Lyons English Grill...A Relationship Worth Having
by Joe Lyons
It was a dark and stormy night. This was curious because it is never dark and stormy in Palm Springs. But it was for me.
I was driving through the rain to the Lyons English Grill. Although the operating family is named Lyons, they are not related to me. Still I felt at home when I entered the manor house style interior and reviewed the menu written in Old English script.
I took the easy way out for appetizers. I ordered the combination platter ($7.95 for two). It includes zucchini and beef kabobs along with kreplach. Kreplach are little triangular puff pastries with meat in them.
After that my guest and I split a cobb salad ($13.95) I thought I caught the waiter in a mistake when he asked me what salad dressing I wanted. Cobb salad should only have bleu cheese dressing. The waiter admitted that he was aware of that but people sometimes make changes and so he gives them the option.
We asked for the shrimp in the salad and were delighted to find that there were very large pieces of shrimp. Not just those little fellows you get out of the can. And the bleu cheese bits came in big chunks.
Lyons is known for it’s meats, so I ordered the prime rib ($19.95). Prime rib is properly served rare to medium, although I personally like it better done, which is why I normally ask for the end cut. For review purposes I asked for it medium and the result was so beautiful I didn’t want to cut it. I have enjoyed many primes over the years but this one was a solid cut of beef with only a hint of the fatty trim that most of these cuts come with.
The special for the night was the roast rack of lamb (Normally $21.95) I am no lamb fan but my guest is and I was told that the lamb was at least as good as my prime rib. It was served with a special mint sauce, not the usual mint jelly.
Such attention to quality may not sound obvious as you read this, but you truly can taste the difference.
Dinners are served with popovers, which are like dinner rolls except they are hollow. Kind of like a little Beef Wellington without the beef. ( By the way, Beef Wellington with bearnaise sauce is on the menu for $22.95).
Deserts include a caramel custard for $3 and New York-style cheesecake that came very close to real New York. Remember, a lot of people who live in Palm Springs grew up back east. They would be able to taste the difference.
A brief tour of the restaurant revealed a vast collection of English mementos, including china, stained glass and other decorative items from the British Isles. They are especially proud of a series of enamal-on-copper paintings which hang in their halls.
Our host, Jeff Lyons, reminded me that there are hundreds of restaurants in a twenty-mile radius. Competition is fierce, thus the attention to detail. He also pointed out that at one time the Lyons Grill was a chain, but now the family puts all of their efforts into this one location. The effort is worth it. Even if they are not my family.
Lyons English Grill, 233 East Palm Canyon Drive, Palm Springs, (760) 327-1551.
Joe Lyons is the regular contributing restaurant critic for the Inland Empire Business Journal. He also is co-host of Bill Anthony's restaurant review on the Inland Empire TV News. |
