Cuistot

Valentine’s Day dinner was a terrible experience due primarily to the service and a mediocre meal. Our waiter was indifferent, seemingly inexperienced and acted as if we were an intrusion to his busy night. He totally ignored us throughout the evening!
We brought a nice bottle of wine, which we had to ask him to open. When he finally opened the wine, he didn’t allow us to taste it, he immediately and quickly poured it. He whipped out his order pad and when we explained we needed a few minutes to review the menu, we didn’t see him again for half an hour. We had to ask if we could order pre-​dinner cocktails before we placed our dinner order. He would serve everyone around us without stopping to see if we needed anything. We waited for an hour for our entrée and finally had to go find the Manager to inquire about our main course. Our reservations were at 7:45 p.m. and our entrée finally was served after 10:00 p.m.
The Sea Bass was mediocre, overwhelmed with the topping. The Lemon Tart dessert served in the hard merengue shell was disappointing and frankly, not that good.
Cuistot’s reputation as a fine dining experience was the reason we specifically chose it for a special evening. It was a disaster and not worth the price of $ 250.00. We would not recommend it nor will we be returning.

Valentine’s Dinner last night was delectable, food, wine, service, company, atmosphere, all on point! A very memorable evening to place in the life experiences book.

I had lunch with a group of 5 at Cuistot yesterday. We sat outside and were the only diners and as far as I could tell there was no one inside either. Not sure why they would stay open if their business is that slow for lunch. In any event, this review is for my lunch only. I didn’t really ask around to see how others enjoyed theirs. I started with the mushroom soup which was fine. Nothing particularly special about it but I enjoyed it well enough. Then I had the Salade Nicoise. I am so sorry I didn’t take a picture of it so you all could see just how unappetizing it was. It was literally iceberg lettuce with a can of watery tuna dumped on top of it. There were maybe 4 green beans and 1 ½ fingerling potatoes. I honestly couldn’t believe it. In other circumstances I might have sent it back and asked for something else but given that I was with a group I didn’t feel comfortable doing that. I know that the restaurants in the area cater to an older clientele but iceberg and canned tuna? Is that ever okay?

Our search for Killer Restaurants took us to Cuistot, where we were treated to a magnificent evening. The food is spectacular, and the service impeccable. The décor is welcoming and perfect. The wine list is world class, and the Sommelier knew exactly how to read the table and get us the perfect wines.

Had lunch today at Cuistot… Never again. I ordered the Nicoise Salad and asked the waiter if the tuna was fresh. He said yes it was a big piece of tuna. I asked him to cook it very rare — He said ok! I was shocked when I saw canned tuna on top of iceberg lettuce for my salad. One tiny new potato cut in quarters, one undercooked hard boiled egg, very few green beans and a tiny tomato. My salad was served with a thick dressing on the side for some reason. My three friends ordered Caesar Salad with shrimp and the waiter told us the shrimp were very large and $ 2.50 each. The shrimp were tiny– they all hated their salads, too– wow this was really way below average. The nice ambience can’t make up for such terrible food.

It has nothing to do with a french restaurant ! The food is not good. too much sauce. Very expensive for what it is.
And the Chef… is not french ! He might be from Belgium.

Great happy hour, friendly staff and delicious food. Atmosphere is one of the best in PD for sure! Never been disappointed here.

Lovely place, the server was very knowledgable and interactive.
Enjoyed the Lobster Bisque Extremely … As everyone else has commented. They give you the whole meat of the claw in the center of the bowl.
I also had the Pacific Sea Bass.
I did not enjoy it at all. The fish was prepared properly. It was just on so much stuff, and the sauce was to me bitter.
I had been looking forward to the Lemon Tart, but was really disappointed.
As for me I would go back for the Bisque on a really cold day.

Keys for dining success:
1. Dress appropriately! don’t wear flip flops and shorts
2. talk to the wine steward. he knows what he’s talking about!
3. sit by the kitchen and watch them do their thing. amazing!
4. order the lobster pot pie. so delicious!
I really can’t say enough good things about Cuistot — the food was excellent and although our service was a little weak — I’ve never had a waiter 1) apologize so profoundly and 2) admit that he gave us terrible service. whether it was a ploy or not to salvage his tip, everything else was so impressive that I gave a great tip anyway.
go eat there and enjoy truly impressive food.

