Inside Lemon Grove and The Aster: A Love Letter to Los Angeles

Before the shimmering metropolis of Los Angeles flourished as a city, and well before it became ground zero for American entertainment culture, the land here was surrounded by effervescent lemon trees which formerly thrived here in the glorious California sun.

 

 

It’s an agricultural legacy that the restaurant and bar Lemon Grove honors. “We draw our inspiration from the agrarian past of Hollywood with its rolling citrus groves,” says Tyler St. Pierre. He’s the general manager of the picturesque new eatery, which sits on top of the sleek hotel, The Aster.

“We combine (our past) that with modern and classic culinary influences from across the globe that make up the dynamic landscape of Los Angeles.”

St. Pierre is well-accustomed to perfecting the art of hospitality. His family has run a Connecticut restaurant since long before his birth (in fact, it was their first stop after the hospital), and his career has taken him from Kona, Hawaii to New York and Vegas. These days, he’s at the helm of Lemon Grove which he modestly says “is the epicenter of Hollywood. We have fire-pits for drinks with friends, a grove for an afternoon dose of Vitamin D, or even a moonlight libation while soaking in the sounds of Hollywood below.”

On a recent visit, I experienced the one-two punch of the delights of both drinks and food at the Lemon Grove and an overnight stay at The Aster. The latter hotel itself is a quiet getaway that serves as an escape from the hustle and bustle considering its prime location in the middle of the action near the intersection of the famed Hollywood Boulevard and Vine Street. That includes a lobby located just off an indoor-parking garage: a major convenience considering this is where driving reigns supreme, after all.

Dubbing itself a purpose-driven members club, the building encompasses 35 home-away-from-home suites. Armed with my keycard, I took the elevator up to one of my own. Each expansive room is outfitted with spa-like bathrooms, private balconies that peer over the city of Angels and towering wardrobes. (Guests can book a room at the hotel or join a membership which grants one access to a top-of-the-line gym, workspace, cabaret and its slate of events.)

When it was time for dinner at Lemon Grove, the airy, welcoming space featured a menu of mouth-watering delights. Think: A California-sourced cheese board, an avocado toast utilizing ciabatta, a lemon pasta dish, and an eye-popping pink dessert in the form of a dragon fruit panna cotta sprinkled with flower petals.

The highlight however was the cocktail elegantly dubbed a Thousand Dollar Kiss. “Its name was inspired by a book by Cindy Bokma about the glitz and glamor of life in Hollywood and whether or not there truly is gold after the rainbow,” says St. Pierre. “The cocktail itself highlights deep flavors of vanilla and citrus in the reposado tequila balanced with the refreshing sweetness of watermelon with a kiss of spice of the habanero.”

If you can’t visit for a drink, a meal or an overnight stay, here’s how to bring those citrus-soaked California vibes to your oasis and conjure up a kiss of your own.

 

 

Thousand Dollar Kiss

Ingredients:

• 1 1/2 oz Reposado Tequila
• 1/2 oz Fino Sherry
• 3/4 oz lime juice
• 1 1/2 oz Habanero Watermelon Juice

Preparation: Combine all ingredients in a cocktail shaker. Add ice and shake. Serve in a rocks glass with a Tajin rim and wedge of watermelon.