VIDEO: There's a $10,000 martini in West Hollywood, and it comes with a diamond - Los Angeles Times
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VIDEO: There’s a $10,000 martini in West Hollywood, and it comes with a diamond

The $10,000 martini from Vaucluse is literally on the rock - a one-carat, rough cut diamond added to the drink.

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You may end up spending a couple of hundred dollars on a night out with bottle service, a taxi and dinner. But at Vaucluse, a new restaurant and bar now soft open on Sunset Boulevard in West Hollywood, it’s easy to spend $10,000, in a matter of seconds.

Australian owners, married couple Brad and Claire Cox, are mixing up a martini that will actually cost you $10,000.

So what do you have to put in a martini to charge that much?

Your choice of premium vodka, and a certified, one carat, round-cut diamond. And if you’re thinking this martini needs to come with its own entourage, it does. Well, sort of. Once the drink is ordered, Brad calls Raffi Jewelers, a local jeweler in West Hollywood, to bring the diamond over to the bar in a briefcase. It’s then dropped in the bottom of a glass and topped with the martini.

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You can watch how it’s made in the video above.

The restaurant asks for a 12-hour notice of purchase, but if you get there and really want to order one on the fly, Brad says he’ll oblige.

Brad and Claire owned multiple venues in Sydney before coming to Los Angeles to open Vaucluse. They offered the expensive martini at their other bars, and have sold 12.

“Someone almost swallowed it once,” said Brad. “But we won’t get into that now,” he said with a laugh.

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At Vaucluse, which happens to be housed in Charlie Chaplin’s old home, there’s an entire list of Brad’s signature cocktails including the Peanut Butter, made with peanut butter sailor Jerry, butterscotch liqueur, Tuaca, cinnamon, caramel and peanuts; the Burning Passion with Bacardi, mango liqueur, Alie passion fruit, Bacardi 151, pink grapefruit, pineapple and passion fruit pulp; and the Elegance with cucumber infused vodka, melon liqueur, pineapple, kiwi and cucumber.

The restaurant also features a full menu and catering menu of American and Australian cuisine by executive chef Philip Gaiser. Dishes include seared saku tuna with mizuna, enoki and a soy sauce vinaigrette ($15); Australian lamb chops with mashed sweet potato and blackberry gastric ($15); a selection of pizzas and charcuterie and cheese.

The decor is modern and simple with white walls in the restaurant’s three main rooms. One wall features a picture of former owner Chaplin, and on the others, the names of famous stars who’ve visited the building, including Mick Jagger and Janis Joplin. There’s also a patio outside and a private room for parties.

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Vaucluse will have its grand opening Sunday, Australia Day. The venue is open seven days a week from 1 p.m. They plan to open for brunch Feb. 2.

8210 W. Sunset Blvd., West Hollywood, (310) 854-9405.

Like extravagant cocktails? Me too. Follow me on Twitter: @Jenn_Harris_

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