What: The Baked Eggs in “Purgatorio”
Where: Joey Palm Springs, 245 S. Palm Canyon Drive, Palm Springs
How much: $9.50
Contact: 760-320-8370; www.facebook.com/joeypalmsprings
Why: It’s a perfect breakfast on a cool morning.
Amazing food can often be found in the most unexpected places—and Joey Palm Springs is a perfect example.
I met my friend Michael for coffee there one recent morning. I already knew that the space is beyond charming—it used to house the late, lamented Espresso Cielo—so I expected to enjoy a fine cup o’ joe in a nice spot with a good friend.
I was also feeling a bit peckish, so I decided to peruse Joey’s food offerings. At the top of the breakfast menu was a dish called baked eggs in “Purgatorio”: two eggs baked in soft polenta, marinara, Parmigiano-Reggiano and basil. Wow, I thought. I didn’t expect to find a dish like this in a li’l café like this!
Turns out I probably should have had higher expectations: Joey Palm Springs is owned and operated by Vince Calcagno and Joe Lucero—and this couple has a fine food pedigree: Calcagno used to own Zuni Café, widely regarded as one of San Francisco’s top restaurants.
While all of this sounds good on paper, the food was great in actuality. Cheese, polenta, marinara and egg are a classic combination for a reason, and while Joey Palm Springs’ version of this well-known dish—usually called “eggs in purgatory”—wasn’t at all unique, it was perfectly executed.
The baked eggs in “Purgatorio” dish was made even better by the weather—it was a chilly morning, something that’s rather common this time of year in our lovely bit o’ desert. Well, this little treat warmed me right up—and elated my taste buds at the same time. It was indeed an unexpected and most welcome find.