Ponzu Sushi

After two visits to Ponzu Sushi, I have been consistently surprised by just how much I enjoyed the food. Located in the heart of downtown Palm Springs, Ponzu has quickly become one of my favorite restaurants, if not my favorite, in the city. The ambiance of the restaurant is quintessentially Palm Springs. On both visits, I opted to sit outside. There is a specific energy to dining in the heart of downtown Palm Springs. The cool desert air and dining around a cozy fire pit make for the perfect atmosphere to people-watch and enjoy a delicious dinner. The menu at Ponzu is very extensive. It offers a blend of traditional Japanese staples and modern, fusion-forward plates. It begins with an extensive selection of starters, ranging from classic miso soup and edamame to elevated small bites like Brussels sprout chips with truffle oil and various crispy rice options topped with spicy tuna or avocado. There are also multiple larger plates, including hot entrees and shareable crudos. The heart of the menu is the sushi. Ponzu has a wide variety of nigiri and sashimi, classic rolls, and signature rolls. The signature rolls are particularly interesting, offering inventive rolls unique to Ponzu. In general, everything on the menu is expensive. However, the cost is mostly justified by the sourcing. Ponzu serves premium ingredients rarely found in the desert, including A5 Wagyu, fatty Toro, and fresh Uni. Our meal began with the Spicy Tuna Crispy Rice. The rice is pressed and fried to a beautiful golden color that is perfectly crispy. This holds up beautifully with the tuna. The oiliness of the rice is cut through by the spiciness of the tuna and pickled garnish to form a yummy and well-balanced bite. This was followed up with the Bluefin Toro Tartare. To me, this was the standout of the meal. The dish was perfectly balanced, layering the clean fattiness of the toro and avocado with the richness and intense umami of the uni. The addition of quail egg also acts as a natural binder, coating the tartare in a velvety sauce when broken, while the black truffle provides an earthy aromatic and flavor that cuts through the intense richness. The chips provided a necessary textural contrast in the dish. They were crispy and firm and didn't overpower the very delicate flavors of the tartare. While the sushi rolls were good, they weren't amazing. The Salmon Cucumber Avocado Roll is a simple classic that leaves nowhere to hide. The individual ingredients were good: the cucumber was crisp and the salmon was rich and buttery. However, the execution of the roll itself was inconsistent. The amount of salmon in each bite varied wildly. Some pieces were packed, while others were less than a quarter full. Additionally, because the edges were underfilled, the rice was over-rolled to compensate, making several bites feel overly dense with rice. The namesake Ponzu Roll also fell flat. With such strong toppings, the delicate flavor and texture of the fish were lost behind the jalapeño and the tartness of the lemon slices. I also found myself wanting a crispy element to provide textural contrast to the softer components. Each roll was still good, but I wouldn't go back to Ponzu to order either of these rolls. Despite the quality of the food, it is also important to note that the service was noticeably slower on my second visit than I remembered. Our drinks took significant time to arrive, and all of our food arrived at the same time much later than the drinks. There was no spacing between "starters" and mains. Furthermore, our water glasses were also left empty for long periods of time. Dining outside made for a lovely atmosphere, but also made it difficult to get someone's attention when we needed it. Overall, it was clear that Ponzu Sushi put a lot of thought into each dish, and had made a lot of tweaks to make each dish as yummy as it was. The non-sushi dishes are spectacular and must-orders, while the more adventurous sushi dishes are unique and worth a try. Ponzu delivers an amazing Palm Springs experience, where you can relax and enjoy the desert with delicious food in the middle of downtown.