Castelli's is a large, popular spot in Palm Desert, with live music, a busy bar scene, and a menu…read morethat aims to hit just about every category of Italian-American cuisine, succeeding almost all of the time. The valet is friendly, the hosts are accommodating, and the entire staff of servers is polite, professional and proficient. It's a well-run enterprise, and locals surely appreciate the combination of quality and efficiency.
We arrived early for our reservation, but were told our table was ready. To be honest, I was a tad disappointed that we were seated on the enclosed patio, which is a perfectly lovely area but totally removed from the live music and jovial energy of the main room. I could have requested a change, but seeing no seats available at the bar, I knew that a wait would be a duller affair, so we adjusted to the more subdued atmosphere.
Our server, Robert (always polite and professional) was a bit harried at first, but warmed up as things went along and proved to be a most amiable waiter. The pour on my wife's glass of wine was astoundingly large (she never finished it), and though my martini had traditional dimensions, it was quite properly made and very satisfying.
Everyone mentions Castelli's garlic bread, presented gratis where other places would provide plain bread & butter. But it's not just the price that's right; these slices of buttery, garlicky crostini are about as foodie fantastic as any bread service you're likely to get at a neighborhood spot. They're also the backbone of the appetizer I ordered: Escargot Italiano.
When I asked what made the escargot "Italian" (fearing some deployment of tomatoes), I was told it was the usual preparation, but with crostini instead of shells. Well, that wasn't 100% true, as the preparation also included freshly shaved Parmesan cheese that emulsified the garlicky butter sauce, making it thicker, richer, and a much more luxurious bite. Using the house garlic toast to then soak up the extra sauce may have been gilding the lily, but I figure that was my compensation for not hearing the live music!
For our main, my wife and I shared one of the daily specials: a trio of Filet Mignon Medallions served with a Marsala wine sauce over Fettuccini Alfredo (the house specialty pasta). This was a very generous portion that neither of us could have finished on our own, and the optimal entree for going halfsies. The fettuccini was quite properly prepared, with the al dante pasta clinging nicely to a rich, flavorful sauce. The beef was tender as can be and cooked to a good medium rare. This was very good steak... but... the Marsala sauce was off. My wife had no issues, but I found it very acidic and unpleasant. I don't know if there was an extra ingredient at play (balsamic?) or if the alcohol wasn't fully cooked out, but something made this sauce very sour to me, and it really undermined my enjoyment of the beef. Not a Cardinal sin, but I found myself wishing I'd ordered something else.
So why am I still giving Castelli's 4 stars? Because so very much about the meal was 100% on point; a few miscalculations (whether theirs or ours) doesn't mean I wouldn't come back. I'd just be sure to sit inside, and I'd probably opt for the Veal Parmigiana, which looked darned near perfect when delivered to a neighboring table. And because the staff is doing good things... if one thing was off, they still deserve a bit of grace.
