Acclaimed chef Angelo Sosa opens his restaurants Tía Carmen and Carmocha in Indian Wells at the Grand Hyatt Indian Wells Resort and Villas. The latest project from Chef Sosa and long-time partner and restaurant developer Mark Stone, Tía Carmen pays homage to Chef Sosa’s aunt (tía) Carmen, while also celebrating the local landscape, farmers and community of the Southwest, reflecting a mix of tradition and modernity with a Californian flair. This marks the second location of Tía Carmen, with the first one located in Phoenix, AZ. Carmocha is a brand new concept from Chef Sosa, featuring small plates from the perspective of his Tía Carmen if she had traveled round the world and returned from her journeys to put her own spin on the dazzling array of flavors she experienced. Chef Sosa is collaborating with a variety of local and Los Angeles based purveyors to supply meats, vegetables, herbs, and more for Tía Carmen and Carmocha. Both concepts are designed by LA-based indidesign.
THE TEAM
Acclaimed chef Angelo Sosa brings more than 25 years of experience which have taken him from three-star kitchens in Europe to street food stalls in Thailand. He worked with some of the industry’s most renowned restaurateurs, including Jean-Georges Vongerichten, Alain Ducasse, Stephen Starr, and Masaharu Morimoto, as well as at celebrated restaurants such as Jean-Georges, Spice Market, Buddakan, Morimoto NYC, and more. Chef Sosa was also a fan favorite on Bravo’s hit show, “Top Chef,” appearing on multiple seasons. He most recently opened Kembara, a reflection of his culinary odysseys traveling, cooking, and tasting across Asia throughout his career, as well as the first location of Tía Carmen, both restaurants located in Phoenix, AZ.
Joining forces with Chef Sosa is seasoned restaurant developer Mark Stone, with whom he also opened Tía Carmen and Kembara. Stone is also behind projects like Chef John Tesar’s Michelin-starred Knife & Spoon at The Ritz Carlton-Orlando, Grande Lakes in Florida, and Makoto Vail in Colorado. Stone’s career traversed a variety of industries around the world, before pivoting to the restaurant industry in 2004, by partnering with “Iron Chef” Masaharu Morimoto and overseeing his business interests for over a decade.
TÍA CARMEN: THE MENU
The menu at Tía Carmen is influenced both by the lessons Chef Sosa learned from his aunt, who imparted to him a passion for cooking and an understanding of the power that food can have when made with love, as well as the beauty of the Southwest’s stories, land, and farmers, and how they show up on the table.
To start the meal, “Snacks” feature Pan Frito, fried tapioca balls seasoned with cotija cheese, serrano chile, cultured butter, dusted with burnt heritage corn dust and drizzled with pine thistle honey. “Light + Bright + Fresh” appetizers include Fluke + Banana, served as sashimi cured in salt and lime leaf, with Asian pear, Japanese cucumber, and leche de tigre; and Esquites + Truffle, featuring Poblano-style esquites (charred corn), finished with feta, summer truffles and burnt corn dust.
“Charcoal + Wood + Fire” features larger plates, such as Ember Roasted Yam + Aged Mole, inspired by Chef Sosa’s trip to Oaxaca making mole with Chef Celia Florián, with queso sauce and aged tepary bean mole negro; and Mushroom Menudo with cordycep and cauliflower mushrooms, chile de arbol, chimayo chile, epazote, and corn. Other shareable entrees include options like Guisado a’la Carmen, a Petaluma chicken with Castelvetrano olives, chimayo chile, and oregano; Lamb Barbacoa + Caviar with lamb belly, banana leaf, adobo, culantro, perilla leaf, and piña asada; Octopus + Tepary Bean, featuring braised Spanish pulpo with sherry vinegar, black garlic and squid ink, served with an espuma made from the brown tepary bean puree.
To accompany the meal, “Grains + Greens + Roots” showcase dishes like Yucca Brûlée with yucca, cream, garlic and manchego cheese; Native Rice with smoked paprika, garlic, and umami sauce; and Asparagus and Tepary Bean, served with tahini, lima beans and lemon, among others.
The Dessert menu continues to reflect local Southwestern ingredients, such as with the Tía Carmen’s Jewelry Box, featuring macaroon de nopale, gordita de nata y guayaba, and passionfruit marshmallow; and Flan Manchego Cheese, equal parts sweet and savory, made with tequila caramel and vanilla bean, topped with a snowy mountain of grated manchego cheese.
For weekend brunch, the Mercado Experience offers a variety of signature dishes, from Beef Birria to Tres Leches French Toast, Native Grain Fried Rice, Green Chile Pork, made-to-order omelets, and a selection of cereals, yogurts, housemade pastries, smoked fish, assorted meats and cheeses, fruit.
