Looking for a taste of Asia during your trip to Palm Springs? You can savor flavors from across the region at JIAO, which serves an Asian-inspired menu unlike anything the desert has seen before.
Miso black cod — Photo courtesy of JIAO
The menu draws inspiration from the street foods of Asia and adds a creative twist, like the calamari with yuzu aioli or the roasted pork buns with kimchee, pickles and cilantro. Some of the most popular dishes include the oxtail fried rice with dragon sauce, the lemongrass pork noodle bowl and the miso black cod.
Singapore-style chili crab — Photo courtesy of JIAO
About a third of the menu rotates monthly, but you’ll always find flavors from throughout east and southeast Asia. Your group can enjoy a progressive dinner from all over Asia, starting with a Thai tom kha gai curry soup or Korean-inspired “ssam” (lettuce wraps) followed by Chinese mapo tofu or a vegan-friendly green curry with eggplant, okra and bamboo. Order a few dishes and share family-style for a true JIAO experience.
And to finish it off, you can treat yourself to a scoop of house-made ice cream in flavors like Thai basil.
If you get a chance to stop by JIAO on a Sunday, you’ll get to try a range of bites from the dim sum menu. Dim Sum Sunday offers two dozen Chinese-inspired small plates, like homestyle pork dumplings and shrimp sui mai.
JIAO is the latest restaurant concept by serial entrepreneurs Tara Lazar and Marco Rosetti, who also own Cheeky’s, a creative breakfast restaurant, and Birba, an outdoor pizza and cocktail lounge. JIAO closed for summer vacation in mid-July and will reopen on August 27.