Falling In Luff Again...

Trio, 707 N. Palm Canyon, Palm Springs 760-864-8746 triopalmsprings.com

I always read the hotel room's restaurant directory and I'm glad I did this trip. When I read that Trio serves a crawfish pot pie, I had to try it. Some 25 years ago, we had the happy experience of spending the night at Madewood Plantation, outside of Baton Rouge, and the cook served shrimp pie for dinner. I was hoping for a replay...

It's a big room, broken up by serving stations and screens. We were seated at a long banquet with a small table and a chair and we were seated so closely we could easily follow the conversation of the couples on either side of us. By the end of the meal, we were all exchanging stories and jokes and having a fine, old time.

Back to important things. The crawfish pie could easily have served two. It was served in a heavy bowl with a puff pastry "lid" that broke open easily and sopped up the etouffee sauce which had just the right amount of heat. And they'd been generous with the crawfish. Richie ordered the Shrimp NOLA which came in a red garlic butter sauce over rice.

Once home, I looked up their menu (having been too focused on the pot pie while there) and found only salmon, shrimp, sea bass entrees. No beef, chicken or lamb. Curious, no? Unless "trio" means salmon, shrimp, sea bass only...

Their starters include a hummus dip or fried artichoke hearts with a caper aoli sauce. Clearly the chef is imaginative and, in fact, the restaurant has won food critic awards.

Zo, vile I am not quite in luff I can't argue that I'm not infatuated.

PS There's a new barbecue joint named The Cowboy Way and we couldn't find it. Their ad ran (and is still running) after they moved. Now that we know it's at 2000 N. Palm Canyon, Palm Springs 760-325-8400 thecowboywaybbq.com we'll see them next time around.