The Ivy is as well known for their fresh fare as they are for the celebrities that frequent the family-owned restaurant. It's a Robertson Boulevard institution (the TMZ tour makes a stop at this hotspot for A-lister sightings), and they're most known for their ice-cold Ivy Gimlet – one of my favorite cocktails in the entire city. I was hard-pressed to find the exact recipe online, so I asked the proprietors to let me in on the secret. I obviously can't partake right now thanks to this little bean in my belly, but I hope you have an extra drink for me. It won't be hard with this concoction.
When I have first-time visitors in town, a lot of them have the same request: to go somewhere with good food and an L.A. scene.The Ivy Gimlet
3 oz. of your favorite vodka, chilled
Juice of 1 fresh lime
1 tsp. superfine sugar
8 fresh mint leaves, muddled
Place mint leaves into the bottom of a mixing glass, add liquids, sugar and a few ice cubes. Cap with a metal shaker and shake for 10-15 seconds. Pour into a sugar-rimmed glass full of crushed ice, garnish with a lime wedge and mint.