Palm Springs continues to blossom with new exciting restaurants. The latest desert charmer is birthed from beloved LA chefs Susan Feniger and Mary Sue Milliken, who we have admired for years on TV shows such as The Chef Show and Top Chef. We have devoured tacos at their popular Santa Monica Mexican restaurant SOCALO. The Dobladito Taco is one of our favorites!  

The hardworking inspirational chef team – best known for Border Grill in Los Angeles and their frequent TV and film appearances – brings their creativity to Palm Springs with their latest inspiration called Alice B. named after California-born author Alice B. Toklas, who wrote a memoir disguised as a cookbook chronicling her life with partner Gertrude Stein. 

Located in Living Out, Palm Springs’ new luxe LGBQT+ residential resort community, Alice B. focuses on modern Californian/American with a Mediterranean flair. The kitchen is helmed by the creator of the former Biscuit & Counter, Chef Lance Velasquez, who desert dwellers have known for his famous biscuits – often sold out at local coffee shops – and his highly successful pop-up at The Cole. Chef Lance talks about being influenced by his time spent in the south (thus, the biscuits) and eating in London, although he is “keeping to the classics” by featuring California’s seasonal bounty with a twist, at Alice B. 

Alice B’s buzzing atmosphere on a weekday night is testament to the fact that the word is out about this newcomer from the visionary chef team. From our table, we watched a gentleman seat his mother and a large table celebrating the holidays – where half were in town from Los Angeles. Bold artwork from Palm Springs area artists and statement chandeliers don the establishment, featuring a patio with retractable doors to gawk at the mountain views while dining. A piano near the bar is reminiscent of a bygone era, where a new Frank Sinatra might sit and sprinkle the keys, elevating the ambiance.

We suggest sharing dishes to try all the delights, such as the uber-fresh Yellowtail Crudo with Fresno chile and limequats and the famous perfectly-flakey Cornmeal Cheddar Drop Biscuits with chives, cardamom honey, and butter – made from the biscuit whisperer himself.

Start the indulgence with a Signature or Classic Cocktail like a prickly pear gin fizz dubbed the Fitzgerald Fizz, a beloved desert Cosmo, or a Bird of Paradise with rum, Campari, fresh lime and pineapple juices and cinnamon syrup. 

People around us touted the branzino as the best they ever had, so we were eager to order that European seabass prepared with a celery root remoulade and griddled corn cake enhanced with a arbequina olive almond relish topping. Mmmm delicious with a crisp skin! We tremendously enjoyed the braised tender Lamb Shank with a side order of crispy smashed potatoes. Nearby diners also raved about the Molasses Glazed Beeler Pork Chops, Butternut Squash Risotto, Bone-In Prime New York Steak, and Mary’s Seeded Chicken Cutlet. 

Consider a sweet ending with the Has Farms Bartlett Pear and Apple Gratin doused in warm nutmeg cream or try the Chocolate Cake or Tahini Ice Cream. 

If you have met Susan Feniger in person, with her wide smile and arms full of dangling colorful bracelets, she exudes joy the moment she walks into a room – often mingling with diners at their tables. We caught up with her one holiday evening as she made sure eager festive guests were happy. It is easy to see how anyone wants whatever she is cooking or concocting with her chef friends. 

Susan is also excited for her partner, Emmy Award-winning filmmaker Liz Lachman, who has a documentary feature film at the Palm Springs Film Festival called “Susan Feniger. Forked” following Susan as she hunts down authentic street food around the world and struggles to create an original restaurant showcasing those flavors in LA. Angelenos will remember this restaurant, Street, that opened in 2009. We can see how anyone would want to follow Susan’s ambitious fun and easy personality wherever she goes. 

My husband commented that this place is like the new Bar Cecil (where everyone clamors to get into Palm Springs as reservations are often impossible). And on our way out we ran into the owners of Bar Cecil, who admitted in December they had already dined at Alice B. 4-5 times. Everyone agrees it’s great.

Often Palm Springs is considered a retirement haven, but for Alice B.’s visionaries, there’s still work to be done. Susan shared how it is “hard not to be inspired here” in the desert but that she wasn’t ready to retire in Palm Springs anytime soon. 

Come explore Alice B.’s satisfying dinner menu from this iconic chef duo. 

Dinner reservations are available Wednesday – Sunday starting at 5 PM. The bar menu is available from 4 PM on with music on select nights.