CARMOCHA: THE MENU
The menu at Carmocha features a variety of small plates from the perspective of Chef Sosa’s Tía Carmen if she had traveled around the world and returned from her journeys to put her own spin on the dazzling array of flavors she experienced.
Salads include a Burrata with Tutti Frutti Farms heirloom tomatoes, kalamata olive breadcrumbs, and topped with a sherry vinaigrette; and Oeuf Mayonnaise and Caviar with petaluma eggs, Ossetra caviar, smoked sea salt, and a honey dijon sauce. Seafood dishes include a Seafood Plateau, featuring a selection of oysters, celery mignonette, red shrimp, gochujang cocktail sauce, tuna tartare, served with toast; as well as French Mussels with fennel, served with a petite baguette and French butter sauce. The Meats & Poultry section features a chicken shaped Chicken Pot Pie; Chef Sosa’s signature Lamb Spring Roll, inspired by Indian samosas and reimagined as spring rolls with curried lamb, lime leaf dust, and cilantro yogurt; five spiced Sticky Pork Ribs with mango and local date-tamarind sauce; a Cubano Sandwich with mojo roasted pork, Swiss cheese, housemade pickles, and Cuban-style mustard; and Chicken Katsu with oregano, bonito salt, lemon, and katsu sauce, among others. Sweets round out the meal, with either a Strawberry Tiramisu made with Harry’s Berries strawberries, pink peppercorn dust, and lemon cardamom cream; or a vegan Moroccan Turtle with cinnamon chocolate cake, toasted coconut, and Moroccan spiced caramel.
BEVERAGE PROGRAM
The cocktail menus at Tía Carmen and Carmocha, developed by Beverage Director Mitchel Bushell (previously of the Accomplice in Mar Vista, which was named “One to Watch” in the World’s 50 Best), feature bright and refreshing cocktails to complement Chef Sosa’s menu. At Tía Carmen, beverages includePrickly Pear Adonis with Oloroso sherry, Di Torino vermouth, and prickly pear; a smoky Mesquite Gunslinger with Del Bac whiskey, Cynar, and Tempus Fugit cacao; and Mole Old Fashioned, made with Don Abraham Añejo tequila, St Remy Brandy, and mole. At Carmocha, cocktails include the Johnny Cool with Grey Goose Vodka, brine, and pimento cheese stuffed olives; Everybody Loves Somebody with Toki Whisky, soda, peppermint, and ginger and grapefruit ices; Fly Me to The Moon with Cañada Oaxacan and St. Benevolence Haitian Rum, yuzu, and bergamot; and the Pillow Talk with vanilla infused Tromba Blanco Tequila, caramelized orange cointreau, and lime. Several zero-proof variations are available at both restaurants.
The wine programs are curated by renowned wine and sake judge and sommelier Eduardo Dingler and advanced sommelier and Vice President at Wine Access Laura Koffer, in collaboration with Chef Sosa’s business partner Mark Stone. The Tía Carmen wine list highlights both established and exciting up-and-coming producers from around the world, including Champagne, coastal California, Oregon, Mexico, and Italy. Carmocha’s wine list, similar to its globally inspired menu, features wines from different corners of the world, including enticing and relatively unknown varietals like Erbaluce di Caluso from Piedmonte, small production Pinot Noir, as well as iconic names like Chappellet Vineyards.
THE DESIGN
Tía Carmen and Carmocha are both designed by LA-based architecture studio indidesign, inspired by both the Palm Springs regional aesthetic, along with the life of the real Tía Carmen. Tía Carmen juxtaposes desert modernism with the softer curvatures and arches amplified within the architecture and furniture, creating an elevated and formal yet not overly serious dining space that seats up to 100 guests indoors and 55 outside.
Carmocha, by contrast, is a celebration of Carmen’s life and vivacious personality, featuring dark green and gray tones with metallic accents, and a gallery wall showcasing photos of her as well as letters she wrote to Chef Sosa. The 80-seat indoor space, alongside 95 seats outside, utilizes contrast with lines and shapes, such as the contour of the bar counter as well as the curved banquettes, to create an inviting atmosphere and metaphorically embrace guests – a nod to Chef Sosa’s aunt’s warm hospitality. Most notably, the back mural is inspired by letters and photos collected by Chef Sosa from Carmen’s travels, mapped out as a travel diary that references sketches of plants used in recipes on the menu, along with landscapes and monuments that hold significance to Chef Sosa.
ADDITIONAL INFORMATION
Tía Carmen and Carmocha are located at the Grand Hyatt Indian Wells Resort and Villas. Tía Carmen is open for dinner Tuesday through Thursday from 5–9 PM, Friday through Saturday from 5–10 PM, and Sunday from 5–9 PM. Breakfast is available Monday through Friday from 7–11 AM, and Saturday and Sunday from 7–12 PM. For more information, visit the website and follow @tiacarmeniw and @carmochaiw on Instagram.
