What: The chiles gueritos rellenos de camaron
Where: Carmen’s Con Sabor Mexico, 78010 Country Club Drive, No. 400, Palm Desert
How much: $19
Contact: 760-360-4242; www.carmensrestaurantpd.com
Why: It sounds weird, but it works.
The menu description is simple and non-descript: “Six yellow peppers stuffed with shrimp.” But the chiles gueritos rellenos de camaron—available at Carmen’s in Palm Desert, as well as the two El Mexicali Café locations in Indio (they’re all owned by the same family)—are so much more than that.
You’ll see in the photo that the peppers come with lemon wedges and mayonnaise. What you don’t see is the bottle of soy sauce that’s on every table. So here’s how you’re supposed to eat these peppers: First, squirt them with a little lemon. Next, add some soy sauce, followed by the mayo. Then eat!
That combination may sound a bit odd, but trust me: It works.
The lemon adds some much-needed acidic brightness; the soy sauce brings salt and umami, while the mayo contributes creaminess and tartness. Without these accompaniments, the shrimp-stuffed peppers are actually a bit bland—but with them … yum.
Beyond the chiles gueritos rellenos de camaron, Carmen’s offers breakfast (served until 11 a.m.), lunch and dinner. A lot of the dishes go beyond standard Mexican-restaurant fare; take the costillas de puerco con nopales (pork ribs with prickly pear cactus pads in red sauce, $19) as one example, and the lengua (tongue) in salsa verde ($19) as another.
At Carmen’s, the chips and salsa are delicious; the service is great; there’s a full bar; and the food is delicious and, in some cases, unique (locally, at least). What more could you want in a Mexican restaurant?