French Ambiance, Fresh Flowers, Exquisite Meals

She bought the FARM - and found her calling

Have you ever eaten at a restaurant so charming, serving such delicious food, you wanted to move in? 

Nestled in the heart of Palm Springs in the Spanish-style center on La Plaza, FARM restaurant features bright rooms filled with natural light, fresh flowers and fireplaces; and servers who know what you need before you ask. Dining al fresco is another popular option, with FARM’s ample outdoor seating — California-meets-Europe — framed by sprawling greenery and flowers.

At the helm of this Palm Springs treasure is Liz Ostoich, a former land use attorney with zero experience in the food industry before she bought FARM.  

“I was a regular at the restaurant, and one day in 2016, the owner sat down while I was having breakfast and said, ‘I’m ready to move on and I think you’re supposed to buy this place,’” says Ostoich. “I had a discussion with my husband Mark, and he encouraged me to do it.”

For the first six months of operation, Ostoich was admittedly nervous and spent every minute of every day learning from her staff. “The employees taught me everything about how to run a restaurant,” she explained, “and I was eager to learn.”

Apparently, Ostoich is a fast learner. In seven years, she has not only fine-tuned her beloved French-inspired restaurant, but opened three more: The Front Porch at FARM (a neighborhood bar with fresh fare, including vegetarian and vegan options), Tac/Quila (think hip Mexican cuisine and bar) and Clandestino (“Tac/Quila’s moody sister” — well-curated food and craft cocktails). In the process, she employs at least five members of the same family. Two brothers and a cousin are the chefs at FARM, while another brother and sister create their specialties at Tac/Quila and Clandestino. 

The menu
Breakfast or lunch is a good way to explore FARM’s seven-day menu: sweet or savory crêpes, omelettes, brioche French toast, sandwiches, several choices of eggs benedict, inventive salads, baked brie, and bagel and lox. Croque Monsieur or Madame, avocado toast, the farm breakfast sandwich, bacon-chicken-and-waffle, and a vegan wrap offer more choices. 

Served with mixed greens and sherry vinaigrette, or oven roasted potatoes, the omelettes are just one of FARM’s immensely satisfying meals. The Bretonne omelette includes smoked salmon, goat cheese, raw spinach (never soggy) and scallions. Accompanied by a chunk of fresh baguette, butter and house-made jam, it’s difficult to know what to eat first. 

And here’s a not-so-secret-tip: you really don’t want to miss the fresh watermelon juice or the French-press coffee, although there are many drink options from which to choose. FARM features Tito’s Coffee Trail, a locally roasted, exceptional blend of fresh coffee beans, which you may purchase by the bag to take home. 

Prix fixe dinners — new menu every two weeks
“Prior to us taking over as owners,” explains Ostoich, “FARM only served breakfast and lunch. In 2017, we added dinner.”

Dinner, served Friday through Tuesday, is a prix fixe menu featuring amuse bouche (a very light appetizer), palate cleanser, and one choice each of appetizer, entrée and dessert. For example, a recent menu included: appetizers — roasted parsnip and celery root soup; apple-pear salad; vegetarian cheesy mushroom sliders, and fig prosciutto salad. Entrée choices were braised short ribs with garlic mashed potatoes and vegetables; wild caught King Salmon with yellow corn puree, charred Brussel sprouts, lemon beurre blanc and fresh fennel cucumber salad; oven-roasted Magret de Canard with braised pumpkin, lentils, sautéed Broccolini, red beet puree and pomegranate seeds; and stuffed acorn squash w farro, sautéed wild mushrooms, baby heirloom tomatoes, shaved Parmesan and maple mustard sauce. And last, but not least, dessert options included fig cheesecake (gluten free), chocolate orange mousse dome, apple sage pie with vanilla ice cream or a citron crêpe. 

The menu changes every two weeks and is posted on FARM’s website. 

“Having a team approach with three chefs gives them the opportunity to collaborate,” notes Ostoich. “It also gives them an opportunity to be creative, especially with a changing menu.”

“My philosophy with food is that we should be awakening all the senses,” continues Ostoich. “It’s important that it’s not just a meal, because we can all cook a meal at home. Dining out should be an experience, from the atmosphere — gardens and fresh flowers on the table — to the music. We have live music in the evenings — and beautifully prepared and presented food, made from the freshest ingredients.”

Tip number two: plan ahead and make dinner reservations well in advance, especially during the valley’s busy season. Bon appétit!

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FARM
Breakfast and lunch hours: 8 a.m. to 2 p.m., seven days a week, walk-in only
Dinner hours: 5:30 to 9:30 p.m., Friday through Tuesday 
6 La Plaza, Palm Springs, CA 92262

For reservations, call 760.322.2724 or book a table through Open Table.
For parties of five to 10, email host@farmpalmsprings.com
farmpalmsprings.com 
frontporchpalmsprings.com
tacquila.com
clandestinopalmsprings.com