What: Pork shank ossobuco
Where: Desert Moon Restaurant, 350 S. Indian Canyon Drive, Palm Springs
How much: $35
Contact: 760-424-8850; desertmoonps.com
Wht: It’s a perfect version of a classic dish.
It’s always a strange when a new restaurant opens in a space formerly occupied by another restaurant where you have many fond memories.
For me, such is the case at Desert Moon, which took over the Indian Canyon Drive spot that Rio Azul Mexican Bar and Grill called home before finally shuttering for good in 2024. I had many amazing times at Rio Azul with friends and family, and it’s where we celebrated the publication of the Independent’s 3,000th story in May 2016. (We’re somewhere around 9,500 stories now.)
Alas, Rio Azul is gone—but I am happy that another great restaurant is now in that space.
Desert Moon opened there in late 2024, offering “California fusion.” After a challenging start—it took a while for Desert Moon to get its full liquor license, and the restaurant had to close for a period last summer for more work on that complex’s problematic electrical system—the restaurant seems to have hit its stride. On a recent holiday-weekend Monday, the main dining room was almost completely full.
I’ve dined there twice in recent months, and both times, the most rave-worthy dish has been the pork ossobuco—in fact, it’s the best version of this dish I’ve ever had. The pork is fall-off-the-bone tender while still being juicy, thanks to the presence of just enough fat. The hubby is generally not a fan of stewed/shredded meats, because they can sometimes have a hair-like texture—but this ossobuco does not have that problem. And at $35, with soup or salad included, it’s priced well, too.
Desert Moon’s menu is pretty small, with only a dozen or so entrées, but that ossobuco will keep us going back—and we’re well on our way to creating more happy memories there.