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Azul
Tapas Inspired Lounge & Patio
By Felice Chiapperini
The
appearance of a new restaurant on the Palm Springs dining scene is always
exciting. Many of us share the opinion that there can never be too many
restaurants, especially good restaurants. The opening of Azul on North Palm
Canyon is truly cause for celebration. The buzz on the street was already
building ahead of its much-anticipated debut. Bureaucratic red tape had seen
the opening pushed back several times. But good things are worth waiting for
and Azul is off to a stunning start, both for fine dining and as a social
hotspot.
Michael and I arrived at Azul early on a Friday evening. We walked into a
bar buzzing with activity. We were surprised to see so many people and so
many familiar faces. Obviously, word of the opening had already spread
through the community. The atmosphere was upbeat and cheerful. A handsome
host quickly greeted us and offered us the choice of a table inside or on
the patio. Since it was a balmy evening, we opted to sit outside. Azul has a
truly delightful patio with a bar area surrounded by high tables that can
accommodate three or four diners. In addition, settee rockers line the space
facing Palm Canyon and offer a unique and fun dining experience. We chose a
table near the bar with a good view of the entire patio. Our waiter, John,
offered us menus and took our drink orders. Besides having a full bar,
including fantastic mojitos, made with fresh mint, there is an ample wine
list. Azul also features homemade sangria that is cool and very refreshing
and is a perfect accompaniment to the tapas-inspired dishes.
Now, about those tapas. I think the term “tapas-inspired” is more
appropriate, since Azul takes tapas to a whole new level. Tapas are those
little plates of savory ingredients that originated in Spain and are now
much in vogue throughout the world. Ranging from a simple dish of olives to
more elaborate creations, they can be served as a snack, hors d’oeuvres, or
combined to make an entire meal. But Chef Spike has taken the concept and
transformed the little plates into culinary works of art. Using fresh
ingredients and combining Mediterranean, Asian and California spices and
cooking styles, Azul offers some of the most delicious and exciting dishes
in the Desert.
We started with an order of the fried calamari—dredged in flour and spices
and deep-fried, the tender morsels are served on a pool of spicy marinara
and finished with sweet cider mustard. Then, we ordered the shrimp cocktail
shooters, which consisted of four shot glasses filled with vodka-scented
gazpacho, and topped with a succulent jumbo shrimp. Next, we tried the
shrimp bruschetta- chilled tiger shrimp served on toasted French bread with
a tomato-basil salad. Both of these dishes were delicious, but there were
even more treats to come. Our next selection was the loin of pork rubbed
with red miso paste, roasted and served with a sesame-scented spinach and
bean sprout salad. What a great combination of tastes and textures! John
suggested we try Chef Spike’s nightly special. This evening it was a grilled
Portobello mushroom topped with lobster, bay scallops and spinach, served
with sun-dried tomato butter. The rich, subtle flavors of this sophisticated
dish rivaled those of any top restaurant in the valley. Our final selection
was the beef tenderloin flat bread—a pizza-like creation topped with roasted
red peppers, chopped herbs and parmesan cheese. Azul offers several versions
of the flat bread, including grilled five-spice chicken, marinated
vegetables and an herbed goat cheese with Calamata olives, garlic and
rosemary.
All the dishes we tried are the perfect size for sharing. And, because these
are not full-size entrees, it is easy to enjoy a variety of plates at a
single meal. Prices are very reasonable, ranging from $7 up to $13, with the
majority of choices priced around $10.
The service at Azul is friendly and attentive. General Manager Matt
Auslander has done a terrific job selecting professional servers and
assistants. The staff works together very well and seems to genuinely enjoy
interacting with the customers.
Dessert was another special treat. We tried the banana spring
rolls—deep-fried sweet mini bananas, wrapped in spring roll sheets with
brown sugar, and served with candied walnuts and a coconut caramel sauce.
Another scrumptious dessert is the chocolate cake with ice cream and fresh
berries. Both were very creative and very delicious.
Azul is open for dinner nightly and will soon be open for lunch, too. This
place is already very popular, so I would recommend calling ahead to reserve
for dinner, especially for seating in the rockers on the patio.
With a great location, lively and friendly atmosphere, great bar and
incredible food, Azul is a very welcome addition to the Palm Springs dining
and bar scene.
Azul
369 North Palm Canyon Drive
Palm Springs, CA 92262
760.325.5533
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