Robert G.
Yelp
This place is a hoot. Americana has so many kitsch roadside attractions and Shields Date Garden, which has a shop, eating venues, and a little theater, is no exception.
This venue is in Indio, California. The reason I decided to go out this way was because there was one of the Coachella Valley's few urgent care providers that was on my in-network list according to my insurer, and, when I got there, the list was no longer valid and they wouldn't see me. However, I had gone to Shields Date Garden before looking for the urgent care place, so it took off some of the frustration with the insurer and the urgent care place.
First, I immediately noticed that Shields Date Garden has been in operation for 100 years. I asked an employee when their actual birthday was or would be. He said they opened on Christmas Day. That's great! Happy birthday and Merry Christmas.
Upon arriving, the parking lot is ample. The store looks sort of wide, and that's because there is a little theater as well as places to eat. The theater's program is about the "romance and sex life" of dates. I'm not joking. Dates are actually "gendered." The little theater looked hokey and I didn't have time, but it's interesting for those looking for an easy to grasp science lesson. Note that the Shields Date Garden cafe' only serves breakfast and lunch, so it closes at 2:00 p.m. However, there are exceptions, and there is a Taco Tuesday option available at slightly later hours.
Shields Date Garden's store has many packaged renditions and groupings of dates. There are also many types of dates, just like there are many types of oranges and lemons. The most common date is the "Medjool," which rhymes with "pasta fazool," the incorrect and more Jersey Shore name for pasta with fagioli. The package pricing is high but, then, dates are never cheap as they are an exotic fruit that seemingly has been elevated to delicacy status. My parents liked them a lot while I thought they had a weird appearance and consistency. As I ate more of them, I came to like them. There are smaller and less expensive gift packages of dates if you look for them. There are also plenty of gift items, be it apparel, trinkets, postcards, etc. Store employees are definitely helpful, but, if it's busy, you have to work at getting their attention and your questions answered.
Inside the main store is what looks like a counter from an old fashioned malt shop. They serve some food as well as beverages. They tout their famed date shake. Note that it is $9.95, but it is big and filling. It's also creamy and tasty. It probably has nutritional value since dates are, for the most part, good for you. Now, if I was a resident of the Coachella Valley, their price hikes described in other reviews might have me scratching my head ... and it's already why I'm not giving them 5 stars.
Do not miss the date garden in the back. As you look at it from the parking lot, you would almost expect a camel to saunter by. It looks like something from Egypt or Morocco, but it's also true to form for the Desert Southwest. The garden is quite large and has a path, with many marked shrubs and water features. Note that there is religious symbolism along the path, obviously steeped in Catholicism, but keep in mind the history and demographics of this area, and the fact that it was created a long time ago. I say, "If you don't like it, lump it" ... in that case, you don't have to go into the date garden, which is free of charge to begin with.
I will always chuckle at the fact that I've been to Shields Date Garden in Indio, California. I've known about it for a while. Not only that, it reminded me that dates are a really tasty sort of "Mediterranean" food and I was able to finally tick off trying a date shake, which was better than I had expected.
