Pinky Up

The Little One works at the posh, upscale Beverly Hills Peninsula Hotel.  For her birthday, they gifted her a complimentary lunch with a guest at the hotel's main restaurant, The Belvedere.  Originally it was going to be a high tea deal with sandwiches, different teas, and desserts but they opted to give her the lunch instead.  Knowing my love of tea, she invited me the day she found out and when they changed it, she didn't want to uninvite me, so we got dolled up and had a nice lunch and coffee.
We arrived at the inconspicuous building, tucked behind walls and shrubs, passed the 4 to 5 waiting valet guys, and into the front desk reception area.  This place oozed 5 stars.  They had a separate concierge desk with two agents working to call cars for guests while the front desk agents handled the check ins.  I was in awe not hearing phones ringing off the hook, the agents not talking about their upcoming weekend plans, or seeing guests walking around in their bare feet, as I was so used to at the hotel where I came from.  Chinese vases and English dishware decorated the hallways and restaurant walls.  Gorgeous chandeliers at the entrance of the meeting spaces and everything was designed with opulence in mind.
This hotel opened in 1991 and is part of a small chain of luxury hotels based in China and includes three locations in America.  This location boasts a jewelry store, a boutique clothing shop, 2 restaurants, a bar plus a rooftop bar, salon with massage rooms and a meditation room, and rooftop pool, spa, and private cabanas with views overlooking the city.  I was even shown some of the property's beautiful villas, with they're own private entrances.  I'll include some of the hotel's website photos, seeing as there were people everywhere today, and I don't need them in my pictures.  As my sister gave me the tour, I was excited to see it all but felt I should have been wearing more expensive perfume at the very least.
We got to the restaurant right on time for our 11am reservation.  We had an option of a big circular table or a smaller, two seater set-up next to a pillar.  After agreeing on the pillar spot, the hostess pushed my chair in for me, placed a napkin on my lap and informed me that next to me was a stool for my purse.  The Little One got her napkin placed and they brought her a purse stool as well.   The room was bright and the music was classy.  There wasn't many people dining, probably due to the early time we chose.  The Little One noticed there was a couple of guys in dark suits seating at one table but constantly attending the table on the other side of our pillar.  She said they were probably someones private security.  They were, as we discovered later, for a celebrity that was dining next to us, but rules are rules, so I won't be disclosing who.  Not to worry, it's not a celebrity anyone I know cares about but I know they've had a crazy life.
The waiter came to take our order and instead of including all the fancy words they had on the menu, I'll give you the rundown of what we got.  We split the truffle macaroni and cheese and the kid ordered the rosemary chicken with whipped potatoes and heirloom carrots.  I ordered the salmon in a cucumber dill sauce with radishes, topped with horseradish foam and salmon caviar.  I kept calling it roe, but I guess it seems fancier referring to it as caviar.  There was also a bread basket filled with several different kinds of breads.  I enjoyed the zucchini bread, while the kiddo liked the sourdough rolls and the Parmesan crisps.
Of course the main reason I was there was the coffee.  They had a few options to choose from but we both were feeling mocha lattes.  The were served with a sliver of chocolate chip biscotti and when dipped in the coffee, were melted heaven.  The mocha's were perfect.  Not too much chocolate, not too much foam or too sugary.  After we left, I told the kid that I missed my coffee already and her response was, "me too".
Not too many people think to dine in hotel restaurants unless they're staying as guests there but this is something I would suggest giving a go.  It could be a very fancy cheap coffee date if you park in the two hour metered parking just to the side street, or up to a very fancy night at the hotel.  Cabanas are rentable, for what I think is an acceptable fee, and you get the fire pit on the roof at night with the sparkling sights of Beverly Hills surrounding you.  The lunch menu prices were on par with what I was expecting but not overpriced for the amount of food you get or the flavors.  Everything we ate was delicious.  I smelled the crab linguine as it wafted by to another guests table and may have to come back for that when I'm not with someone who has a deadly shellfish allergy.  It was an overall great experience.  I'd love to see what the bar and spa is all about but those things will have to wait for now, unless someone wants to treat me.  Hint.  Hint.

Delicious.

A simple setting on the table proving that less is more.

Seriously, a stool for my purse.

A photo from the website right at the entrance.  From the street, you barely notice the hotel with the high walls just to the right of this photo.

The Belvedere dining room.  The place settings in this website photo look like they are setting up for dinner.  That's our pillar in the back right.

The photo from the website shows the pool and half the cabanas.  The the back left of this photo is the jacuzzi and part of the city view.  Off to the right, that you can't see, is the rooftop restaurant, bar, spa, and gym.