What: Pigs in a blanket
Where: Beaton’s at Bar Cecil, 1555 S. Palm Canyon Drive, Suite H-104, Palm Springs
How much: $18
Contact: Beatonsatbarcecil.com
Why: It’s an elevated classic.
During summer in the Coachella Valley, it’s easy to get reservations at most restaurants, even on weekends (if they’re open, that is). There are a few exceptions—first and foremost Bar Cecil, where’s it’s nigh impossible to get a table between 6 and 8 p.m., even during the valley’s hottest and slowest periods.
Thankfully, Bar Cecil’s Gabriel Woo and co. expanded and opened Beaton’s next door—where it’s easier, but not necessarily easy, to get a table. Unlike Bar Cecil, Beaton’s is not a full-fledged restaurant; instead, the “chic lounge … inspired by the classic cocktail lounges of Paris” offers a limited food menu—12 items, to be exact, almost all sharables. (A burger, lobster roll and steak with fries are also available this summer; regularly, they are available after 9 p.m.)
We met a group of friends there one recent evening for drinks and appetizers. I’ve never been in a Paris cocktail lounge, so I can’t attest to the accuracy of the description, but I did enjoy the upscale, art-forward vibe. The service and cocktails were all stellar, too.
We ordered two food items to share: the deviled eggs ($19) and the pigs in a blanket ($18). The eggs (with Bar Cecil aioli and mustard seed, according to the menu) were just OK—but the pigs in a blanket were a big hit. If you’re an American of a certain age, you probably think of Oscar Mayer weenies and Pillsbury crescent-roll rough when you hear the words “pigs in a blanket,” but those words do not apply at Beaton’s. Here, the “pigs” are Wagyu beef cocktail franks, and the “blanket” is puff pastry, accompanied by mustard. These higher-end ingredients definitely elevated the humble classic a notch or two.
Waygu beef cocktail franks are a thing … who knew?
Edited to clarify the availability of the burger, lobster roll, and steak with fries.
