What: Tortilla soup
Where: John’s Restaurant, 900 N. Palm Canyon Drive, Palm Springs
How much: $7.95
Contact: 760-327-8522; www.toasttab.com/johnsps/v3
Why: It’s warm deliciousness.
When I thought of John’s Restaurant before my recent visit, good and inexpensive food came to mind. So did ordering at the counter … a great old-school diner vibe … competent if not exceedingly friendly service … and the experience of dining at a Palm Springs institution.
All those things still come to mind after that aforementioned visit—and now, so does surprisingly fantastic tortilla soup.
I met my friend and colleague Dennis there for a recent weekday lunch. He was craving chicken salad; I was craving breakfast. (This is not unusual; I am always craving breakfast.) Since John’s offers both of these things, it was a perfect fit. As we ordered, I made the last-minute decision to add on a bowl of tortilla soup—and boy, am I glad I did.
My biscuits-and-gravy breakfast was just fine; Dennis’ chicken-salad sandwich was OK. My soup was the undisputed highlight of the meal (other than the conversation, of course).
Tortilla soup is one of my absolute favorites; if it’s on a restaurant menu, chances are, I’m going to order it. Far too many tortilla soups aren’t actually tortilla soups, though; instead, they’re hearty chicken soups, with the only real tortilla element being fried tortilla pieces thrown on as a garnish.
John’s version, however, was tortilla soup. Pieces of chicken joined various veggies (onions, pepper, etc.) in a tomato-y, tortilla-y broth, all of which was topped with cheese and the requisite fried tortilla pieces. It was perfectly seasoned—and offered welcome warmth on a cooler-than-usual January day.
John’s Restaurant has always been a fine option for a budget-friendly, no-frills, decent meal. I am happy to now know it’s a fine option for one of my favorite soups as well.