This Saturday, Andrew Hewitt, co-owner of West Hollywood restaurant Il Sole, will unveil his modern take on Luau, the Polynesian-themed eatery that served as a gathering spot for rat-packers like Frank Sinatra in the 1950s and 60s.
Hewitt turned to jewelry designer Loree Rodkin to create a contemporary interpretation of the former Hollywood hotspot in a new Beverly Hills location of the same name. Rodkin brought in elements like hand-cut granite fountains and a Luau placard painted in 24-karat gold and incorporated playful touches like authentic Papau New Guinea masks and the 33 illuminated puffer fish that hang from the ceiling.
The restaurant, which holds 135, is available for full buyouts for $25,000. Planners can make use of the restaurant’s catering capabilities, which feature chef Makoto Tanaka’s Pacific Rim-inspired menu. Rum-centric cocktails, including mixologist Jeff Berry’s interpretation of the original restaurant’s undisclosed cocktail recipes (the heavily-guarded recipes were written in code), are available at a teak and quartz bar.
Save for 11 banquettes that line the dining room, seating arrangements may be easily reconfigured for events. Twelve tables sit on a patio enclosed by a bamboo fence and topped with a thatched roof.
![Luau's dining room](https://img.bizbash.com/files/base/bizbash/bzb/image/2008/10/e13167standalone1.png?auto=format%2Ccompress&q=70&w=400)
![The entrance features a thatched roof that hangs over two steel and bronze doors decorated with engravings in the shape of bamboo poles.](https://img.bizbash.com/files/base/bizbash/bzb/image/2011/11/e13167image1.png?auto=format%2Ccompress&q=70&w=400)
![Puffer fish affixed to a bamboo raft hang from the ceiling in the dining room.](https://img.bizbash.com/files/base/bizbash/bzb/image/2011/11/e13167image2.png?auto=format%2Ccompress&q=70&w=400)