NIGHT LINES

Now that BondSt is open inside the Thompson Beverly Hills hotel, look for the rooftop bar atop the long-delayed property, ABH, to follow by early March. In the meantime, CAA and APA agents (and the clients who love them) have already discovered the upscale sushi restaurant’s “secret” second-floor lounge (pictured). The mezzanine-level space boasts an eclectic mix of modern and vintage fixtures (think Manhattan), and the slightly different bar menu features the same fare offered at BondSt below, at lower prices. . . . Speaking of long-delayed, Butter’s opening has been pushed back until March. The venue (formerly Pearl) is still on the hunt for a GM. Sources say the restaurant and lounge portions will open first on Robertson, followed by the basement bar, which will be the real hot hang. . . . If you live in or near Venice, chances are you already know the Red Garter. However, since Dec. 29, new owners, including sometimes-bartender Shawn Hardi, gave the dark bar a new name (the Garter) and a sexy makeover, adding textured red wallpaper, purple faux-suede walls in the bathrooms and black chandeliers. . . . Self-professed “bar chef” Albert Trummer has left Fraiche, in what managers of the Culver City restaurant have called a “mutual parting.” Although Trummer says he might be back at Fraiche as a consultant, he is putting his energy into a new venture in New York’s Bowery district. Known for his lavish cocktails, the Austria-born mixologist has vowed to open a bar in the Westwood area by late 2008 or early ’09. . . . Finally, the Gerber Group’s Stone Rose bar at the Sofitel is back on the scene (after months of being nearly empty) with promoters Brett Gursky and Adam Franklin’s new weekly soiree (Stone Rose Wednesdays).

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-- Charlie.Amter@latimes.com