the social

B U D D H A B E L L I E S : L E S E N F A N T S T E R R I B L E

 
the sweltering heat of the summer months sets the best tone for seduction. whether it be a new or steady romance, a jaunt to the popular lower eastside haunt, les enfants terribles, can only help kindle love’s frolicking flames.

the modern french restaurant is definitely not an ideal setting for amical anecdotes, with tables in close quarters and exotic, sensual moroccan and brazilian decor. the animal prints, dark woods, lit candles and small tables would definitely send the wrong message to someone who was there under pretenses of friendship. 

start by whetting your appetite with the goat song refrain and the camarao grelhado. then, let sparks fly over dishes like the zanzibar pistachio-crusted salmon, les enfants terribles savory couscous and ghanian salad. experience a culinary culmination with delectable desserts such as ouled kbah chocoalte mousse and afro coconut soup. 

then go home and behave like les enfants terribles with your partner in crime...

photo: new york magazine

B U D D H A B E L L I E S : T H E F I X

i can't be the only one who finds it at least moderately amusing that a las vegas eatery decided to call itself the fix, non?

amusements aside, the sin city bar and restaurant is aptly named. and, if i must complete the pun, so to speak, the fare is completely and utterly addiction-worthy. recommended gateway plates include lobster tacos, finger licking fix and salmon pops. jonesing for a more intense high? recommended entrees include yellowtail sashimi, bobby baldwin burgers, bronx veal chop and the kurabota pork chop. suggested nightcaps include the cucumber essence fix and the passion fruit mojito.

then, reminisce about how you used to be so sweet and innocent over dessert (their warm doughnuts are heavenly).

and then, as quickly as it all started, you'll be fiening for your next fix.

B U D D H A B E L L I E S : D I R T C A N D Y

if you've seen food, inc. and have a beating heart, you've probably reduced your meat and fast food consumption, if not altogether ceased it.

however, many conscious eaters may feel better about choosing carrot sticks and dip over beef jerky or a peanut butter sandwich over a juicy burger, but most will agree that just because it's more ethically sound doesn't always mean it tastes better. fortunately, there are a few chefs who have taken it upon themselves to lead the organic and vegan culinary revolution. one at the very forefront is the masterfully created dirt candy in the east village. 

why the name? well, as they say, "when you eat a vegetable, you're eating a little more than dirt that's been transformed by plenty of sunshine and rain into something that's full of flavor." essentially, what owner and angelica kitchen and pure food and wine alum amanda cohen is saying that vegetables are like candy from the earth.

dishes that are not to be missed include jalapeno hush puppies with maple butter, kimchi doughnut and arguala salad, grits with tempura egg, the eggplant pasta and the sweet potato, sour cream and brown sugar ice cream trio.

indulge with a little dirt candy.

B U D D H A B E L L I E S : A L C O V E C A F E & B A K E R Y

enlightened. lost. surrounded. effervescent. drained. alone. cultured. auspicious. found. overwhelmed. up. down.

the city, specifically los angeles, can incite a roller coaster of feelings. and, whether those feelings weigh on the good side or the bad side of the line, sometimes everyone needs an escape. unfortunately there are such evils as limited paid time off, dwindling bank accounts and a fear of flight, and jet-setting isn't always in the cards, there is a close second that doesn't even feel like settling.

that close second is alcove bakery and cafe in los feliz. hillhurst avenue, a once slightly sketchy street, has now become a mecca for the creative community. and, alcove is no exception.

the cafe and bakery is frequented by many writers, musicians and indie actors and features avant garde fare for all three meals, such as crab cake benedict, brie and apple panini, caribbean jerk chicken sandwich and blue velvet cake. bonus points? they serve alcohol way before five o'clock, including a make your own mimosa.

plan your next escape to the alcove.

photo: maral

B U D D H A B E L L I E S : M C A F E

if you are what you eat, then how is eating something that was tortured until being brought to a complete and utter wasteful death good for you? i mean, yes, vegan is the new anorexia - and albeit, a more convenient form of eating disorderly, due to the fact that it's a pretty legitimate excuse for turning down ninety-two or so percent of culinary offers. 

however, aside from a smaller waistline, the benefits of going at least even slightly less carnivorous are extremely beneficial. namely cheaper groceries and a less guilty conscious. unfortunately, the downside to it all is that you often have to give up eating out, or settling for pasta with veggies every single time you wind up at a steakhouse on a date after you've clearly told the offender that you don't eat meat on numerous occasions.

luckily, there is a mecca for all you waify animal lovers, and that mecca is m cafe. serving up contemporary macrobiotic fare for all three square meals, the cafe has been known to make even the biggest meat lovers question their culinary preferences. tempeh wraps, big macro burgers, vegan benedict and strawberry shortcake are often the cause of the converted.

and, bonus: it's alexi wasser of imboycrazy.com's favorite place, so chances are, if you're a fan, you might encounter the romantically adept and slightly needy, yet always adorable doll herself.

