If you took the whimsy (and mismatched furniture) of
S Bar, combined it with the casual glamour of
Chloe and gave a nod to “it” girl Kelly Wearstler (who designed the
Avalon and Viceroy hotels), you’d have
the lounge of the Palihouse, better known as my new favorite bar.
Situated on Holloway Drive between Route 66 and the
Sunset Strip, the Palihouse is an “urban lodge,” which is a fancy way of saying it’s an extended-stay boutique hotel. Not that you’d realize people are upstairs—the concierge is tucked away, and guests don't ruin the vibe by going in and out of the elevator with piles of luggage.
To the contrary, the lounge is tucked behind a dark walnut staircase and is comfortable, with clusters of furniture that create intimate sitting areas. If you're a design freak though, beware: You might turn into Eloise at the Plaza and want the whole place to yourself.
There are brown leather chaises, gray armchairs and pinstripe couches. Drinks are served on metal-and-wood coffee tables decorated with vases that remind me of Jonathan Adler's. A fireplace blazes with white candles while music streams from speakers that look like headless dogs. The floor is made of Moroccan tiles, the exposed piping is painted white, there are adorable framed drawings of deer, and there's a wooden rocking horse added for quirky measure.
The indecisive might need a moment before choosing where to sit, but once you’ve made yourself comfortable, there's no need to get up again. Not only is there tableside service, but the waitress seems to magically appear when it’s time for another round of classy cocktails. The drink menu includes a margarita made with grilled-grapefruit juice, a ginger-cognac lemonade, and a cucumber-lime-vodka-wine combo that sounds delicious but is ominously named "Writer’s Block"—not something I like to solicit.
The only thing that would improve the Palihouse lounge would be if the rooms upstairs were apartments so I could move in.
The bar snacks: The menu is an edited version of the one offered by the brasserie in back. It includes steak tartar, truffle fries, a cheese plate and a tasty tomato tart that's more like a mini pizza.
What to wear: There's no dress code, but this is the perfect place to celebrate the preppy comeback. For boys, that means V-neck sweaters. For girls,
Tory Burch whatever.
Stay tuned: Palihouse Vine opens in Hollywood later this year, and Palihouse Venice is slated to open in 2009.
Click here for Palihouse's address, phone number and website.
Alexandra Le Tellier is Bars & Clubs editor for Metromix Los Angeles.
