Polo’s Café
1255 Overland Ave.
Burley, ID
Visited September 8, 2010
This gig isn’t as easy as it looks.
It takes a lot of work. And research.
But sometimes, you just have to wing it.
Like when you find yourself hungry in Burley, Idaho of all places on a Wednesday morning.
And when looking for an interesting place to eat on a whim, there are a few rules I’ve learned.
First, get away from the interstate and head towards downtown, if there is one.
Look for a place that’s crowded, preferably with a gravel parking lot full of pick-up trucks and police cars.
Brightly lit neon signs are a good bet too.
Bonus if there’s a pig or chicken or cow logo. Especially at BBQ joints.
And all of that is why Polo’s Cafe did not look promising.
The place was practically empty. No animal caricatures on the sign.
In fact, the sign said American & Mexican Cafe – and it only serves breakfast.
Mexican food? In Idaho? In an empty restaurant? That only serves breakfast?
Look, you can’t overthink it. Sometimes you just gotta take a leap of faith and call it a day.
So, huevos rancheros it was. The Mexican breakfast of champions.
Now, I know in most parts of this country, huevos rancheros isn’t exactly considered authentic Mexican fare.
But I live in a place where Mexicans are about as common as millennials at a Ted Nugent concert.
At its simplest, huevos rancheros is usually just refried beans, eggs, cheese and salsa over a tortilla. And it is almost always…dare I say…meatless.
But not here at Polo’s Café! Their huevos rancheros is served with chorizo (Mexican sausage for you gringos) between the tortilla and eggs.
Now, I enjoy spicy food and consider myself a bit of a sausage connoisseur. So it is without bias that I can say this was one of the best huevos rancheros I ever had.
My eggs were cooked perfectly over-easy, topped with diced green pepper, salsa, and melted cheese.
The starchiness of the refried beans and corn tortillas balanced the spiciness of the chorizo, while the diced peppers and cool salsa kept it fresh and not too heavy.
Polo’s isn’t anything fancy. And it’s not quirky in the least. I had the place to myself.
You’re not likely going to see Polo’s Café featured on the next segment of Diners, Drive-Ins and Dives.
But Polo’s confirms that sometimes that leap of faith will pay off.
Even if it’s eating Mexican food on a Wednesday morning in downtown Burley, Idaho.
Rating: Seriously Thought About Buying Shirt.
