SOL Y SOMBRA
Spanish-inspired dishes, fresh ingredients and a cool vibe
Hidden near the border of Cathedral City and Palm Springs, Sol y Sombra is a Spanish-influenced restaurant in the Adobe (building) at The Paloma Resort, a historic property dating back 100 years. According to the resort’s website, the original property was owned in the 1920s and 30s by two women, Mary T. Bernardin and Laura K. Carey, for whom the bordering streets are named. The property was also home to a 48-acre date palm grove, eventually making way for a hotel in the 1950s, owned by the Elizabeth Arden Corporation. Yet another incarnation, The Villa Resort, was a LGBTQ+-friendly destination for decades before closing in 2017.
Fast forward to 2022 and The Paloma Resort blends desert chic and modernism with its collection of cheerful rooms and a pool built into the courtyard, surrounded by a blend of bright colors and Spanish-influenced décor. And then there’s the food.
Sol y Sombra is the creation of Chef Chad Gardner, a life-long cook, chef and restaurant owner, who was influenced by his family’s restaurant business in Sonoma County and his mother’s cooking.
“My mom was not a culinary-trained chef, but a very good cook who taught me that cooking is all about love,” says Gardner. “Growing up in Sonoma County in the 1970s and 80s, it was a natural thing to have farmers come to our restaurant and offer their local vegetables or meat products. We were doing farm to table before farm to table became a trend.”
Gardner worked for years with top chefs in a variety of restaurants before getting his degree in the culinary arts. His current restaurant “projects,” as he calls them, include Roly China Fusion, 533 Viet-Fusion and his catering business, Dash and a Handful. Gardner joined forces with restauranteur Willie Rhine (of Eight4Nine Restaurant and Lounge) to create 1501 Uptown Gastropub, Willie’s Modern Fare, and Sol y Sombra.
Paella, tapas, empanadas and more
According to Gardner, paella is Sol y Sombra’s most popular dish. The made-from-scratch Spanish rice entrée, cooked in individual copper pans, features shrimp, pork and chicken, seafood, or, for vegetarians, paella made with vegan chorizo. Classic flavors such as saffron, sweet peppers, shallots, garlic and paprika blend with tasty vegetables to round out each paella dish.
Other hearty big plate fare includes flank medallions, grilled shrimp, seared Branzino, and braised Spanish pork with roasted hazelnuts — one of Gardner’s signature dishes.
Small-plate offerings, or tapas, include chicken or vegan empanadas with a variety of vegetables and spices; ham and cheese, scallop or mushroom croquettes; battered-fried green beans; the ubiquitous Spanish tomato bread, Pan Con Tomate; blistered Padron peppers, chorizo dates and elote.
“I asked our executive chef, Daniel Felix, to create a Spanish version of the classic Mexican sweet corn dish, elote,” explains Gardner. “He added Spanish paprika and Manchego cheese and it’s delicious.”
Also on the menu are mussels or clams, both in their own white wine, savory sauce, plus several vegetable side dishes. Sunday brunch offers Spanish-influenced paella, variations on eggs benedict, vegan polenta, French toast, Iberico ham Spanish Omelets, sandwiches, salads and more. A variety of cocktails and non-alcoholic drinks round out the menu. The pool and bar have their own special menu.
“As much as possible, we use locally sourced vegetables,” notes Gardner. “Our goal was to create a niche experience with the approach of high quality ingredients. We use Bomba rice, grown in Spain, in our paella.”
Sol y Sombra is food for the heart, the soul and the stomach, right in Cathedral City. And by the way, as you wind your way toward the resort, guided by your GPS — keep going. You’ll be convinced you’ve taken a wrong turn, but you haven’t. Suddenly the resort will appear and all will be well.
Sol y Sombra
Located at The Paloma Resort
67670 Carey Road, Cathedral City
Dinner: 5 to 9 p.m. Wednesday through Sunday
Sunday brunch: 11 a.m. to 3 p.m.
For reservations at Sol Y Sombra
or to book The Paloma Resort,
call 760.864.1177, or email:
reservations@thepalomaresort.com
or info@thepalomaresort.com
