Copley's for a delectable 3 course meal for only $36 each last week. There were many of us partaking of the specials that night including a celebrity performer from Las Vegas who was seated next to us on the terrace, and a birthday party celebration. The spacious grounds and fountain centerpiece made it seem like we were on our own private property. Service was friendly and although the hostess and bartender were very efficient, our waiter was not always attentive.

We came for the food and we were happy. Cindy chose the Roasted Beet and Warm Goat Cheese Salad, made with Micro Greens, Poached Pears, Candied Walnuts, and a Honey Mustard Dressing. She like it well enough to eat it all, but she ended up liking my appetizer more.


I chose the Hawaiian Ahi Tacos, made with Tuna Tartar, Avocado, Green Onion Tossed in Ginger Soy Dressing, Presented In A Sesame Miso Shell, and Topped with Tobiko Caviar. It was so fresh, perfectly seasoned and balanced with nuances of texture that I could have easily made a meal of a few more of these.


For our entrees, we chose specialties not on the menu (but included in the restaurant week price). I chose the New York Filet with portobello mushrooms, baby broccoli and roasted garlic mashed potatoes. I was relieved to find it actually came rare as I had ordered it and the sides were robust flavorful accompaniments, but I was disappointed to find the steak needed more oomph (I ended up adding salt).


Cindy chose the Lobster Pot Pie which was so marvelous that this time I was the one who had plate envy. The sauce was infused with a depth of shellfish stock that was rich without being too creamy or heavy, and the chunks of lobster were so tender and juicy that they literally made my mouth water. After I ate a few pieces of my steak, I ended up eating her dish!


Luckily we saved room for dessert, mainly because we chose our desserts when we ordered our meals. Cindy had the Lemon & Lavender Scented Pound Cake with Fresh Berries and Basil Ice Cream. It was light, slightly sweet and had a fresh twist with the lemon and lavender.


I went with the Warm Apple Crumble, which was served with Cinnamon Ice Cream & Caramel Sauce. I was happy with it, but honestly I was too full to finish it after a few bites.


We headed out for a long walk around town after dinner as we tried to work off at least a bit of what we had eaten before continuing our food adventure. Stay tuned for tomorrow's episode at Zin's.