What: The roasted Chilean sea bass
Where: La Quinta Cliffhouse, 78250 Highway 111, La Quinta
How much: $48 full portion (as shown); $28 half portion
Contact: 760-360-5991; www.laquintacliffhouse.com
Why: It’s the perfect melding of fish and sauce.
I’ve called the Coachella Valley home for a decade now, and there are few local restaurants that one could call “iconic” at which I have not yet dined—but until recently, the La Quinta Cliffhouse was on that short list.
I’ve been missing out: Our visit there was fantastic.
From the trickling water coming down the mountain behind us to the top-notch service, our experience was lovely—and our food (outside of an overly salty cioppino broth) was tasty across the board. Special mention should be made of the Coachella Valley Medjool dates with bacon and blue cheese ($16); the seabass ceviche ($16); and the wholly unique miso clam chowder ($11).
However, the meal’s undisputed star, ordered by two members of our party of four, was the pan-roasted Chilean sea bass. Topped with a honey-soy glaze and accompanied by ginger sticky rice and baby bok choy, the fish was cooked perfectly.
The element of this dish that propelled it from decent to divine, however, was the green curry-coconut sauce. It was creamy and sweet— but not too much so—and it proved to be the perfect partner for the moist, flavorful sea bass.
The sea bass can be ordered in a half portion or a full portion, and this leads to my only quibble: The size difference in my full portion and my friend’s half portion did not seem substantial enough to merit the $20 price difference. When I return to the Cliffhouse for the sea bass, I’ll order the half portion.
But make no mistake: I will indeed be returning to the La Quinta Cliffhouse. This restaurant is iconic for a reason.
But the soup you said was over salted. How is that a sign of a great eatery? Because one thing is good and the other stuff is just so so? Nah, thats a mediocre and pricey meal. And the plate looks small, tired and boring.