Backstreet Bistro

72820 El Paseo, Palm Desert
(760) 346-6393

Recent Reviews Order Online Reserve

Customers' Favorites

Club Sandwich with Sweet Potato Fries
Chicken Parmigiana
Lemoncello Sorbet
Caesar Salad
French Toast
Tuna Melt
Sand Dabs
Tiramisu
Calamari

Menu

Appetizers

Sherri's Garlic Bread
Calamari
Tubes, tentacles lightly battered, and fried, served with homemade marinara.
Italian Sausage & Peppers
Mild Italian sausage with roasted bell peppers and homemade marinara sauce.
Crab Cakes
Topped with vodka sauce, roasted bell peppers, capers, and black olives.
Shrimp Cocktail
Four jumbo prawns chilled, with tomatoes, cucumber, onion, cilantro, avocado, and cocktail sauce.
Bruschetta
Toasted ciabatta bread topped with tomatoes, basil, garlic, and parmesan cheese.
Cocunut Shrimp
Four jumbo prawns rolled in sweet coconut, served with spicy plum sauce.
Fried Zucchini
Served with homemade marinara sauce.

Soup & Salads
Pasta Fagioli
Cannelloni beans, penne pasta, and tomato broth.
Caesar Salad
Crispy romaine, homemade croutons, aged.
Zuppa Di Giorno
Homemade daily.
House Salad
Mixed field greens, with tomato, onion, black olives, and raspberry vinaigrette.
Shrimp Salad
Three jumbos grilled shrimp served on a bed of mixed field greens, chopped tomato, black olives, red onions, walnuts, crumbled blue cheese, and tossed with raspberry vinaigrette.
Bristo Wedge
Iceberg, bacon, chopped tomato, blue cheese crumbles, and blue cheese dressing.

Seafood
Seafood Pasta
Linguini pasta tossed with mussels, clams, baby scallops, shrimp, calamari, and salmon. With a choice of white wine sauce or white wine marinara sauce.
Shrimp Scampi
Jumbo shrimp sautéed in lemon butter with white wine and capers. Served with linguini pasta and sautéed julienne vegetables.
Shrimp Diablo
Five jumbo shrimp server over linguine pasta and sauteed julienne vegetables.
Linguni with Clam Sauce
White wine garlic sauce.
Grilled Chickn Caesar Salad
Crispy romaine with homemade croutons, parmesan cheese, and homemade caesar dressing topped with grilled chicken.

Chicken & Other
Chicken Piccata
Chicken breast topped with white wine lemon butter sauce with capers.
El Paseo Pollo
Chicken breast topped with warm arugula, sundried tomatoes, and white wine lemon sauce.
Chicken Marsala
Chicken breast topped with mushroom marsala sauce. Served with sautéed julienne vegetables and herb mashed potatoes.
Pollo Empoli
Chicken breast topped with artichoke hearts, tomatoes, garlic, and white wine lemon sauce.
Chicken Parmigiano
Chicken breast pounded thinly and crusted in ciabatta bread crumbs. Topped with homemade marinara and melted mozzarella cheese.
Chicken Milano
Thinly pounded chicken breast topped with sautéed asparagus, artichoke hearts, red onions, mushrooms, and garlic white wine sauce.
Chicken Sicilian
Grilled chicken topped with warm tomatoes, basil, and garlic. Served with steamed vegetables and a side of black beans.
Rack of Lamb
Pan seared to your liking, topped with burgundy wine reduction with mint jelly on the side served with potatoes and sautéed vegetables.

Veal Speciality
Scaloppini
Veal scaloppini topped with white wine lemon butter sauce with capers.
Scaloppini Marsala
Veal scaloppini topped with mushroom marsala wine sauce.
Veal Parmigiano
Veal thinly pounded, crusted in ciabatta crumbs topped with homemade marinara sauce and melted mozzarella cheese.
Veal Saltimbocca
Veal topped with fresh sage and prosciutto ham with marsala wine sauce.
Grandma Scaloppini
Grandma pat's scaloppine veal scaloppini topped with a champagne mushroom cream sauce.

Pasta Entrees
Fettuccini Zingara
Fettuccini pasta tossed with mild Italian sausage, chicken, and roasted bell peppers in a spicy marinara sauce.
Linguini Rustica
Linguine pasta with Italian sausage, chicken breast, and mushrooms in a champagne cream sauce.
Fettucini Alfredo
Fettuccini noodles topped with a silky homemade alfredo sauce.
Chicken Alfredo
Shrimp Alfredo
Creamy Pesto Penne
Homemade creamy pesto tossed with grilled chicken and penne pasta.
Capellini Pomodoro
Capellini pasta tossed in homemade marinara sauce.
Capellini Alla Checca
Capellini pasta tossed with sautéed tomatoes, basil, and garlic.
Grandma's Penne
Penne pasta mild Italian sausage, mushrooms, and zucchini, in a champagne cream sauce.
Lobster Ravioli
Topped with creamy vodka sauce.
Spaghetti & Meatballs
Spaghetti pasta tossed with meatballs.
Ravioli Gusto
Veal stuffed ravioli with your choice of sauce, bolognese, alfredo, vodka, mushroom cream sauce, or marinara.
Capelini Alla Austin
Capellini pasta tossed with chicken breast, artichoke hearts, capers, and white wine sauce.
Eggplant Parmigiano
Braised eggplant layered with Italian cheeses and homemade marinara.
Santa Fe Ravioli
Cheese stuffed ravioli topped with a silky homemade alfredo sauce and warm spinach.
Spaghetti Carbonara
Spaghetti pasta tossed with pancetta and peas in a rich and creamy sauce.
Capelini Palm Desert
Capellini pasta with tomatoes, olives, mushrooms, garlic, and capers. Topped and baked with mozzarella cheese.
Lasagna Classic
Three layers stuffed with ground sausage, ground beef, mozzarella, ricotta cheeses, and our homemade marinara sauce.

