Friday, February 5, 2010

A sensual feast: Los Angeles' SLS Hotel


Since its November 2008 opening at the edge of Beverly Hills, SLS Hotel has made a substantial impression. Up on the roof, hotel guests are treated to L.A.'s most artistic pool scene envisioned by Philippe Starck. The Bazaar, the hotel's Starck-designed restaurant with innovative cuisine by Jose Andres, remains a tough reservation and a total celeb magnet. (Ryan Gosling sat at the adjacent table when I had dinner there some months back--handsome and charming, a nice combo. Maria Sharapova was on the patio for a photo shoot the next morning.)

Andres definitely courts the bold names: Lake Pau Gasol (also a Spaniard) often dines in; the Huevos a la Cubana, a dish of 12 tiny quail eggs served sunny side up, is named after the chef's pal, actor Andy Garcia: and First Lady Michelle Obama is a fan of his D.C. restaurant Oyamel.  Among Bazaar's outstanding tapas  are the molecular "modern" olive that floats in a small spoon and dissolves perfectly as you slurp it up and the Philly Cheesesteak--two bites of airbread, stuffed with wagyu beef and creamy cheddar. At the Ciel spa, there's  treatments include the body softening sugar aroma glow.

A feast for the senses all around.

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