B U D D H A B E L L I E S : M U S S E L S A L A B O H E M I A

no one ever thinks seafood and immediately free associates such with badass. but, you can now prepare to do so on a regular basis. why? because mussels a la bohemia is pretty much seafood bathed in beer. get ready to flex your culinary muscles...

combine four cloves of smashed garlic, one coarsely chopped shallot, one coarsely chopped poblano pepper and one tablespoon of olive oil into a small food processor and blend until a coarse paste is formed. transfer it to a skillet, cooking over a low heat for about fifteen minutes. add salt to taste. in a medium or large pot, boil a bottle of bohemia beer. once brought to a boil, add sixteen thoroughly cleaned mussels and boil until the shells open and the meat is tender, which should take about four minutes.

remove the mussels, saving the beer, and place in a large bowl. add the garlic paste, two tablespoons of finely chopped italian parsley, two tablespoons of finely chopped cilantro and a fourth of a pound of diced cherry tomatoes and toss until coated. strain the beer through a paper coffee filter and then add 2 tablespoons of heavy cream and salt and pepper to taste.

then, to serve, add half of the mussels to a bowl and add a half of a cup of the beer mixture. serve with the bread of your choice and a beer, of course.

recipe and photo: seattle food geek

B U D D H A B E L L I E S : W H I S T

 
as in most cases, it is often a truly unique and beautiful phenomenon when old intertwines seamlessly with new.

whist, at the viceroy in santa monica, is no exception to the rule. designed by the esteemed kelly wearstler the interior features a breathtaking blend of asian, classical and postmodern influences. the cuisine is no different. the menu features an array of traditional dishes with modern twists, such as a beet salad accompanied by hazelnuts, baby lettuce and truffle panna cotta and a new york strip with asparagus and a parmesan-truffle twice baked potato.

get culinarily whisked away by whist.

photo: dwell

B U D D H A B E L L I E S : A N T I - C R U E L G R U E L

 
while the spirit of halloween might be mischief and mayhem, animals shouldn't be subjected to our curious traditions. so enjoy the festivities with this vegetarian dish.

to make the dough, put two cups of diced butternut squash in a medium pot with three cups vegetable broth, half a cup of chopped scallion, one tablespoon adobo sauce, two tablespoons of chopped garlic and two teaspoons of salt. bring to a simmer and cook for about fifteen minutes. remove the squash with a slotted spoon, and set the broth aside. save half of the squash for the filling, then mash the remaining squash is a large bowl. mix in three cups of masa with a fork. slowly pour the seasoned broth over the filling, mixing with a fork until smooth. slowly stir in three-fourths cup of olive oil and half a cup of vegetable oil, a little at a time until dough is soft and moist.

to make the filling, heat oil in a large skillet and add half a cup of scallions, four tablespoons of garlic, two sliced chiles, and two teaspoons salt and cook for about one minute. add reserved squash, half a cup of olives and half a cup of golden raisins and cook, stirring gently, for about one minute longer. add one cup of vegetable broth and one teaspoon of orange zest and cook, stirring occasionally, for about two minutes. stir in half a cup of chopped cilantro and remove from heat.

to put it all together, cut two husks into twenty-four-inch lengths about half of an inch wide. place the other corn husks that were soaked in water on a cutting board, open side up. Place about one-fourth cup of dough in the center of each husk. spoon two tablespoons filling on top. cover filling with about two tablespoons more of dough. wrap the husks around the filling and twist and tie ends with reserved strips to make party favor shaped tamales. set up a ten-inch steamer basket. lay tamales in steamer, cover and cook until the husks get slightly translucent, or for about fifty minutes. remove tamales from steamer, and let rest for five minutes before serving.

dig into our anti-cruel gruel and leave your devilish side for the harry potter to your hermione.

photo and recipe: food network

B U D D H A B E L L I E S : Y O G E N F R U Z

pinkberry was so 2007.

so if pinkberry is to lindsay lohan, than what trendy fro yo shop is to kristen stewart? if you rocked standardized tests, you probably guessed yogen fruz.

while they've been around since i was literally in diapers (circa 1986), unlike many of the celebs who frequent the fro-yo establishment (i.e. paris hilton, khloe kardashian and stephanie pratt), they haven't been much of a publicity whore. located on every single continent aside from africa and (obviously) antarctica, the chain has been expanding globally faster than you can say "starbucks." 

however, with tons of topping variations and interesting flavors (to name a couple, acai blueberry and matcha green tea) and the whole fact that they can blend pretty much any flavor of fro-yo that you want, they're bound to stay fresh for awhile.

don't want to take any chances? hit up yogen fruz before it becomes the next mischa barton.

B U D D H A B E L L I E S : C R U M B S B A K E S H O P

you have to pay your own bills. you have to make your own bed. you have to make your own dinner. you even have to clean up after your boyfriend and his friends.

the real world can often leave you saying fml. crumbs bake shop can at least provide one small comfort to remind you of back when you were well taken care of (a.k.a. still lived with mom). inspired by old-fashioned candy shops, crumbs bake shop's treats pull a chris brown. no, they won't knock you out, but they are lined up from wall to wall. however with cupcake creations like cookie dough, key lime pie, raspberry swirl and nestle crunch, these sweet treats will leave you fighting over the last one.

have a batch shipped to your door today and see why these cakes are good to the last crumb.