blue on blue

On a balmy Beverly Hills night, nothing beats a cocktail at this hot spot, as the setting alone is enough to transport you to a far-flung locale…or, at the very least, South Beach. Located in the trendy Avalon Hotel, the sexy and chic come to lounge under the stars in one of the luxe cabanas or by the pool, a kidney-shaped stunner illuminated to give the whole space a blue hue. For an eminently chill evening, big spenders can rent a cabana for either cocktails or dinner (provided of course they pony up the minimum and reserve in advance). The fare, as imagined by new chef Scott Garrett (formerly of Whist in the Viceroy Santa Monica), is mostly modern American, and it doesn’t come cheap. Specialties of the house include pan roasted halibut (with buttermilk grits), veal loin and “surf & turf” papardelle. And Mondays is “Bistro Burger Night,” with a special menu of gourmet burgers to choose from.

TIPS: There is complimentary valet, though it can be hard to find on Olympic as it’s tucked away in a residential-looking area; look for the “Avalon Beverly Hills” sign. The “Kick the Blues” happy hour Monday through Friday from 4 to 7 p.m. offers up cocktails for $8 – hardly a deep discount, but it is a break from the original $15.