Blue Velvet - CLOSED

In Short
Set inside The Flat, an edgy residential redesign of a Holiday Inn, this sceney indoor/outdoor spot features two dining rooms, three lounges and a poolside area with its own fire pit. Walls of glass and stones, sultry lighting, city views and sexy rock classics set the mood for the high-energy mix of Hollywood producers, loft dwellers, Eastside yuppies and adventurous foodies who descend on the space, especially late night. The menu creatively combines French technique with compelling California cuisine. Complex flavors merge in dishes like the squid salad offset with fresh kumquat, chili, micro-mint and salsified ''noodles.'' An artful squab crepinette stuffs the bird's breast with a rustic mix of mushrooms, liver and spinach. Crispy loup de mer's sweet flavor is balanced with delicate saffron aioli and robust potatoes, clams and merguez sausage. As for dessert, the unusual beet financier cake with goat cheese ice cream wins top honors.