The experience was much different than the old location at 73 111 El Paseo. The old place looked more like a mash-​up of a hair salon and florist with overly fussy food. Now it’s a large, multi-​room restaurant with an open kitchen. More importantly, chef-​owner Bernard Dervieux has found a comfortable groove by returning to classic French cooking. Although the dishes were not spectacular or faultless, they were all pleasing and consistent in style.
The scallop and lobster appetizer was a success due to the scallops. The seafood sat in the right amount of thyme jus, but too much tomato sauce. The acidic sauces nicely balanced with the savory scallops. The same didn’t occur with the lobster because the meat was lacking flavor or richness. I was expecting something more from the phyllo dough which was one thin crispy chip and a couple more soggy circles. The phyllo became a mere garnish.
The quenelles were wonderfully light and quiche-​like with a cheesy impact from the gruyère. The seafood flavors were too mild due to a weak lobster sauce. Perhaps they didn’t get a good batch of lobsters this week.
The mushroom soup was atypical due to its soft use of cream and was further tempered by vinegar. There’s nothing wrong with limiting the richness, but it seemed one more element was needed.
The sweetbread-​stuffed quail had earthy elements that combined nicely with the black rice. Mainly a quail dish, the sweetbreads got a little lost (for those worried about eating glands). The side of vegetables was literally on the side. Placed on a small plate, the slow-​simmered vegetable was simple and very French.
Typical of restaurants in the Coachella Valley, service was uneven, but the sommelier had his act together. With the big wine list, it’s good they have a worthy wine expert. We indulged in their clever page of sparklers with a fun Bailly Lapierre rosé.

Treated myself to a wonderful lunch of Lobster Bisque with succulent lobster, Pacific Seabass seasoned to perfection, served on a bed of spinach with mini okra, grapes, red radish.
Beautiful ambiance and attentive server and busboy.
Finished lunch off with a Lemon Tart with a rich and creamy merengue.
Very much recommend for a special occasion or a decadent lunch of which I was in need of today!

TERRIBLE! Server was clueless. She asks if we’d like a cocktail or wine to start, yet had not presented a wine list, menu or suggested any house specialty.
Upon asking questions we received a lot of «I don’t know» responses. (Really? Come on…)
Wait time for food was nearly 90minutes. Asked for fresh ground pepper and was given a Denny’s type pepper shaker. The chicken was quite good, well seasoned. The veal was fatty and the lamb was mediocre at best.
Short rib ravioli was good and escargot (note:not on the menu… odd for a french restaurant). We did not see our server until the end is out dinner. Menu appeared to be more Italian than French.
So disappointing and will definitely not be going nor would we recommend Cuistot to anyone visiting Palm Desert.

OMG. one of the best meals of my life. The service was amazing; server there when you needed him. We ate outside on patio which was relaxing & ate off the ‘bar top’ menu where everything was under $ 10.00
The highlights were:
Mushroom soup, Asparagus soup, Truffle pasta, Asparagus & Lemon Risotto, Lamb sliders & Mussels. We also enjoyed a cheese plate which was very good.
Our group ate at a couple restaurants in the area but no others stood out. I cant wait to go back to Cuistot.

Service is the most important part of any eating out experience, combine that with the ambience and some classy setting and we had the best lunch in a very long time at Cuistot.
From the fast efficient and friendly service to the setting and the meal itself. The attention of the staff was present but never intrusive so, just the right way. Food service was fast and appreciated for a Lunch service. Portions were as expected. If you are hungry you need to order starter, main and desert.
We had Soup du jour and Lobster Bisque followed by Sea bass and Beef Medallions in pepper sauce Attractive to look at and a pleasure to eat. To finish off we had espresso and a Raspberry Feutllete, which were the perfect touches. To top it all off was the bill as it was so much less then we expected. present

Top notch ambiance, service and food. This place is fancy and a little pricey, so don’t come here for a casual meal. This is one of those «we went there for our wedding anniversary» type of places. Expect to spend a little money but have an amazing, memorable experience.
I had the sea bass and it was out of this world. My husband had the rack of lamb which was also incredible (he gave me a bite!).
Great for that special occasion, or lunch, which is pretty affordable. Check out the menu here on Unilocal first so you can get an idea of what they have. Reservations are highly recommended.

