Johannes Restaurant – Palm Springs

This upscale restaurant in Palm Springs is everything diners are looking for when they want a high quality meal with a casual ambiance. Now, this doesn’t mean we’re saying show up to Johannes in a T-shirt and shorts, but it isn’t a stuffy place that requires a jacket either. Johannes focuses on classic food done with an Austrian or Asian twist. It sounds crazy, but when it comes to food and art, crazy usually means good.

Parking at Johannes is an easy feat with ample parking, but a valet option as well. Reservations are encouraged for large groups and Johannes welcomes parties for up to 30 people. It is a romantic restaurant, but it’s definitely a place where you can talk and laugh at your leisure. The restaurant aims to bring an approachable fine dining experience to guests.

Johannes focuses on simple food, but done with a twist. It’s a favorite for diners during Restaurant Week because everyone wants the opportunity to taste what’s cooking without paying the high price. Appetizers include escargot, spaetzeln, duck breast over greens and shrimp cocktail. You’ll notice there are a lot of “special sauces” on the menu that add to the intrigue of what you can expect when ordering some of these starters.

One of the entrees Johannes is best known for are their schnitzels. There are various schnitzels on the menu, including the famed wiener schnitzel. If you aren’t familiar with a schnitzel, they’re basically hammered meats that are breaded and fried. They’re usually served with potato salad, but Johannes serves them with roasted potatoes and a cucumber salad. There are schnitzels in a brandy and mushroom sauce, one topped with tomatoes and different cheeses and one smothered in a lemon parsley sauce with capers. If you’re looking for schnitzels in Palm Springs, Johannes is a must on your dining out list.

The salmon is served with a balsamic sauce and spinach. The half-duck is served crispy with an orange glaze. Grass fed kangaroo loin (yup, we said it had an Australian flair!) is topped with glazed pears, veal bacon and a juniper Merlot reduction. It’s a rich meal that’s sure to make meat eaters’ ears perk up with it’s unique flavors. It doesn’t have a the pungent flavor of game, but your palette won’t get it confused with beef either.

The scallops comes with leeks and a black truffle sauce, while the Kobe beef steak is 8 oz. of pure pleasure with Swiss cheese, bacon, mushrooms and a red wine sauce. You also get a side of California fries with the steak.

The prices at Johannes start at about $8 for the typical house salad and top out at $29 for grass fed steak. The prices are moderate for the area and considering the high quality of food Johannes serves, you’re getting your money’s worth. We love Johannes because it’s clearly a place for locals to visit regularly and they allow take-out, which many high end restaurants do not. That said, this isn’t exactly a place that’s kid-friendly, if only because of the selection on the menu.