You know the bouncer, you’re with the band, and you can be seen in the back room. Going private has always had a special place in your heart. Your holiday parties should be no different. Why share your heartfelt toast with an entire restaurant of revelers when you can say what you really mean in private? Just in time to corral family, friends, and coworkers together for a seasonal soiree, we’re here to recommend the city’s most haute side rooms, back rooms, and chef’s menus.
New in a city full of back rooms, The Tea Room at h.wood will not only maintain your reputation, but will invite the kinds of conversations the office just doesn’t–that is, if you can hear each other. With leather and velvet armchairs, an industrial yet homey feel, and a DJ booth, this back room will take any of your private parties to the next level–whether it’s for the holidays or just a regular ol’ Thursday.
Looking to host a sit-down dinner? At Valentino in Santa Monica, may we recommend the Wine Room. An intimate table surrounded (literally) by walls of wine, your party will discuss everything from Sancerre to Bordeaux and back again with maybe a few stops in the new world–mention that wines from New Zealand tend to be sweeter and you’re in business. The classic Italian fare like Paccheri with lamb ragu will inspire holiday joy and the wine will turn everyone’s noses and cheeks a festive shade of red.
If a more zen, Japanese ambiance is what you’re after, an omakase menu at The Hump at Santa Monica Airport might be just right. First, this is not airport food a la Wolfgang Puck at LAX. On the contrary, this serene, semi-hidden sushi den overlooks the private runway of Santa Monica Airport so you can daydream as you salivate over course after course of the chef’s tasting menu. The fish is incredibly fresh and may we recommend arriving with an adventurous spirit –try the Sweet Shrimp Soup (it’s still moving!) or Blowfish if you dare.
You already know what you love at Terroni and, we’re guessing, so do your guests. Their new back room, enticingly called The Wine Library, is now open. This space also surrounds you with bottles of wine, but it’s bigger than its counterpart at Valentino. It can be as casual or as decked out as you’d prefer – push the tables together to have a family-style sit down dinner or push them to the side for a standing-room only cocktail party. You’re in charge… as usual.
Via:
H.wood, Valentino, The Hump, Terroni
