Palm Springs, Palm Desert

Thai Smile

Using only authentic Thai spices and herbs — and no MSG — Thai Smile’s meticulously trained chefs prepare each plate individually using high-flame woks. Try a Chef’s Special entrée like Screaming Duck or opt for a Create Your Own dish. 

Desert Hot Springs

Sushi Bella Japanese Cuisine 

At this Palm Drive establishment, authentic Japanese food made with fresh ingredients draws a regular crowd. Locals like the generously sauced sushi rolls, several of which are baked. 

Cathedral City (Tied)

Desert Thai

Fresh, authentic Thai cuisine — what’s not to like? Desert Thai offers great lunch specials plus a regular menu with a wide variety of soups, salads, seafood, noodles, and curries. It’s in the heart of downtown Cathedral City, walking distance to a number of attractions. 

Wang’s Chinese Cuisine

Sample all the classics — kung pao beef, General Tso’s chicken, and sweet-and-sour pork, to name a few — carefully prepared to eat in or take out via an extensive online menu.

Rancho Mirage (Tied)

Joyce’s Sushi

Satisfy a yen for Japanese cuisine at Joyce’s, where specialty sushi and sake pairings await. The lengthy menu includes nigiri and sashimi, rolls galore, hot items, and selections for kids as well. 

Talay Thai

Yearning for exceptional pad thai? Savor the stir-fried noodle dish and delicious variations at Talay Thai, known for authentic Bangkok cuisine. 

Indian Wells

Nobu 

Hidden away inside Stadium 2 at the Indian Wells Tennis Garden, the Peruvian-influenced Japanese restaurant opens to the public outside the BNP Paribas Open tournament. (Nobu resumes service Aug. 29 after a summer hiatus.) 

La Quinta

Okura Robata Grill & Sushi Bar

The life-size, petrified Japanese cherry blossom tree at the restaurant’s center may charm, but Okura’s fusion of Japanese and California cuisine will totally captivate your palate. 

Indio

Joy Asian Cuisine

The bold flavors of modern East Asia meld together with time-honored traditional Chinese, Korean, Vietnamese, and Thai recipes.