There's nothing like a really good martini to take the edge off, and some of the best martinis I've ever had are poured at Nic's (the pear martini with Grey Goose La Poire vodka and Parmesan cheese garnish is sublime). Unlike the surrounding Beverly Hills establishments, there's no attitude here, just lots of retro-groovy slippery white leather, bold colorful stripes, and laid-back locals noshing on cocktail cuisine while listening to good jazz bands and big-band trios. Owner Larry Nicola -- a really fun guy to hang out with by the way -- takes pride in his self-anointed title as Vodkateur[tm], which means he's an expert regarding all things vodka. In fact, he built a walk-in freezer called a VODBOX just so he could have a proper tasting room so his guests can sample the best vodkas from around the world. Give Larry a call and ask him to give you the VODBOX experience when you arrive.

Copyright: Excerpted from Frommer's Los Angeles 2009, (c) 2008, Wiley Publishing, Inc.

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