January 19, 2016
CLASSIC, REDEFINED: THE PENINSULA BEVERLY HILLS DEBUTS A NEW BELVEDERE
Award-winning restaurant re-opens following complete refurbishment and emerges with a dramatic new look and Mediterranean-inspired menu
Beverly Hills, Calif. (January 19, 2016) The Belvedere at The Peninsula Beverly Hills opened its doors today following an extensive four-month remodel, unveiling striking new interiors and full transformation of the menu. Building on a rich, 20-year history of exceptional cuisine, the re-imagined menu, under the direction of Executive Chef David Codney, now features Mediterranean-inspired dishes with a focus on locally sourced ingredients and wild-caught seafood.
Designed in partnership with leading San Francisco-based hospitality design firm EDG, the restaurant’s bright and spacious interior is now the backdrop for a breathtaking art collection, worth several million dollars, featuring some of the world’s most renowned contemporary artists. Without a doubt, a defining feature of the new Belvedere will be the outdoor dining experience which will open late-January. Accounting for nearly half the restaurant’s space, lush, leafy foliage set alongside water and fire features create the ambiance of a lively urban garden in the heart of Beverly Hills.
“After 25 years as a Beverly Hills classic, we have revitalized the restaurant with a fresh new look – The Belvedere is now truly a restaurant for everyday dining and special occasions,” said Managing Director Offer Nissenbaum. He noted, “We’re also proud to unveil a stunning new collection of contemporary art which complements our move towards a more relaxed dining experience while staying true to our DNA.”
A Mediterranean-Inspired Menu
As Executive Chef at The Peninsula Beverly Hills, David Codney oversees all aspects of the hotel’s cuisine including the tremendous task of creating the Belvedere’s vibrant new menu. With a strong focus on locally sourced ingredients of the highest quality – some of them harvested from the hotel’s rooftop garden – his seasonally driven menu features a large selection of sustainably caught seafood, sourced from local fishermen and purveyors.
Breakfast dishes range from comfort-food classics such as Eggs Benedict and Buttermilk-Blueberry Pancakes to spicy Shakshuka Baked Eggs and house-made Sujuk with confit tomatoes. Standout lunch dishes include a variety of house-made flatbreads alongside healthful salad options such as mezze staple Fattoush. The dinner menu features shareable appetizers, Mediterranean-inspired entrees and fresh, house-made pasta. Highlights include:
· Taramasalata creamy cod roe dip with fresh-baked pita
· Salt Cod Croquettes roasted piquillo
· Grass-Fed Lamb Tagine golden raisin couscous and cucumber yogurt
· Whole Roasted Branzino marinated in olive oil, preserved lemon and fennel
Dessert is a tour-de-force at The Belvedere as Executive Pastry Chef Stephanie Boswell, who joins the restaurant with extensive experience in award-winning kitchens, showcases a varied selection of exquisite and whimsical creations. Dishes like Pear Flaugnarde and Inspired Baklava draw inspiration from old world classics but with a contemporary twist.
Vintage Wines and Craft Cocktails
Led by Food Beverage Director Michael Ploetz, The Belvedere’s beverage program features an extensive selection of limited production wines, craft beers and cocktails. Utilizing the Coravin technology, a carefully curated list of over 50 wines, many typically available only by the bottle, are offered by the carafe or glass. Wines by the bottle include rare finds from Spain, France and Italy, with additions from lesser known regions such as Croatia, along with a number of “new school” California producers known to pair with Mediterranean flavors.
Seasonal cocktails are hand-crafted using house-made syrups and infusions and include creative concoctions such as the vibrant Garden Gin & Tonic, prepared with seasonally rotating aromatics from the hotel’s own garden. Ultra-craft beers from California’s finest microbreweries round off the exceptional drinks offering alongside bespoke coffee service with locally roasted, single-origin coffee served tableside and expertly crafted by a barista.
Classic Meets Contemporary Design
The newly designed restaurant introduces a transitional style that blends The Peninsula’s signature French-country look with updated, contemporary accents. Deep-tufted booths and banquettes offer sumptuous seating and dining tables are dressed with Parisian-inspired blue and white Toile de Jouy table skirts topped with crisp white linen. Luxurious natural white oak floors are the canvas for a delicate interlacing geometric pattern, an exquisite accent to the new space.
