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Inside The Bazaar at SLS Hotel

Go To The Hotel's Web Site Where: 465 S. La Cienega Boulevard [map], Los Angeles, CA, United States, 90048

November 4, 2008 at 12:44 PM | 0 Comments

This is the second part of a three-part series on the SLS Hotel.

Now that we've taken you through the lobby and check-in and up to your room, it's time to explore The Bazaar at SLS Hotel at Beverly Hills and helmed by chef Jose Andres.

Much like the guest rooms inside the hotel, The Bazaar changes all your preconceived notions about a hotel restaurant. For starters, it's actually three restaurants. There's Bar Centro, Pâtisserie, and Rojo y Blanco. In addition, there is a Moss custom-curated retail area where guests can purchase eclectic pieces which are all on display in free-standing glass vitrines.

Walking through the Bazaar is no easy feat. Not because you can't make your way past stuff but because you can't make your way past all the stuff without stopping to stare and look at it. Like the dark-humored mobile that hangs from the ceiling of a hideaway nook and features plastic guns. Or the wall of shelves with dozen of photographs of the back of people's heads. And like the rest of the hotel, the furniture is Starck-inspired (remember this man loves chairs) and almost every piece, whether it's a lamp, chair, ottoman or vase, is different from the next.

In short, Bazaar is quite bizarre.

Once again, we were not allowed to take any pics as the restaurant will not be open until November 10th and the place is still getting its finishing touches. We also couldn't manage to get renderings of Bazaar, so we're using our words to best describe the place for you.

PATISSERIE
If you're a non-hotel guest, you will enter The Bazaar straight from the valet-only drop off and head into the more casual Scandinavian-style Pâtisserie which features light wood furniture, a few booths at the back and an open kitchen. If this were a traditional hotel, we would call this the breakfast room.

This room also opens out to a large terrace where guests can enjoy their breakfast or light lunch, while gazing out at La Cienega Boulevard. Ok, yeah. No gazing will be done here. But should you crave some fresh-ish air and sunlight, you can do so here.

ROJO Y BLANCO
Behind the Pâtisserie is the Rojo y Blanco which has rustic dark wood tables and chairs, over-sized black lampshades that hang from the ceiling, red curtains and pictures of Matadors behind one of the prep kitchens. This is obviously Jose Andres homage to his native Spain.

And Top Chef fans will definitely want to eat here. This is where we spotted Season 2 contestant Marcel Vigneron working in the kitchen. He has a thing for hotel restaurants as one of his last gigs was working at Company at the Luxor.

BAR CENTRO
This is the larger part of Bazaar and it carries over much of the Philippe Starck-inspired look. It looks more like a lounge with low tables for four scattered about, some with high-backed chairs but there's also a long communal table along the wall in the back near the open kitchen. The best way to describe this is that it looks like Sam Nazarian's newest restaurant, XIV, which was also done with Starck design.

One cool thing in Bar Centro is this large jewel box that is placed in the center of the room. The box is flanked by vertical poles of glittering light and encased in dark glass. The hotel's rep told us a special table can dine in here or else the restaurant will feature something on display in here.

SAAM
We also peeked into the private dining room Saam where dinners for up to 40 people will be held. The room is nowhere near done as the mustardy beige leather banquette that lines the wall still smelled fresh. The hotel is not really promoting this right now and we're wondering if you have to be a FOSN--Friend of Sam Nazarian--to eat here. But if you are, it will be a treat as all meals are prepared by Andres.

MOSS
If you're a guest at SLS, you will enter Bazaar from just off the check-in area and you will be greeted by the retail area of Moss. Moss founders Murray Moss and Franklin Getchell were inspired by the "lobby vitrines of last-century Europe’s Grand Hotels, World’s Fair displays of the 19th century, 18th century noble cabinets de curiosités, and even the traveling puppet theatres of rural England." These items are displayed in high-design cases and are available for purchase. This space is quite intimidating. Do not drink a bottle of wine and then attempt to wander through this area. You will surely break something.

FORTUNE TELLERS AND OTHER ACTS
As we mentioned earlier, The Bazaar has quite a few random nooks and crannies and the plan is to have fortune tellers and other acts on certain nights placed in there to entertain the guests.

As of yet, we have not seen a menu any place within Bazaar so we will just have to wait until November 10 to experience the full reveal.

Up Next: The Fun Stuff Inside SLS

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Author Photo: juliana by juliana

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