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When I first dined at Vercecil, my visit to Palm Springs was planned within 48 hours. It was in the middle of a devastating January wildfire, my sinuses were screaming in protest, even if two air purifiers were running in my apartment. I was lucky enough to live outside the evacuation zone, but I didn’t sleep well, I couldn’t breathe well and after 2 days of inhaling toxic chemicals I was able to think barely straight. Guilt made my partner and I decide to escape to the desert. The sprawl on the outskirts of San Gabriel Valley was soaked in ominous orange sunlight as we drove east. Eventually we arrived in the Inland Empire. There, the sky was once again a peaceful and comforting blue shade.
By the time we arrived at the Plaza del Sol Shopping Centre in Palm Springs, it was nearly 5pm and was hungry, both literally and in a taste of normalcy. We parked the car and I sprinted to put down my name. Alas, I was too late. Vercecil’s 12 walk-in bar sheets were already full. In the end, we chose to wait for over an hour in a small, quiet courtyard. The following cold, skillfully crafted martini, green salad, duck liver pate, flatiron steak frits and chocolate chip cookies accompanied by chocolate chip cookies have proven to be one of the most satisfying meals in Southern California this year.
Photo: Patricia Kellyyo in the Timeout
Since opening in 2021, Vercecil has been one of the most popular bookings in Palm Springs, but not the most difficult one in the Greater Coachella Valley. The intimate 75-seat restaurant’s name and colorful and biggest interior design are inspired by the late British photographer, designer and general odd icon Cecil Beaton. The classically sloping drink program includes several variations on the martini, including an over-represented version of $50 labeled on the cheeks, “Why?” Menu section. What brings it all together is the culinary products from the chef’s partner, Gabriel Wu. Gabriel Wu skillfully incorporates San Diego Girls & Dried Farm produce, and skillfully incorporates locally grown dates into a seasonally inspired French menu.
If I’m honest, there’s nothing on offer at Vercecil that I haven’t seen anywhere else in Los Angeles yet. There’s a “gigantic” shrimp cocktail. Escargot is coated with parsley and lemon oil, like traditionally prepared butter. A quintet of fluffy dinner rolls with sweet whipped butter. And of course, hamburgers that can make impossible patees and supplement with avocados and bacon. However, the stylishly designed LA Hangouts don’t have one place in the city near Vercecil to serve bistro dishes and cocktails that will surprise the crowd.
Photo: Patricia Kellyyo in the Timeout
Many of them can be chalked up to the chef’s learning of cooking. Woo’s concise menu may sound pretty safe on paper, but from start to finish, all the dishes run is indeed amazing. It’s no wonder that four-year-old restaurants are popular with both locals and tourists. Before my second and full disclosure, in early May I wandered around the parking lot and had closed the woman for the day. “Are you going to eliminate Cecil? Man, I’ll end up there once a week,” she told me.
After checking in with the host, my party of two was sitting through a stringed tiled floor patio and in one of the four booths in the dining room. Essentially, all tables at Bar Cecil are kept for reservations and will be released online 14 days in the middle of the night. During the summer, when daily temperatures regularly break three times the digits, Vercecil completely surrounds the patio, blowing up some portable air conditioners, converting an otherwise unpleasant hot Orfresso setup into a temperature-controlled extension of the dining room.
Photo: Patricia Kellyyo in the Timeout
To start the evening, I ordered a $50 martini. Despite its eye-opening prices, it is one of the most popular cocktails on the menu. Made with Jean-Charles Boishet Wodka, this ultra-high-grade drink is decorated with onions that glow in the house. The martini also comes with a side of a caviar-top demon egg and a seasoned fried sunchaku chip that vaguely reminds me of dried cannabis in both taste and appearance. Regulars ordering 10 expensive martinis over time will get a catchphrase of names and choices. I sampled two other cocktails late in the evening to explore what other non-Martini options from Vercecil were, but honestly, even with a full meal in me or a bit of help from my plus one, the $50 martini sloshed me at all. That big.
