19 Sep Extended Happy Hour at Viviane Restaurant, Beverly Hills

Summer is officially over and fall is underway. School is back in session and we await the change of season. That is, everywhere but California. Here is Los Angeles, it is still over 90 degrees and sometimes that makes it hard to get into a work frame of mind. So why not head to Viviane Restaurant in the Avalon Hotel in Beverly Hills for an afternoon. If enjoying breakfast or lunch outdoors with a view of the pool is not incentive enough, perhaps the new extended happy hour menu will be. Welcome fall with Chef Michel Hung’s daily happy hour menu. Every day (all seven in the week), happy hour is offered from 2:30pm – 7:30pm. So whether you have the luxury of having your afternoons free, are looking for somewhere to go after work or want to relax with friends during the weekend, Viviane is the answer. The happy hour menu includes a number of classic “happy hour” dishes that have been elevated. The potato chips are house-made Kennebec potato chips served with sea salt and vinegar and scallion creme fraiche dip. The french fries come with garlic aioli. For a cheese plate, there is a choice of three locally-made sheep, cow and goat cheeses. And the charcuterie options are not salami and prosciutto but rather a choice of duck prosciutto, duck rillette, classic pork head cheese and suckling pig trotter torchon. The sliders are mini-buns with bbq beef and butter pickles. For slightly less typically happy hour dishes, try the sweet corn beignets with spicy heirloom pepper jam. Inside the crispy outer layer is sweet, creamy corn. This plate was a favorite of the night. The white bean and black garlic hummus with smoked chilis and sesame oil is served with crispy pita. For a little extra kick, dive right into the center where there is a mound of smoked chilies. For a light snack, try the young vegetable crudite served with a seed and yeast gemolata and kalamata olive aioli. I was not quite sure how to eat the gemolata except for what stuck to the vegetables. But I did love dipping the vegetables into the hummus when we finished all of our pita. Of course, we were offered more pita but it seemed like a healthier option to use the vegetables. One thing to not miss on the happy hour menu at Viviane is the $1 oysters. It is hard to beat that price, especially when the oysters turn out to be as large as the Fanny Bays were were the night we went. To wash all the food down, there is a small selection of beer, wine and cocktails available at discounted prices ranging from $7-$9 each. We started with a glass of Philippe Collin Cremant de Limoux Brut and then enjoyed a light, fruity Cote du Rhone wine from Chateau d’Aigueville. Next time you have the afternoon free, head to Viviane Restaurant at the Avalon Hotel Beverly Hills for the happy hour menu. But if you have to work a little late, it is nice to know that the happy hour menu has been extended until 7:30pm.  And, valet parking at the hotel is complimentary! Viviane Restaurant Avalon Hotel Beverly Hills 9400 W Olympic Blvd. Beverly Hills, CA 90212 310.407.7791