Palm Springs: All the Food and Drinks at Workshop Kitchen

 

I heard about Workshop Kitchen + Bar a few years ago and kept it in mind when I got to Palm Springs. I was delighted to be invited to try the food and drinks. Trying a bunch of small plates is the way to go at Workshop.

One of the more striking drinks of the evening is the Southside Treatment. While those in LA might be more familiar with the Eastside which is a take on the classic Southside, I like Workshop’s version with the addition of avocado. And the garnish was amazing. Why not use the avocado peel? It’s definitely a striking drink.

Southside Treatment – Beefeater gin, avocado, mint, lemon, tonic

 

The food started hitting the table and burrata may have been the crowd’s favorite. With lovely fresh produce and soft cheese, no one could resist.

 

While at the Selvarey Battle of the 111 competition, everyone was buzzing about Workshop’s new bartender Priscilla Young who just arrived from Rose.Rabbit.Lie in Las Vegas. She also comes from San Francisco where she ran a few bars there.

 

I can’t help but love seafood. The octopus was unusually sliced and layered reminding me a bit of tiradito. Within seconds, this disappeared.

 

For the middle of the dessert, there was some fine seafood. The mussels were plump and delicious.

 

Inspired by the architect John Lautner, this drink brings together rhum agricole with sparkling wine which tames the funky spirit. It’s a fun drink.

 

Lauter Project – rhum agricole, house agave cordial, lime, mint, sparkling wine

 

I was talking to a friend about pizza preferences. I basically like any pizza that doesn’t suck. Thin, crispy, chewy crust, deep dish, I like it all. And I liked Workshop’s sausage pizza. I am however, somewhat a purist on toppings and sausage is one of my favorite toppings (after mushroom).

 

 

I love it when restaurants shave Brussels sprouts for salads. What a sneaky and awesome way to get people to eat Brussels sprouts. Plus I love the additional of hazelnuts. It gave the salad an additional crunch.

 

The prettiest dish was the lemongrass chicken. If this is an example of a main dish, I’m coming back for dinner. Our “snacks” kept us wanting more.

 

Another winner was the fried goat cheese. I had a tiny bite since I wanted the veggies in the group to have the bulk of it (oh, don’t worry, I had plenty of other stuff).

 

The Ward 8 was a great drink to have with food. The classic whiskey drink is tempered by the juices.

Ward 8 – rye, house grenadine, orange, lemon

 

I’m not a carrots fan but these were enjoyable enough. I feel the cheese really made the dish for me.

 

When in doubt, order fries. A big crowd will always nearly want them and most definitely crave them when the fries are done.

 

Workshop was also featuring a Painkiller under their seasonal menu. The neo-tiki drink got us in the mood while Palm Springs provided the backdrop of waving palm trees.

Painkiller – rum, house coconut cream, orange, pineapple

 

Could we possibly leave without dessert? No, of course not. For someone who doesn’t have a sweet tooth, I managed a bite of each and my favorite was the lemon tart but it was hard to decide between the gorgeous strawberries and luscious chocolate.

 

The sorbet was the perfect accompaniment to the lemon tart.

 

Judging by what went first, the chocolate was a particular crowd favorite.

Workshop Kitchen + Bar

800 N Palm Canyon Dr., Palm Springs, CA 92262  —  (760) 459-3451

 

© The Minty  2014