Poolside at the Avalon Hotel

Avalon Hotel’s restaurant, Blue on Blue, has just introduced its version of a chef’s table – the chef’s cabana. The poolside dining experience starts with cocktails and hors d’oeuvres that lead into a four-course family-style dinner. There’s a special menu that includes ingredients from local farmers markets and herbs and greens from the hotel’s rooftop garden. I had a chance to experience the cabana menu last week (along with e*starla, Pocket Lint and Ritz Bites), and some of the standout dishes were the smoked trout crostini, golden beat tartare, quinoa and hericot vert salad, and spiced pork tenderloin. The Elixir martini, made with house-infused cucumber-dill vodka (made with rooftop dill that’s infused with the vodka for six days), sweetened lime and white cranberry, is excellent (this martini is available on blue on blue’s regular drinks menu, too).

There is a downside: Only those with deep pockets will be able to afford eating here since spots at the cabana are $150 per person. For those with even deeper pockets, an additional $250 will get you a private shopping trip with Chef Scott Garrett, who will accompany you in buying your dinner at either the Santa Monica or Hollywood farmers market. Since you are paying so much, Garrett, formerly with Viceroy’s Whist, says he will accommodate off-menu requests. And he’s married to a pastry chef at SusieCakes, which means the bakery’s super-moist coconut cake can accompany Blue on Blue’s soft chocolate chip cookies (the secret: they’re undercooked).

Earlier: News from Avalon Hotel

Elixir martini

Rooftop garden

Smoked trout crostini

Spiced pork tenderloin