The Moneyed Beverly Hills Crowd Has a Sunny New Daytime Destination - Eater LA
"Phase one of the incoming Tommy’s Beverly Hills compound is now up and running, as the group’s new project at Beverly Cañon Gardens opened for lunch beginning today. Curious onlookers have been stopping by the former Bar Bouchon to ask about the new setup, considering it’s the first opening of the space since famed chef Thomas Keller closed the two-story Bouchon there back in 2017 after a dispute with the landlord (who happens to be the city of Beverly Hills). The new downstairs Tommy’s Beverly Hills cafe is a mostly al fresco operation with marble tables spread across the long, tiled porticos. There are seats under tan arches and wrapping vines, less than half a block from names like Spago, the Palm, and just across the garden from the upscale hotel and restaurant the Maybourne. Owner Tommy Salvatore, a well-connected fixture for years as the manager of West Hollywood scene spot Craig’s, shakes hands and walks customers through the new 90210 menu. A small semi-circular dark green bar inside is lit low with lamps and touched off with gilded-frame artwork, while chef Vartan Abgaryan (Yours Truly, Nueva Venice, 71Above) oversees the downstairs kitchen. So far, the Tommy’s menu is a blend of Italian options (spicy meatball starters, cavatelli in a light poblano-coconut cream sauce); everyday LA staples like a grain bowl, burger, and several salads; and larger flourishes like a pan-roasted New York strip steak or a chicken parm with smoked mozzarella. It’s all about lunch at the moment, with hours from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. As for the primary dining room space on the second floor — balcony and all — that’s still a work in progress as well, with plans to open up by mid-February with a separate evening menu. Once things are really humming, expect Tommy’s to operate as an all-day cafe on the ground floor and a more robust dinner space upstairs, with the usual flow of Beverly Hills diners, Craig’s regulars, celebrities — and everyone else in attendance. For a first look at the daytime version, check out Tommy’s, which is open daily from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. at 235 N. Canon Drive." - Farley Elliott
