The décor is as fun as the atmosphere—walls bear a trippy geometric pattern in various shades of blue and the newly imagined cabanas feature Cipollino marble tables and ’60s-style gold metal chairs.
With a DJ spinning Thursdays, free valet and a happy hour running nightly from 5 to 7 PM, Avalon ups its hip quotient but still retains the charm for which it is known. 9400 W. Olympic Blvd., Beverly Hills, 310- 277-5221; avalonbeverlyhills.com
—LESLEY MCKENZIE
ABOVE: Pizzettes at Oliverio
East Restaurant & Lounge
Nightlife impresario David Judaken’s latest venture, East Restaurant & Lounge, may not have a velvet rope guarding the door like his famed nightclubs MyHouse and Opera/Crimson, but it has all the makings of being a new Hollywood hot spot nonetheless. Located on the increasingly hip Hollywood Boulevard, East is Judaken’s first foray into the restaurant world. Three years in the making, it’s not only a testament to Judaken’s passion for food but his knack for tapping into Angelenos’ everevolving tastes.
ABOVE RIGHT: Scallops on the half shell at East
A fusion of modern Asian and European cuisines, East’s extensive menu—conceived by Judaken and chef Keven Alan Lee—is primarily comprised of small plates designed for sharing. Choices run the gamut from raw-bar favorite garlic-chili Hawaiian walu to duck shumai in a rich, orange brown-butter sauce. Larger main courses are also designed for splitting; go for the spiced organic free-range chicken coupled with chicken confi t and bamboo rice. For added excitement order Lee’s take on the Korean rice dish bibimbap, prepared tableside in a 500-degree stone bowl and topped with a quail’s egg.
Thanks to interior designer Dodd Mitchell (responsible for the Thompson Beverly Hills and Teddy’s), East is a feast for the eyes, too. A glass fi replace at the entrance also serves as window into the restaurant. An enclosed patio area toward the back serves as an intimate but airy main dining area complete with stone walls, trees planted throughout and a huge, vaulted skylight. Get comfortable in one of the cushioned booths—perfect for relaxing before a big night on the town. Just ask Judaken—who can often be found working the floor—to point you in the right direction. 6611 Hollywood Blvd., Los Angeles, 323-462-3278; east-hollywood.com
—LESLEY MCKENZIE
