What: The croquetas de jamon e queso
Where: Sol y Sombra, at The Paloma, 67670 Carey Road, Cathedral City
How much: $14
Contact: 760-864-1177; thepalomaresort.com/dining
Why: They’re little bundles of deliciousness.
The property where The Paloma resort sits has a storied history. According to the resort’s website, the land was owned in the 1920s and ’30s by Mary Bernardin and Laura Carey, and was once home to a 48-acre date palm grove. In the 1950s, a hotel was built, and for years, it was a gay hotel called The Villa Resort, before closing in 2017.
The resort was renovated and became The Paloma, and chef Chad Gardner (also part of 533 Viet Fusion, Willie’s Modern Fare and 1501 Uptown Gastropub) oversees the resort’s Spanish-inspired Sol y Sombra restaurant, which occupies an adobe building dating back to the Bernardin/Carey area.
But how’s the food, you ask? Well, it’s pretty good.
At a recent Saturday dinner, we ordered several items off the impressive tapas menu—which includes more than 20 offerings—as well as an appetizer (anchovies with Manchego cheese, romesco sauce and crostinis, $12) and the paella with shrimp, pork and chicken ($35 for the smaller size).
There were lots of pleasant bites—but the item my mind keeps returning to is the ham and cheese croquettes. Serrano ham and Manchego cheese were coated with breadcrumbs and fried; the resulting bundles of flavor were served with fresh herbs and smoky pimento aioli.
The long, narrow plate had four croquettes, which meant the hubby and I each got two of them—and they were quickly devoured. The only reason we didn’t order more is that we’d ordered a lot of other food.
This was our first visit to Sol y Sombra, and it certainly won’t be our last. The service was great; the cocktails were well-prepared; and the vibe is unlike anywhere else in the Coachella Valley.
