passport palm springs las casuelaslas casuelas terraza jake’s


lulu tropicale DINING OUT AND NIGHTLIFE


The Tropicale Restaurant & Coral Seas Lounge 330 E. Amado Road 760.866.1952 thetropicale.com Our first night’s dining experience was bustling


and even though I was a little late, they adapted and accommodated us beautifully. I encourage you to sample their abundant cocktail menu; the Salted Citrus Martini in particular with muddled oranges, grapefruit, lemon, Pinnacle Vodka all shaken with grapefruit juice and a salted rim. It’s a new breed of salty dog you should definitely try. The table was laden with delicious, tasty small plates


as I sat down: Vietnamese Spring Rolls filled with sprouts, basil and cilantro; Chili-Rubbed Shrimp Tacos with Chipotle cream, Hawaiian-Style Ahi Poke on a Taro Root chip; Crispy Coconut Tiger Shrimp and Spicy Korean-Style Chicken Drumettes it was too much… and I mean that in a very good way. My entrée was the Grilled Dry-Aged Heirloom Pork Chop with citrus mojo, Cuban-style, black beans with smoky ham hock and cumin and pickled sweet onions. Even after the plethora of small bites, I managed to take a huge bite out of this enticing entrée!


Jake’s Palm Springs 664 N. Palm Canyon Drive 760.327.4400 jakespalmsprings.com Lunch the next day (after our wonderful tramway


adventure) took us to Jake’s Palm Springs, another city institution just off Palm Springs’ main drag. A charming interior with a relaxing courtyard fountain, it’s the perfect setting for a great afternoon or evening meal. The Chicken Milanese and Monte Cubano sandwiches are to die for, as are their Lobster Rolls and Shrimp Tacos. My choice however was their Spicy Southwest Salad; filled with chopped Romaine, tender chicken, avocado, black beans, corn, yellow peppers, pico de gallo and sour cream, doused with a spicy roasted red pepper-lime vinaigrette and tortilla strips…Add to that a delightful Pierre Riffault 7 Hommes Sancerre from France and I was on cloud nine. Touring the city once known as “Hollywood’s


Las Casuelas Terraza 222 S. Palm Canyon Drive 760.325.2794 lascasuelas.com This four generation, family-owned local gem serves


eight4nine


Playground” withCelebrity Tours brought us to homes once owned by legendary stars such as Frank Sinatra, Elizabeth Taylor, Bob Hope, Marilyn Monroe, Elvis Presley, Nat King Cole, Dinah Shore and of course, the gayly effervescent showman, Liberace. It’s well worth a fun afternoon, but brace yourself for a nap after, it was oddly exhausting!


Eight4Nine Restaurant & Lounge 849 N. Palm Canyon Drive 760.325.8490 eight4nine.com Dinner after a late afternoon respite took us to the upscale Eight4Nine restaurant, aptly located in the fashionable Uptown Design District of Palm Springs. It sports a striking white interior, with splashes of hot pink throughout, sporting recycled furniture wonderfully doused with white glossy paint. Modern American Cuisine focusing on both presentation and flavor that mixes together diverse culinary influences prepared from scratch is the fare…c’est délicieux. Roasted Beats with baby kale, goat cheese and a


toasted cumin and honey vinaigrette began my delish journey (isn’t it funny how something you hated as a kid becomes your favorite thing as an adult) and was followed by an all-natural Beef Tenderloin with herb potato pancake, truffle oil, St. Agur blue cheese and red wine reduction, an entrée that completely blew my mind. Top that off with a Terra Savia Meritage from Mendocino and well, let’s just say the evening was complete. The next day the previously-mentionedDesert


Adventures Jeep Tour took place. Believe it or not, all that driving and hiking built up a surprising appetite… Even after all the previous day’s bounty. Thankfully, lunch followed and took us to one of my favorite places in the valley, La Casuelas Terraza.


Mexican food from Delgado family recipes, with an American spin. Indulge in their Classic Margarita, trust me you won’t need another… though what’s that thing they say about need vs. want? The fresh guacamole was creamy/chunky goodness and the Pollo en Mole with its large breast of chicken slathered in a mole poblano prepared with dried chiles, cumin, black pepper, garlic, chocolate and nuts was just fantástico! I have eaten often at Las Casuelas and have never been even remotely disappointed and this was no exception. The Margarita worked its magic and I spent the


remaining day lounging by the pool. Luckily, I remembered to slather on the sunscreen. There is noth- ing worse than a desert sunburn, once you get burned there, you definitely won’t repeat the experience. This leads me to our final evening and I’ll give you one


guess as to what we did—eat another fantastic meal, of course—this time at another long-time institution, LuLu California Bistro.


LuLu California Bistro 200 S. Palm Canyon Drive 760.327.5858 lulupalmsprings.com A delicious Caprese Salad started the ride, classic


fresh mozzarella and tomatoes with balsamic glaze—oops, forgot the actual beginner—a classic Sex in the City Cosmo of course! Their menu is huge, so I made sure to savor my cocktail as I browsed, but in the end the choice was to keep it simple and once again in the Italian genre. The Chicken Piccata was perfectly done and the lemon caper sauce was il più squisito! Pair that with a favorite Kim Crawford Sauvignon Blanc and I was in heaven.


All in all, this trip to Palm Springs was another wonderful example of why it’s such a Southern California jewel: It’s close and the endless offerings within the Coachella Valley are well worth the quick drive through the San Gorgonio Pass. Believe me when they say, “It’s like no place else.”


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RAGE monthly | JUNE 2018


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