The dramatic new look culminates in a breathtaking collection of contemporary artwork featuring international artists such as Yayoi Kusama, Robert Indiana, Alex Katz and Sean Scully. The defining piece is a spectacular polyptych created by French painter Fabienne Verdier by special commission for The Peninsula Beverly Hills. Split into five panels, the eye-catching work hangs on both sides of the restaurant’s entryway to create the sensation of an endless, or “all over” painting.
The restaurant’s two private dining rooms, accommodating parties of 24 and 10, also feature works from internationally renowned artists, which guests can enjoy in the privacy of the elegantly appointed rooms.
Romance on the Terrace
Opening at the end of the month is the restaurant’s spectacular outdoor terrace, which has nearly doubled in size. Framing the vista of the new terrace are blackened-steel French doors and windows which open onto the charming, garden-inspired space. Classic French-style, hammered-finished banquettes and tables are set around the focal point: a magnificent Podocarpus tree.
Located minutes away from iconic Rodeo drive, the 160-seat restaurant will quickly become a neighborhood favorite for all occasions including drop-in visits and casual weeknight bites. The Belvedere serves breakfast daily from 6:30 am to 11:00 am, lunch daily from 11:30 am to 2:30 pm, and dinner daily from 6:00 pm to 10:30 pm. For reservations or additional information please call (310) 975-2736 or visit peninsula.com/belvedere.
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About The Peninsula Beverly Hills
The only AAA Five Diamond and Forbes Five Star-rated hotel in Southern California for 23 consecutive years, The Peninsula Beverly Hills offers 195 guest rooms, including 38 suites and 17 private villas, nestled among lush tropical gardens in the heart of Beverly Hills. Home to the sumptuous Belvedere, the only AAA Five Diamond-rated restaurant in Los Angeles for 21 consecutive years, The Peninsula Beverly Hills also features The Living Room, where The Peninsula Afternoon Tea is served daily, The Peninsula Spa and The Roof Garden, a refined resort oasis featuring a swimming pool, private cabanas, and outdoor cocktails and dining. The Peninsula Beverly Hills is located at the intersection of Wilshire and South Santa Monica Boulevards, within easy walking distance of Century City and Beverly Hills’ legendary Rodeo Drive. For more information, please visit peninsula.com/beverlyhills.
About The Hongkong and Shanghai Hotels, Limited (HSH)
Incorporated in 1866 and listed on the Hong Kong Stock Exchange (00045), The Hongkong and Shanghai Hotels, Limited is the holding company of a Group which is engaged in the ownership, development, and management of prestigious hotels and commercial and residential properties in key locations in Asia, the United States and Europe, as well as the provision of tourism and leisure, club management and other services. The Peninsula Hotels portfolio comprises The Peninsula Hong Kong, The Peninsula Shanghai, The Peninsula Beijing, The Peninsula Tokyo, The Peninsula Bangkok, The Peninsula Manila, The Peninsula New York, The Peninsula Chicago, The Peninsula Beverly Hills, and The Peninsula Paris. Projects under development include The Peninsula London and The Peninsula Yangon. The property portfolio of the Group includes The Repulse Bay Complex, The Peak Tower, The Peninsula Office Tower and St. John’s Building in Hong Kong; The Landmark in Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam; 1-5 Grosvenor Place in London, UK, and 21 avenue Kléber in Paris, France. The clubs and services portfolio of the Group includes The Peak Tram in Hong Kong; Thai Country Club in Bangkok, Thailand; Quail Lodge & Golf Club in Carmel, California; Peninsula Clubs and Consultancy Services, Peninsula Merchandising, and Tai Pan Laundry in Hong Kong.
For further information, please contact:
Public Relations Manager
The Peninsula Beverly Hills
Telephone: +1 (310) 229 2587
Fax: +1 (310) 788 2319
Email:
Website: peninsula.com/beverlyhills
Digital Photo Library: news.peninsula.com
Facebook: Facebook.com/ThePeninsulaBeverlyHills
Twitter & Instagram: @ThePeninsulaBH / Ms. Jennifer Evans Gardner/Ms. Laura Koleniak
Murphy O’Brien, Inc.
Telephone: +1 (310) 586 7181
E-mail: /
Website: murphyobrien.com