Saturday Night in Los Angeles with Jacqui

“There seems to be a new spot opening every month. ..”

Planning a night out in LA sometimes feels like shopping in Kim Kardashian’s closet. With so many options, where do I start? Not to mention, there seems to be a new spot opening every month. And of course, you need to plan ahead, reservations and all. In New Zealand and Australia, we used to roll up to a venue at midnight after having drinks at some house party. But in LA, the night starts early, especially if there are certain locations you want to tick off. Still, in a city like this, it’s often those spots you randomly stumble upon that end up being the highlight of the night. 

My recent night out went a little something like this…

7:00pm 

Soulmate – West Hollywood

I kicked off the evening with delicious craft cocktails at Soulmate. The ambience was amazing with their open-air patio blending nature with modern elements. Although great for groups, this is definitely a perfect date-night spot. The Spanish tapas inspired cuisine is ideal for grazing while sipping on the delish signature cocktail, the ‘Soulmate’ (gin & tonic with bay leaf – seriously need to try this at home), or their tasty ‘Weekend in Palm Springs’ (a combination of Vodka, passionfruit, and feijoa), which is quite unique. Anytime there is crudo on the menu I have to try it, and the Salmon Crudo did not disappoint!

9:15pm

Harriet’s Rooftop – West Hollywood

Located in 1 Hotel West Hollywood with an open-air rooftop setting, we’d booked a table in advance, as this spot had the most perfect view of LA. Seated by the glass overlooking the LA skyline with panoramic views, we bopped to good old school beats while sipping a second round of delicious cocktails – you can’t go wrong with the ‘Spicy Siena.

11:00pm

Merois – West Hollywood

Continuing the amazing-views vibe, I would usually hit The Roof at Edition next, but this weekend, I was in the mood to try somewhere new. So, our next stop was Merois. I was feeling snacky – bordering on super hungry – and had heard good things about the Wolfgang Puck crafted menu. The service was even better than the view, which is a bold statement. Located on the roof of the Pendry next to the hotel’s pool, the outdoor setting is a touch livelier than the inside. Get the Japanese Eggplant, you will not regret it! It was a total burst of flavors with slightly crispy edges and delicious Hunan glaze. And try ‘Pepino’s Revenge’ for your drink!

12:00am 

Employees Only – West Hollywood

EO has been on my list for a while, and since in the midst of a bar crawl, I thought we might as well finally check it off. They served prohibition-inspired artistic cocktails with a pretty impressive dining menu, but we were more into the light bites at this point. I love speakeasies and this was the perfect way to end a night of venue hopping. The bartenders are very attentive and kept the bar scene vibrant. I saw the Truffle Parmesan Fries and Japanese Sweet Potato on the menu and couldn’t resist. The JSP is served with whipped coconut cream, hazelnuts, mint, and spiced honey, which was the highlight. I enjoyed my ‘Amelia’ cocktail, which tasted just as it was described – sweet & juicy.

Although I usually end the night with a late-night Korean feast, I’d done my fair share of tasting for one evening. But if you’re in the mood for it, I recommend Dan Sung Sa or Sun Nong Dan for some spicy eats to cap a killer evening.