Girls Night at Tropicale

One of my favorite restaurants in Palm Springs is Tropicale. It opened a few years back and brought a sense of tropical chic to the valley. With a great gay and straight mix, awesome happy hours at a Flamingo-esque bar, smoking hot negronis, and a great selection of food, it has become my choice for monthly girls' night out. Some stand out items include the nori roll, which is served slightly warm with a cream wasabi sauce; the barbecue chicken personal-sized square shaped pizza which is a mouth explosion of sweet grilled corn kernels, even sweeter, tangy sauce and perfectly melted cheese (I wake up dreaming about this pizza) and the red velvet cupcakes dessert (which I have once every few months because it is up in the top ten of my favorite sweets)! Last night was the perfect girls' night--with a great bottle of red and the pleasure of the best booth in the house (thanks Michelle!) and the sweet smile of owner Rand, we whooped it up late for a school night. Even though my rule is to try something different at restaurants each time I eat there, it's impossible for me to do at Tropicale. My friend Stephanie and I always order the same meal. A starter soup of butternut squash floating with slices of long thin mushrooms that is not to heavy or creamy and a small filet mignon salad that is served warm with small potato chip strips to add the perfect dose of crunch. Highlights of the evening: the gay waiter telling us of his recent weight loss when he left an older man, Stephanie's tales of her summer in Italy with her new man, Edna's admission of new love in her life, Denise's goddess mama laughter ringing through the house, Nicky upset from her Phillies losing but jovial nonetheless, and my plans for my next art photo shoot starring Stephanie as a pre-Raphaelite vixen. Nothing like good food and good friends on a school night, especially friends I have known since junior high.

Filet Mignon Salad (My Own Twist)

Serves 2

Ingredients:

Leftover filet mignon, cut into strips

4 cups Arugula

1/4 cup Gorgonzola Cheese Crumbles

3 Tablespoons Girard's Champagne Dressing

1/4 cup Beet Vegetable Chips smashed up into medium sized pieces

Throw everything together and toss! Serve room temperature.