Cathedral City is not really known for being a hot spot of cool, tasty food options – but, that may be starting to change as a new spot, Justin Eat & Drink, is now open and, well, they are offering up something that you are going to like: good food at affordable prices.
The wife and I stopped in on a Saturday night and pulled up a couple of stools at Justin’s tiny bar. The place doesn’t look like much from the outside, just a sign hanging outside of a small plaza a block east of downtown Cathedral City, but the inside has been fixed up – with a wood decor and some good lighting. It’s nothing that is going to blow you away, but that really doesn’t seem to be the point here.
I heard about Justin, which has now been two months, from a friend who wouldn’t stop raving about the grub and demanded I put some of it in my mouth. We started out with a couple of beers, a La Quinta Even Par IPA and an Absolution Convert Lager, which were each priced at five bucks – so, yeah, at that price, I was already pretty stoked on this place. They also had a nice selection of wine.
As for the food, we opted to split the fried chicken sandwich and, since Justin has some pretty interesting tacos on the menu, decided to give the brisket taco (yeah, a brisket taco!) a try.
The taco, which was just three bucks, wasn’t anything huge – but it was perfect for a starter. The salsa negra had a nice amount of heat on it and the brisket was delicious. The radishes added a nice touch of vinegar. I could have eaten 5 more of these.
From there it was on to the fried chicken sandwich and, you guys, this sandwich is really, really good.
You get a big piece of perfectly fried chicken served on a nice, soft bun along with some house-made pickles and celeriac slaw – a turnip-rooted celery that I had did not know existed until I saw it on the menu and Googled it. Everything on this sandwich works. The cold slaw and vinegar of the pickles combine with the salt, spice and heat of the chicken so well that I was kind of pissed we split the sandwich (it should have all been mine!!!) but it also comes with plenty of fries, so I made do.
I am excited about this place. The menu is simple, which is usually a good sign – focus on a couple of things and make them really well. Here’s the menu and, yes, I have my eye on that Cowboy Candy and steak for next time…
Justin Eat & Drink is open for dinner Wednesday through Sunday. The staff was really nice, though it looked like they could have used a couple more people as we did have to wait quite a bit to get our order taken – but, once we did, the food came out pretty quick.
It’s nice to see a solid spot for dining in Cathedral City. If you happen to check out Justin Eat & Drink, let me know what you think in the comments below.
Justin – Eat & Drink, 68784 E Palm Canyon Dr, Cathedral City, (760) 904-4093