Soup & Salad Entrees
Caesar Salad
Crisp romaine, croutons, aged parmesan cheese, and tossed with caesar dressing.
Bistro Albacore Salad
Albacore tuna salad, chopped romaine, tomato, black olives, and avocado tossed with caesar dressing.
President Salad
Chopped romaine, turkey, swiss cheese, dates, mandarin oranges, ruby red grapefruit, and candied walnuts. Tossed with poppy seed dressing.
Grilled Vegetable & Arugula Salad
Power greens, feta cheese, and balsamic reduction.
Italian Chopped Salad
Chopped romaine, salami, turkey, pepper jack cheese, artichoke hearts, pepperoncini's, olives, onion, and tomato. Tossed with Italian dressing.
Patio Salad
1/2 lb Angus burger over chopped romaine, tomatoes, red onion, melted jack cheese, and avocado with a side of thousand island.
Fit Salad
Power greens, black beans, tricolored bell pepper, tomato, pepperoni, fresh green beans, and cilantro vinaigrette.
Roasted Beet Salad
Roasted red, gold beets, feta cheese, mandarin orange wedges, apples, asparagus, slivered almonds, and balsamic reduction.
Fruit & Scoops
Choice of 2 scoops albacore tuna salad, egg salad, chicken salad, or cottage cheese with seasonal fresh fruit.

Sandwiches
Half & Half
Turkey, egg salad, tuna melt or chicken salad, and 1/2 salad spinach salad, mixed salad, or caesar salad. Served with choice of seasoned fries, sweet potato fries, caesar salad, or house salad.
Tuna Melt
Grilled albacore tuna salad and melted cheddar cheese. Served with choice of seasoned fries, sweet potato fries, caesar salad, or house salad.
Chicken Ciabatta
Grilled chicken breast, swiss cheese, tomato, romaine lettuce, avocado, and mayonnaise on grilled ciabatta bread. Served with choice of seasoned fries, sweet potato fries, caesar salad, or house salad.
Reuben on Rye
Grilled pastrami, grilled sauerkraut, melted swiss cheese, and thousan islands on grilled marbled rye. Served with choice of seasoned fries, sweet potato fries, caesar salad, or house salad.
Turkey Supreme
Roasted turkey breast, bacon, swiss cheese, tomato, romaine lettuce, avocado, and mayonnaise on grilled cranberry walnut bread. Served with choice of seasoned fries, sweet potato fries, caesar salad, or house salad.
The Club House
Turkey, ham, bacon, swiss cheese, cheddar cheese, lettuce, and tomato. Layered between grilled sourdough bread. Served with choice of seasoned fries, sweet potato fries, caesar salad, or house salad.
The Veggie
Eggplant, zucchini, yellow squash, tomato, red onion, carrots, and avocado. All grilled and served on grilled whole wheat bread. Served with choice of seasoned fries, sweet potato fries, caesar salad, or house salad.
Bistro Burger
1/2 lb Angus burger with cheddar cheese, red onion, tomato, lettuce, pickles, and mayonnaise on a kaiser bun. Served with choice of seasoned fries, sweet potato fries, caesar salad, or house salad.
BLTA
Crispy applewood, romaine lettuce, tomato, avocado, and mayonnaise on grilled whole wheat bread. Served with choice of seasoned fries, sweet potato fries, caesar salad, or house salad.

Entrees
Sandabs
Two pan seared fillets, topped with piccata sauce, served with sautéed spinach.

Side Dishes
Fresh Seasonal Fruit
Gwen Green Beans
Sautéed Spinach
Grilled Vegetables
Side of Meatballs
Mashed Potatoes
French Fries
Sweet Potatoes Fries

Desserts
Homemade Creme Brulee
Homemade Tiramisu
Chocolate Lava Cake
Served hot with vanilla bean ice cream.
Dark Chocolate Cappuccino Ice Cream
Spumoni Ice Cream
Vanilla Bean Ice Cream
Raspberry Sorbet
Mango Sorbet
Lemon Sorbet
Homemade Greek Yogurt Cheesecake
Topped with sour cherry jubilee.
Traditional Cannol
Espresso Affogato

Beverages
Soft Drinks
Coke, diet coke, sprite, lemonade, raspberry iced tea, Arnold Palmer, and fresh brewed iced tea.
Juice
Orange, grapefruit, tomato, cranberry, and apple.
Grapefruit Juice
Fat Free Milk (2%25)
Coffee
Hot Tea
Espresso
Sole Italian Water
Sparkling Water
Still Water

Photos

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Recent Reviews

Diane greeted us and when I gave her the name on the reservation she immediately acknowledged my reservation. She told us the table number we asked for and that the server we requested was out on maternity leave. Nice seated Nara came out and took great care of us. Told us about the new items on the menu. No pressure to order quickly. We had brought a bottle of wine and he told us the corking fee was. No rush to order. The owner Waldo stopped by to check on us and he visited every...
October 2025
My first time here and it was absolutely delicious. Presentation was lovely and because we had an early dinner, it was very quiet and our server was very attentive. If I lived in the area, I would definitely be a regular!
October 2025
Love this place. We come very often and always enjoy our food, wine and service. We were 4, and all had different entrees. They all were delicious. The calamari is crispy and marinara sauce great. I love that they provide delicious warm bread with olive oil and balsamic and if you prefer butter on the side.
May 2025

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Backstreet Bistro

72820 El Paseo, Palm Desert, CA 92260
(760) 346-6393