Rooster and the Pig
When Tai Spendley opened Rooster and the Pig in Palm Springs nearly a decade ago, he knew what he didn’t want to serve: pho. “Everyone knows pho, and a lot of people think of that when they think of Vietnamese food, but there’s so much more,” he says. “I wanted to create a restaurant so people could try Vietnamese homestyle cooking — variations of the dishes I grew up eating.”
Crispy beef over egg noodles and a panko-crusted chicken-stuffed rice ball with coconut yellow curry have become signatures, while vegetable and seafood specials rotate with the seasons. Spendley plays with ingredients not usually found in Vietnamese cooking (think Brussels sprouts or butternut squash).
The result is a dining room with nightly lines out the door and a growing crowd of converts, including skeptics who tell him, “I don’t like Asian food, but I really loved this.”
356 S. Indian Canyon Drive, Palm Springs
760-832-6691
Bar Cecil
An homage to renaissance man Cecil Beaton, the chic bistro and bar presents a decadent menu with equal attention to ingredient quality, flavor pairings, and artful plating. Items like caviar, homemade pasta, and wagyu steak invite indulgence and play well with a tantalizing menu of mixologist-crafted drinks. Bar Cecil is often booked out well in advance, so make your reservations early to ensure you get a seat (though walk-ins are welcome at the bar). Be sure to check out one of the cheekiest restrooms in Palm Springs.
1555 S. Palm Canyon Drive, Palm Springs
442-332-3800
Dining and Cooking