Next came the restaurant’s famous bread rolls. Fluffy and warm, the rolls are actually melting in your mouth. And it was difficult to stop eating multiple meals before digging for the mild but delicious steak tartare. The highlight of the starter is undoubtedly a bowl of steamed Prince Edward Island mussels served with herbaceous, toe-prepared red curry. The delicate bivalves themselves were so creamy and tasty that it reminded me of a meal I once had in Brussels.
Photo: Patricia Kelly Yoh is a time-out restaurant serving ribeye with homemade steak sauce on “Why?” section.
For the main, I ordered a steak flight with filet mignon upgrades and smoked pork chops. This was the second time I ordered a steak fries. This time I was in Palm Springs under much more disastrous circumstances, but the steak, fresh cut fries and bearner’s sauce were as good as when I first ordered. I confirmed that my high respect for Vercecil wasn’t the fact that it wasn’t my first meal after the days of Wildfire news related to restaurants and the non-stop reporting of daily non-stop reports that can’t eat anything stress-free. The filet was medium rare, perfectly prepared according to the requirements, but I still recommend the flat iron option at a more reasonable price. Unless you’re craving filet mignon’s kindness, the standard cut will definitely satisfy you. I also loved the tender pork chops that were perfectly combined with broccolini, potato au gratin and seasonal fruit chutney.
The food and drink options are undoubtedly top notch, but the unique decoration and unique atmosphere make Vercecil stand out even more. From the moment you pass the host stand, your eyes are already sitting by the entrance with sparkling string lighting, charming patio furniture, huge silver zinc of orange, lemon and lime. Inside the actual dining room, the walls and shelves behind the bar are filled with contemporary art and books. The private collection of Vercecil’s aesthetically prone owners, Richard Chrisman and Jeff Bullock, is a partner in business and life. The level of detail in the design and layout is truly impressive. The couple commissioned a matching green mini split AC unit to blend in with the accent walls of patterned green wallpaper.
Photo: Patricia Kellyyo in the Timeout
During my visit to Vercecil I quietly lamented for my city, plaguing my brain in an attempt to answer my questions. There’s no real answer anywhere, but the two places that come closest to you – and I’m saying that, they both miss Miles – Bare Toile in East Hollywood and actually Benjamin “Hollywood” in Melrose. Needless to say, neither of them replicates the wonderful environment of Vercecil.
Recently recognized by the Michelin Guide, the bare etrill is essentially an oversized wine bar. There’s a reason for this. The stylish restaurant comes from the team behind Domaine La, one of the city’s best wine shops. I’m biased towards spongy baby blue booths and horseshoe-shaped bars. The menu also includes a great plate of steak flights, but recently, chef Travis Hayden, who worked at Voodoo Vinh in Virgil Village, operates a subtle market-driven menu dominated by small plates and a chef-director of typical wine bar dishes.
From an outsider’s perspective, Benjamin resembles Vercecil with dinner rolls, deviled eggs, shrimp cocktails, burgers, steaks and chocolate chip cookies on the menu. The Art Deco-inspired interior is gorgeous in its own right, but unlike Vercecil, the easy food is overpriced, which means that it lacks certain je ne sais quoi, and most night scenes are truly unbearable. On the night the table reservations were backed up, I once witnessed a group of men who seemed to whine to their hosts about missing out on booking bottle service at the club. But the drinks are great. And you can now take them upstairs at the newly opened Bar Benjamin without investing time and money in a complete meal.
Of course, there are a few other left field candidates. One is Coucou, a new school bistro with Venice and West Hollywood locations. The pre-batched cocktails are great, but the food menu is almost inconsistent, but I enjoyed the veggie French dip with chocolate hard shell and soft serve Sunday. The other is Bar Sinizki, which supports Eastern Europe but also serves outstanding steak frits and full bars. In fact, nothing hurts my itching like the Palm Springs original. Realistically, LA could never have a place like Vercecil. Because it’s absolutely, completely plunging in and more than it already is. The next time you’re planning your trip to Palm Springs, you know what to do. Line up in the car park at 4:30pm and try your luck at the bar or book if you’re smart.
Photo: Courtesy Versecil
Vercecil received 5 stars (amazing) from us. For more information on Time Out’s curation methods and ethics policies, visit our global How We Review page.
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