Operating in the shadow of hotel giants like the Beverly Hills or the Beverly Wilshire must be challenging for nearby motels like The Beverly Terrace or The Avalon. Even non-guests will flock to The Polo Lounge or Puck’s uber-steakhouse Cut in those iconic hostelries, but how many of us have sought out a meal at Cafe Amici or Viviane at the latter establishments? I recommend you do, with this in mind: conviviality and ambiance can sometimes trump the gourmet wow factor.

Not to say both restaurants don’t have respectable menus. The offerings at Viviane sport some au courant styling and seasonings as in the prawn ceviche with mango salsa and crispy taro root and the truffle flatbread with black garlic butter, fontina and pickled onions, but overall, the choices skew to the predictable; reliable and nicely done.
Where Viviane shines is the decor. The re-imagined motel at Beverly and Olympic is an homage to mid-century, Googie-esque style. Miami Vice meets LA. There’s something so festive about dining in a pool-side cabana, and the vibe is light and breezy; a good spot to take out of town visitors for a taste of sunny California.

Cafe Amici hangs its hat on its cozy, rustic charm. While not a red sauce-type Italian spot, it traffics in classic Italian fare and does a nice job with it. The artichoke, arugula, hearts of palm salad in lemon vinaigrette is solid as is the cacio e pepe. The whole branzino was simply and flavorfully prepared, (though Foodie Friend #3 and I did feel compelled to report the accompanying grilled veggies undercooked.) But, though they do feature some vegan dishes, vegetables are not the reason you visit Cafe Amici. You go because it’s intimate and pretty and homey. The service is attentive, the drinks are good, sand it all feels nicely familiar.

Ladies who lunch would do well to spend an afternoon on their sweet garden patio, enjoying the proximity to Beverly Hills…. without all the posing.