Courtesy of Wally's Desert Turtle.
When you step into Wally’s Desert Turtle restaurant, you travel back in time to the days of glamour, when Hollywood stars would use this serene desert paradise to escape their busy lives in the spotlight and relax and recharge. The Hollywood Regency ambiance of this famous supper club upholds that elevated experience through its staple dishes and pristine service, attracting generations of locals and visitors alike.
Wally’s Desert Turtle is a family-owned and operated restaurant that opened in 1978 after founder Wally Botello, the creator of the fine-dining chain The Velvet Turtle, relocated to the Coachella Valley. Seeing a gap in the high-end restaurant market in Rancho Mirage, he established his roots with Wally’s Desert Turtle– the name being an homage to his former chain of restaurants.
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Courtesy of Wally's Desert Turtle
His family became deeply involved in the business, and his granddaughter and current owner, Madalyn Botello, helped with business operations at a very young age.
“I started working at the restaurant when I was five years old, working the coat check and helping with the hostess stand during holidays,” she reminisces. Botello also has extensive experience in the hospitality industry. “Fast forward to 2020, I took a temporary furlough from my job at The Four Seasons in Washington DC and came home to be with my family during the pandemic. I helped my dad with the restaurant, which led to me taking over its operations.”
The restaurant is deeply rooted in family values and traditions, “I think what makes us really special is our generational customers,” the owner remarks, mentioning that current customers’ parents and grandparents would frequently dine there.
"I think what makes us really special is our generational customers" - Madalyn Botello
Courtesy of Wally's Desert Turtle.
Keeping familiarity with the Botello family and their customers is important to her. “I try to be very involved,” Botello says. “I have a great staff here and am very lucky for that, but I try to greet all the customers and see as many people as I can. I always want to make them feel like they’re at home. That’s where our personal touch comes from. My family has been doing it for generations.”
The original interiors of the restaurant are just as spectacular and opulent as the food itself. It was designed in 1978 by interior designer Stephen Chase. Warm lighting, large mirrors, beautifully painted murals, coffered ceilings and plush dining chairs maintain the Old-Hollywood Regency feel.
Wally’s became a hotspot for celebrities. Popular figures such as Frank Sinatra, Lucille Ball, President Ford and The Ratpack, to name a few, have graced the restaurant’s walls and indulged in its delectable menu.
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Local menu favorites include their famous Dover Sole, a fish imported from Holland plated with Amandine or Meunière seasonal vegetables and mashed potatoes. The souffle is another crowd favorite. “I would estimate that 50 percent of people that dine with us order our soufflé,” Botello remarks.
Botello is actively managing a balance between staying current with the times while also staying true to the restaurant’s original aesthetic, a theme that resonates with the greater area of Palm Desert.
“We’re definitely staying true to our roots, but we’re not stuffy. We don’t do everything old-school. We have different and new options on our menu, which are more contemporary and modern but still trained to stay true to where we’re from,” she notes.
Courtesy of Wally's Desert Turtle.
Courtesy of Wally's Desert Turtle.
The laid-back, take-your-time dining style is something Wally’s Desert Turtle does best. “We’re trying to get people to enjoy their experience and relax,” Botello explains. “We will never approach you with a dinner menu right away. We start by bringing a cocktail/mocktail menu. We want to let you sit with your drinks for a while before we bring the dinner menu over. Our typical occupancy time between tables is anywhere from two to three hours.”
Wally’s Desert Turtle is a timeless staple in the heart of the desert. Its commitment to creating connections, maintaining brand identity and providing unparalleled service matched with culinary excellence are testaments to why they have been thriving for more than 47 years.
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