Summary: The food tastes very good here, but it’s not the best you will have for the $$$; service is fine, but not the best you will have for the $$$; atmosphere is nice, but not the best you will have for the $$$; but is unexplainably and unduly expensive and a mediocre value.
Detail:
Cuistot is a LARGE french restaurant the size of a Claim Jumper. It has a formal dining area, an informal dining area called the Bistro, and a private catering area. It’s mass French, not an intimate venue.
There is valet parking or you can self-​park if you can handle walking 25 feet.
We had a large family group here so we shared a few things:
The Filet is $ 45.00. It’s very good, but not as good at the ones at Mastros or the Canyon Club, two other Palm Desert venues to compare.
The Dover Sole ($ 48.00) is excellent! It’s the only reason I would return here.
The Rack of Lamb ($ 46.00) is just okay – I have had better.
The salad ($ 10+) is very good.
Table bread is very good.
Table water is filtered and good.
The potato that comes with the Filet was okay.
Portion size is average to small – you won’t be taking anything home unless you don’t like it.
Service the night we were in was fine, except for $$$ we should not have to help the bussers figure out who ordered what salad and one salad was wrong but the guest did not want to complain and risk offending the table host.
The sommelier was less than informative when a guest was asking him for a wine suggestion and the waiter was friendly, but curt when I asked him which one of the steaks he likes best – he just wanted to get the order in ASAP. (Before we fixated on the prices some more and had second thoughts?)
Desert: Peach Cobbler: Where’s all the peaches? and a variety of ice creams – standard.
This was not a Romance night – it was a family night, but romance quotient is 6 of 10 because the size of this well appointed restaurant lacks intimacy.
This restaurant was founded by a Frenchman that was a top chef in Beverly Hills for years. The only problem is that like anywhere where you have an absentee owner, unless he is in the kitchen preparing or closely supervising the prep – it will suffer and so will you.
In conclusion, Cuistot is not a restaurant that I would choose to dine at again because while you are unlikely to receive a bad tasting meal, it’s costs at $ 100.00-$ 150.00 a person minimum are just punitive. I am eternally thankful that someone dear to me hosted everyone at this special dinner.

The smoked salmon appetizer has definitely won my heart over.
It is simply pure bliss.
The light and flaky dough that has been baked to perfection with cooked white onions and raw red onions. Has your taste buds tingling.
Pairs perfectly with a cup of hot tea or a glass of Chardonnay.
The lunch manager Florence is an absolute doll. I usually go in by myself to eat and I don’t like sitting at a large table for myself so she sets up a high bar top for me.
Their lunch special always looks amazing but I’m a sucker for their smoked salmon.
I suggest making a reservation. Their patio is perfect during the fall/​winter.

An absolute must stop for happy hour! Drinks range from $ 5 – 7 and all the plates are $ 10! The quality of the food is absolutely delicious and well worth it! I promise you won’t be upset! The black truffle pasta and seabass are a must try! The pasta was amazingly rich and sinful! Every bite was full of flavor and the perfect size portion to be satisfied and not feel like a day cow! The seabass was light, flaky and paired with a beautiful sauce! Definitely bring a friend and go half-​sies so you can try everything!
Located in Palm Desert at the corner of Highway 111 and el Paseo, this place is truly a hidden gem, it even has a valet service even though there is ample parking available. The clientele demographics of this place is older, however, it’s completely understandable being that this restaurant is in the Palm Springs/​Palm Desert area. Prices for the dinner menu can be expensive, especially when you are on a student friendly budget, so I definitely recommend going for the happy hour if you just want a quick satisfying snack! With a friendly staff and service, I definitely plan on returning!

Came by for a dinner presentation and was impressed with the food. The caesar salad was nicely made though the highlights ended up being an exceptionally tender beef tenderloin followed by some delicious chocolate mousse cake.
Great ambiance and service rounded out the experience. Certainly one of the better fine dining places in the desert and worth a try if you’re up to the prices.

