Playa Debuts John Sedlar's Super-Secret Rooftop Garden + A Rooftop-to-Table Party

Strange things have been afoot on the rooftop at John Sedlar's Playa. For the past couple of months, the restaurant has been installing and planting a rather large rooftop garden (you may have noticed a crane doing some heavy lifting along Beverly Boulevard back in March) meant to provide Sedlar's kitchen and bar with a fresh variety of hard-to-find ingredients. The actual garden is laid out vertically. As Sedlar explains, “We considered several different systems, including raised container beds and a greenhouse, before finally settling on one we decided would be best: an aeroponic technology based on a system of 35 towers we have installed on our roof, each with 28 pots per 5-foot tower.”

Word has arrived that the first round of crops from what's been dubbed the cielo verde (green sky) is ripe and ready to make its debut. On June 21 from 6:30-8:30 p.m., Playa will host a garden grand opening party complete with bites by Sedlar and summer cocktails by Julian Cox — both featuring the new rooftop-to-table produce. [We just received word that this party is not open to the public. 12:07 p.m.

If you're curious what Sedlar is actually growing up there (that we know of), he shared with us a list of his personal produce, which includes rare items like cactus fruits, Incan plums, Black Kabouli garbanzos, and a whole spectrum of chile varieties with names like Black Cobra and Thai Dragon. Here's the full list for those home gardeners struck with green thumb envy.

Cielo Verde Rooftop Garden:

Herbs:

Bob Marley mint (Jamaican spearmint)

Borage flowers

Chives

Cilantro

Epazote

Fire orach

Green shiso

Hoja santa

Mexican sage

Mexican tarragon

Micro amaranth

Micro chives

Mustard frills

Spanish tarragon

Leafy greens:

Black Tuscan kale

Bright Light Swiss chard

Golden purslane

Pac choi

Red Summer Crisp lettuce

Red romaine lettuce

Savoy Spinach

Wild Arugula

Chiles (as available):

Black Cobra

Bhut Jolokia (Indian Ghost Pepper)

Caribbean Red Sevina

Cayenne peppers

Fish peppers

Jalafuego

Manzano

Padrón

Scorpion

Thai Dragon

Tomatoes (as available):

Black Cherry

Carbon (Russian Black)

Cherokee

Copia Red

Great White

Julia Child

Purple tomatillos

Sungold

Tomatillos verdes

Vegetables:

Eggplants

Huazontle (Aztec spinach)

Manar cucumbers

Beans and grains include:

Black Kabouli garbanzos

Bush Bean trio

Incan lima beans

Peaches and Cream corn

Fruit:

Black raspberries

Finger limes

Incan plums

Mexican limes

Orange sapote mamey