The Dish: The Hall at Palihouse

A restaurant in a trendy hotel is nothing new, but in an extended stay hotel or condos? Not really rampant. Enter the Palihouse West Hollywood, a snazzy new extended stay property (yes, seven days minimum), with a brasserie, espresso bar and lobby lounge all open to the public. What we know: The Hall is mostly a courtyard restaurant (there's a small indoor dining room) for French classics---steak frites, croque monsieur, gourmet burger, rose by the glass---because this town just can't get enough of that. We don't know who the chef is yet, and we're told they're still tweaking the menu, but it is participating in Restaurant Week, so there's a chance to check it out until it fully opens for breakfast/lunch/dinner on February 11. The living room-like lounge has tableside bar service, cocktails with fresh ingredients and boutique spirits. It will be interesting to see if these will attract a non-guest crowd, or if it becomes something akin to Melrose Place meets The Standard.