The Cuistot is a stunning gem in the midst of the northwest extension of the inhospitable, xeric, hostile Sonoran Desert. However, the heart of the Chef, who runs & owns this culinary temple, lies somewhere near Lyon in the upper reaches of the Rhone where it joins with the Saone. The food here seems to be a bridge between Cuisine Classique & Nouvelle Cuisine with the various dishes swaying in between those two poles depending on the whim & aesthetics of the chef.
The interior space is divided into 2 large dining areas and one long, dark intimate bar. One room is designated to be for guests who order the prix fixe meals, and it is light & airy with floor to ceiling windows. Very modern & minimalist in feel. The other room is for those who want to order from the a la carte menu. It is more like being in the grand room of a château on the Rhone or Loire with massive beams overhead, large impressive fireplace, and heavy, hanging lighting fixtures & wall sconces set again rock & mortar walls.
Victor was my affable waiter, and Fred is an informative, attentive Sommelier who adds a sybaritic veneer to the elegance of this gastronomic sanctuary of French cuisine. I believe he is an asset to Cuistot, and hopefully it is my wish that the Chef & Fred confer with each other to create a Menu de Gustation avec Association de Vins et Mets some day.
1) Classic Lyons style Seafood Quenelles in a savory Lobster Sauce, Baked with Gruyère: The Quenelles are made from a forcemeat of fish that is held together with fat, eggs, sometimes flour. It is seasoned with cream, salt & pepper. The Lobster Sauce is produced by boiling lobster shells for hours to extract the very essence of the shellfish & the sea. Gruyère is added to give a more dairy funkiness, & more creaminess.
A dry Rose, Château de Campuget, Costieres de Nimes, Rhone River Valley, 2012 was a good offset to the rich, strong sea minerality. Bone dry with hints of strawberry, & good, cleansing acid cleared the palate for more of the Quenelles.
2) California Quails stuffed with Sweetbreads, Creamy Black Rice, in a Chablis Wine Sauce with a side of fresh vegetables: This dish was a culinary tour de force. Chef Dervieux should be very proud of serving this dish. I have had many quails, but never one that was so meaty, large, moist, & succulent.
It was expertly deboned with only a strategic spot or two of bone left. (Try deboning a small bird like the quail for a task that would try even Sisyphus.)
The stuffing of the quail with Ris de Veau is the genius of this dish. The subtle oily Umami of the Ris de Veau infuses into the meat of the quail adding a subtle 5^th flavour of organ meatiness. I’ve had quail stuffed with sage infused sausage which also afforded the quail a unique taste, but the Ris de Veau is even more refined.
Black Rice that was firm, nutty in texture, & full of fresh, sweet butter was the rich offering of complex carbohydrates. Along with a side dish of beets, carrot, haricots verts, radish, and a surprise of a small square of pommes au gratin seasoned with a touch of nutmeg.
A Syrah blend, Château l’Hospitalet Reserve, Languedoc 2007 (40% Syrah, 30% Grenache, 30% Mourvedre) was slightly jammy, full of dark fruits such as dried cherries, blackberries, touch of chocolate, leather, light smokiness. This complex, fruity wine complemented the oily, light organ meat flavour infused into the slightly gamy quail. A smooth tannin acid backbone added structure to the wine so it stood up to the complexity of the quail itself.
3) Fresh Raspberry Feuillete: Fresh Raspberries and Vanilla Custard in a Light Shell,
Laid on a Bed of Warm Caramel, Surrounded by Fresh Raspberries. The Feuillete was like a light, crispy, flakey cloud dressed with Crème Patisserie flavored with vanilla. The sea of caramel sauce surrounding the feuillete was medium dark brown & thick yet it was not cloyingly sweet, leaving a touch of smokiness.
A Haute Sauterne, Château Roumeu-​La Coste 2009 was sweet, smooth, with a touch of ripe Bosc pear, wildflower honey was a pleasing supplement to the Feuillete & the caramel.
I have eaten at trois etoiles Guide Michelin restaurants such as Paul Bocuse at Collonges au Mont d’Or, Lucas Carton on the Place Madeleine, etc. and I have to say that much of what is offered at Cuistot is on a similar plane. These are special occasion restaurants, and as such, they want to let us experience truly rich, & luxurious comestibles.
Even the rich French do not eat like this every day, and I’m sure they indulge in a bit of cuisine minceur in order to balance out the times they go whole hog & do the 3 star thing. Cuistot is just such a restaurant where you want to indulge & pamper yourself with rich foods & wonderful drink. The Italians, who brought elements of fine dining to France via Catherine de Medici marrying King Henri II of France, have an apt aphorism: La Vita Dolce or the sweet life.