DOES A CLUB SANDWICH... or a Cobb salad boast a little extra zing, and a splash of something special, when consumed on a rooftop, in the sunshine, not far from a stunning pool? The answer, of course, must be "probably," for if we're dining several stories up, under the open sky, with a swimming pool in our near vicinity, well, we're probably feeling more than a little relaxed and a tad fancy. And such is the feeling conveyed at the new NoMad Los Angeles Rooftop Café, which just opened for reservations. A few first-things-first type matters: The area adjacent to the pool remains a special treat just for guests of the buzzed-over hotel, so if you want to take a dip or lounge within a few feet of the aqua agua, you'll want to plan an overnight stay at the stylish inn, which is located at the corner of 7th and Olive in DTLA. Also? Sundays and Mondays wrap up a bit earlier at the Rooftop Café, but count on later hours for cuisine and cocktails Tuesdays through Thursdays, and even later hours beyond those on Fridays and Saturdays.
ON THE MENU? You got it, there's a club sandwich, which is about as classic a tum-filler as you can get, and a Cobb salad, which feels like an ultimate eat-it-in-the-sunshine lunch. A prawn roll, complete with cremé fraîche and apple on toasted brioche, is another posh, flavor-packing choice, as is the English pea flatbread, which rocks the pancetta, mint, and ricotta. Sip-and-relax choices from the bar include a mint julep as well as a spicy paloma, which brings grapefruity panache. If you've been wanting to check out the hotel without checking in, this is a primo route. NoMad first debuted in New York City, but the LA spot, located in what was once the Bank of Italy building, has also made waves since its opening in early 2018.
