Mere hours after reading the power lunch issue in Hollywood Reporter, where naturally
Kate Mantilini still holds a spot on the list of
top 25 spots, we get word that Kate, like any aging Beverly Hills doyenne, has a new young manfriend hanging around, and he knows how to make a good drink. Barman Devon Espinosa (we're not ready to call anyone a "libations expert"), who you can usually see shaking up Cognac cocktails at the sexy Pour Vous, designed a new menu for the restaurant, which launches today. Look for new Golden Age cocktails, variations on Manhattans, Juleps and Negronis, and a new happy hour (Monday-Friday, 4-8 PM).
This year marks the 25th for Kate Mantilini, a milestone for sure, and she's not just quietly celebrating off in a corner by herself. In addition to the new cocktail program, the bar and lounge area was restructured with new high-top tables instead of couches, and the staff is wearing new uniforms that harken back to founder Harry Lewis' character in
Key Largo (he was Edward "Toots" Bass, one of the henchman). There are some new dishes on the menu, plus daily chalkboard specials, too. Sounds like Kate's getting ready to party.
