Jan. 2, 2013 – Dinner at Purple Room

Sunshine, lollipops, and everything purple is what The Purple Room is all about. It’s an amazing array of fun loving Coachella folks wanting to eat drink and be merry. This place will remind you of when times were sleek and groovy. When good music, food were embraced and imbibed. No wonder Frank Sinatra, Dean Martin, Bob Hope and other notables would call The Purple Room their watering hole back in the 60’s! It is one of two original Rat Pack hangouts still around in the desert today.

The venue was called the Purple Room back at Club Trinidad in the 60’s, so when restaurateurs Mark and Tony took it over last year they wanted to bring it back to all of its splendor, and made it that swinging supper club once again. With all its glitz, glamour they managed to keep it’s historic roots in order. Getting its original name back was just one of the lovely things they chose to do. Mark and Tony are no stranger to the food scene in Palm Springs, they also own the great dinner house Trio.

I have a history with this place, so it’s really dear to my heart. When times were better, my parents had two homes in the Palm Springs area. I would be fortunate enough to tag along on numerous trips. We would always have at least one night out where we would get dressed up; have a nice dinner, and then a nightcap at the Club Trinidad. The room was much smaller, but always had good crooners singing those great old Sinatra songs. My step-dad Max was quite the looker; he always dressed to the nines. My Mom, Max and I would sit in the front row and bask in the joy of good music. Heads would turn whenever we walked into this place as a family. It was always fun, and my Palm Springs experience was never quite the same without a late night trip into Club Trinidad.

Here are my favorites:

Brussels Sprout Salad, blanched and shaved with feta, dried cranberries, walnuts and lemon vinaigrette. I always order Brussels Sprouts when I do my tastings. If a restaurant can manage to make Brussels Sprouts delicious then they can do that to everything on their menu.

1000 Island Wedge Salad, iceberg wedge, chopped tomato, chopped bacon, and 1000 Island dressing. There is nothing for me like a really great wedge salad, nice cold, crisp iceberg lettuce and a great dressing.

Spinach Salad, roasted beets, goat cheese, bacon, pecans and garlic ranch dressing. This salad was very healthy and light, with a nice no-nonsense dressing.

Colossal Shrimp Cocktail, a house made cocktail sauce really done the old fashioned way. There were huge shrimp with fantastic cocktail sauce. I would definitely order this every time.

Fried Oysters, Corn meal dipped with a remoulade sauce. These oysters had the entire wonderful briny flavor, which was delicately fried.

St. Louis Style Ribs were made with house made BBQ sauce. These ribs were sweet and just fell right off the bone. A very good choice!

Shrimp and Goat Cheese Grits were made with a twist on a southern classic. This was my most favorite dish. It really was an elegant comfort dish.

Dessert:

Salted Caramel Pot de Crème was so delicious. The Caramel flavor really knocked me out. This was by far the best dessert I’ve ever had.

The wines I tried:

Sauvignon Blanc, Cakebread Cellars – Napa Valley. This wine has lots of peach and pineapple flavors. I would drink this with the Spinach Salad.

Chardonnay, Trio Private Label – California had nice light fruity notes. I loved this wine with the fried oysters.

Chardonnay, Sonoma Cutrer – ‘Russian River Ranches’ – Sonoma. This wine would go great with anything other than meat. I liked it with the Shrimp Cocktail.

Chardonnay, Cakebread Cellars – Napa Valley, got to try this winner with the Shrimp and Goat cheese.

Cabernet Sauvignon, Emblem By M. Mondavi – Napa Valley, just an all around great wine which worked with the Steak that I did not talk about.

Zinfandel, Alexander Valley Vin. Redemption – Dry Creek. I always go for the Zinfandel with pork or meat. This was a great pairing with the St. Louis Ribs.

The Rat Pack world was a playground for fun, mischief and debauchery. The Purple Room offers you a great deal more, with a great old 60’s vibe, which stays true to its Sinatra roots. What I liked most about it was the return to a bygone era done in such a way that you felt it had been modernized in the process.

The Purple Room is a must in anyone’s journey to the desert. They have great entertainment every night. It will remind you that there are still places that are footloose, fun and fancy-free! But remember: What happens at The Purple Room, stays at The Purple Room. It’s where Palm Springs Plays.

Dinner is served 3pm to midnight on Tuesday through Sunday. Late Night Menu is served from 11pm to 2am Friday & Saturday and Happy Hour is 3pm–7pm, Tuesday thru Sunday.

The Purple Room
1900 E Palm Canyon Dr • Palm Springs, CA 92264
Phone: 760.322.4422
purpleroomps.com

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