If you want the best Mexican food in Palm Desert, stop by Fresh Agave on Highway 111. It’s a really cute place and has a front patio with misters for outdoor dining. The service is friendly and attentive and the restaurant is usually bustling with patrons. I happened by this place in 2011 and promised myself a return visit the next time I was in the area. I was not disappointed and neither were the 6 other guests I brought along with me!
We were in town to play in the BNP Paribas Open – Senior Cup Tennis Tournament and had just spent our first day on the courts. We were tired and had voracious appetites for good Mexican food and drinks! Our thirsts were sufficiently quenched with their lo-cal Margaritas made with agave nectar and fresh lime juice. They were quite delicious, especially paired with their thin, crispy tortilla chips, salsa and guacamole.
Our dinner began with a taste of their Crema Poblana which is a creamy chile poblano soup. It has enough spice to awaken your palette and a wonderful flavor of smoky poblano peppers. Most of us ordered different entrees and the ooh’s and aah’s around the table were plentiful! Here is an assortment of items that we ordered:
Chiles Agave was a plate of mild yellow peppers stuffed with sautéed shrimp, tomatoes and onions served with a side of spicy chipotle sauce. I ordered this appetizer (enough for a main entree) last time I came and loved it so much that I adapted the recipe at home when I returned. It remains one of my favorite appetizers and the chipotle sauce is something I use for a multitude of different dishes always receiving rave reviews. You can find my version under my recipe index in appetizers titled Shrimp Stuffed Peppers.
Another item ordered was their Fajitas Agave, a mix of sizzling strips of succulent seasoned beef on a skillet, with slices of caramelized onions and peppers garnished with guacamole, Pico de Gallo and sour cream. The intoxicating aroma was only second to the delicious flavor of this dish.
My dear “foodie” friend ordered the Camarones a la Diabla. Being a connoisseur of this dish, she was quite impressed with the flavor. It was a plate of devilishly tempting shrimp sautéed with a salsa of habanero chiles with green peppers and onions. A spicy tradition in Mexico, this entree fit the bill!
I ordered the Enchiladas Poblanas which were two chicken enchiladas served with a delicious poblano chile sauce along with rice and pinto beans. They were generously filled with succulent white meat chicken in a yummy poblano sauce. The rice was traditional and the beans were fantastic!
Someone at our table commented that this was the best Mexican food they ever had and everyone was delighted with their meal. Their menu is extensive and offers enough variety to please everyone. The best part was that next day at the tennis courts, we were eating the leftovers cold and loving them. That’s a true testimonial!