Kestrel alights at Indian Wells Golf Resort

THERE’S A SOARING NEW TAKE on one of the Coachella Valley’s grandest 37th holes at Indian Wells Golf Resort. Welcome Kestrel.

“I’m thrilled to get to the Coachella Valley,” says Richard Blais, chef/proprietor. “It’s a pinch-me moment. To be affiliated with the resort, with the city of Indian Wells, with Troon Golf … it’s an incredible honor.”

Named after the small, colorful Kestrel Falcon that is a common sight in the California desert, Kestrel took roost in the late fall atop IWGR’s gorgeous clubhouse, in the area long occupied by Vue. That space, an aesthetic marvel that city and club officials both note had been in search of a culinary identity of equal standing, serves up the same awesome mountain views as its predecessor, but with a lighter, “this-is-your-place” vibe.

By his count, Kestrel is Blais’s “12th or so” operating restaurant, and they span the two coasts, from the Florida Keys to the California shore. His culinary vision is “classic American with a hard twist toward creativity.” Those who identify with Blais through his television work might tend to think he runs more toward lab geek than Culinary Institute of America graduate. But appearances can be deceiving.

“People who have seen me on TV might think it’s all weird science and liquid nitrogen — and we do have liquid nitrogen Margaritas here and we do some of that stuff — but the core of it is just really sound, classic cooking, using great ingredients and trying to get out of their way, and sourcing local products as much as you can.

“Everyone loves a cheeseburger, everyone loves steak,” he continues. “[So we] do those things. I think sometimes when I was younger, I always wanted to try to impress someone with doing something odd or unique just because I could. I’ve just found a real joy in making people happy. If that’s doing something they’ve loved for decades, then that’s what we should do. Everyone loves a club sandwich. Well, if everyone loves a club sandwich, we’ll do a club sandwich. We’ll do a creative sauce on it, give it a spin, but we’ll do a club sandwich. We’re not trying to be something that’s never been done before. A lot of people think I’m looking toward space for the next idea. I’m really just dusting off old cookbooks. However, we do want you to experience that burger or that Margarita and be like, ‘You know what? I haven’t had one quite like that.’”

A DESTINATION EATERY

With Blais’s interest in healthy cuisine, the offerings are generous toward fish and produce-dominated dishes without careening into monastic denial. Fear not, others, Kestrel has prime rib nights and chars a killer chuck-derived zabuton with frites. Out-there cocktails are lock/stock at Blais eateries, as in, oh, “Smoke on the Water” with butterfly tea-infused Mezcal and an edible smoke bubble; some of the science-y stuff does get through.

And there are those beloved cheeseburgers.

“People come to Palm Springs to eat at a particular restaurant just because Frank Sinatra used to dine there,” shares Greg Sanders, Indian Wells’ mayor; the city owns the golf resort. “That reinforced for us the fact that our restaurant needed an identity, a brand. That’s the only way we could compete. Foodies know about (Blais). That is a very positive thing. When I met him, I could see he is very detail-oriented, he has very high standards. He has delivered.”

The idea, effectively, was to give IWGR a destination eatery, a place that not only provided compelling food and drink for the tee-it up crowd —the resort’s reputation as a get-to golf property was cemented long ago— but a culinary and cocktail spot for all to seek out, locals and visitors; a food magnet in and of itself.

“…if everyone loves a club sandwich, we’ll do a club sandwich. We’ll do a creative sauce on it, give it a spin, but we’ll do a club sandwich.”

“Kestrel is a fabulous addition to the valley and to Indian Wells,” says Scott White, president and CEO of Visit Greater Palm Springs. “It is a complete transformation of what Vue was to this new experience. I applaud the city and Troon for bringing a different dynamic to a public facility. It offers a unique menu and flavors. It has a great redesign that was so nicely done. It will attract people from across the valley and beyond to come for a destination dining experience.”

As for those cultural anchors the mayor mentioned, Blais has a great take: “Kestrel is a place where Sinatra and Harry Styles and Taylor Swift would all hang out. We want to bridge the gap between the old and new of the desert.”

Chasm crossed.

For more information, visit Kestrel.Kitchen