What: The Chicken Korma
Where: Its Taste of India, 13104 Palm Drive, Desert Hot Springs
How much: $14.95
Contact: 760-671-6283; itstasteofindia.com
Why: It’s a perfect melding of sweet, creamy and savory.
It was an omicron-era Saturday night. We were hungry and thought Indian food sounded amazing. I’d been seeing rave reviews of Its Taste of India—which opened in Desert Hot Springs just before the original SARS-CoV-2 arrived and began making a mess of things—so we figured it would be a perfect night for some takeout.
We weren’t the only people who had this thought: When we called to place our order, we were told we’d have a 90-minute wait … and in reality, it took more than two hours. As we waited, a steady stream of customers came in to pick up their orders. The fact that the restaurant only has eight tables, and one of them is reserved for staging takeout orders, speaks to Its’ to-go popularity.
When we got the food home, we dug in—and the consensus favorite was the chicken korma. Its Taste of India’s version consists of, per the menu, “boneless pieces of chicken cooked with tomatoes in a creamy coconut sauce.” The resultant flavor profile is a little sweet, a little savory, a little creamy—and all delicious.
Its Taste of India offers the fare one would expect at an Indian restaurant in the U.S., including samosas and pakoras as appetizers; entrées featuring chicken and lamb; rice specialties like biryanis; tandoori chicken; and a wide variety of vegetarian offerings. The prices are reasonable, too; nothing on the menu costs more than $16.95.
You can count on one hand the number of Indian restaurants located in the Coachella Valley. Clearly, there is a demand for this cuisine—and Its Taste of India is doing its part to meet that demand. Just be sure to get your order in early!
Amen. Their food is, indeed, excellent.