Moulin Rouge

Eating Clean and Green

Fabulous Vegan and Vegetarian Restaurants in LA

By Eric Rosen

Summer is nearly over, but you still have time for a beach trip or two before the days start getting shorter and the nights start getting colder. Keep your body bathing suitready by dining at one of these health-conscious vegan or vegetarian restaurants around Los Angeles. Even if you don’t normally stick to a plant-based diet, these dining spots will have you salivating for more.

Café Gratitude

It’s all in the name – gratitude is the driving principle behind this popular raw, vegan chain with locations in Downtown, Larchmont, and Venice, as well as Newport Beach and San Diego. Hence the cheerful menu listings, like the “I Am Awesome” eggplant parmesan sandwich with basil hempseed pesto on focaccia; the “I Am Dazzling” Caesar Salad with shitake bacon, capers and brazil nuts; or the “I Am Loving” Black Rice Bowl with roasted yams, brussels sprouts, avocado, quinoa, cilantro, and garlic tahini. Executive Chef Dreux Ellis oversees the culinary direction at all the restaurants.

639 N. Larchmont Blvd., Los Angeles, CA 90004, 323-5806383 512 Rose Ave., Venice, CA 90291, 424-231-8000 1617 Westcliff Drive, Newport Beach, CA 92260, 949-3868101 1980 Kettner Blvd, San Diego, CA 92101, 619-736-5077 cafegratitude.com

Crossroads Kitchen

The hotspot that put vegan fine-dining on L.A.’s culinary map is open for takeout, delivery, and dine-in, so you can plan your next wellness-oriented date night out. The artichoke “oysters” with artichoke puree, crispy oyster mushrooms, béarnaise and kelp caviar are a must, as are the stuffed zucchini blossoms. Not into “meat?” The Lasagna Bolognese with Impossible Meat and bechamel sauce is a spot-on surprise. Save room for the Key Lime Tart with key lime curd and cinnamon shortbread vanilla Chantilly cream. That last one may not be healthy, but it’s worth it. Tasting menus, brunch, and late night bites are also offered.

8284 Melrose Ave., Los Angeles, CA 90046, 323-782-9245; crossroadskitchen.com

M Café

Not strictly vegetarian, this macrobiotic Melrose mainstay still deserves a mention thanks to its ultra-healthy menu. Morning folk should appreciate breakfast fare like the matcha granola with seasonal berries over vanilla chia pudding, coconut yogurt or an oat milk pour-over. The signature deli salads include red beet poke, kelp noodle alfredo and probiotic slaw, while heartier options include the burrito bowl with steamed quinoa, charred corn, black beans, pico de gallo, avocado, shredded cabbage, cilantro, soy crema, chipotle sauce and lime. Or just opt for the famous grilled tuna burger with ahi in a teriyaki glaze with avocado, tangy shiso leaf, pickled red onion, daikon sprouts and spicy yuzu mayo on a sesame brioche bun. Order online to enjoy at home or visit the restaurant for in-person dining.

7119 Melrose Ave., Los Angeles, CA 90046, 323-525-0511; mcafedechaya.com

Real Food Daily

Known to locals as RFD since 1993, Real Food Daily was one of the pioneers of bringing healthy eating to the masses and continues to serve its signature menu of vegan cuisine at locations in West Hollywood (the original), Pasadena, and even at LAX International Airport. Who needs chicken and waffles when you can start your day with crispy seitan and gooey maple syrup over waffles served with a side of seasonal fruit? Dinner items include the signature buffalo cauliflower with curried, roasted florets doused in spicy buffalo sauce with a “creamy” ranch dressing. There are now two Impossible burgers on the menu but opt instead for a build-yourown bowl with protein options like braised jackfruit, marinated tempeh, and almond tuna, among others; a choice of grains or legumes including soba noodles or lentils; and veggies that include grilled plantains, roasted mushrooms, sea vegetables, or steamed spinach. Breakfast is served all day!

414 N. La Cienega Blvd., Los Angeles, CA 90048, 310-289-9910 899 E. Del Mar Blvd., Pasadena, CA 91106, 626-844-8900 realfood.com

Moulin Rouge

Delivers High-Octane Entertainment and Full-throttle Spectacle Escapism

By Steve Gottfried

After two and a half years of abstaining from everything from indoor dining to the occasional random hookup, I had reached my limit. And the prospect of missing out on a chance to see Moulin Rouge was my kryptonite. As Dolly Levi triumphantly resolves to rejoin the human race in “Before the Parade Passes By,” I too was determined to throw caution to the wind, consequences be damned.

And so, I ventured into the Art Deco grandeur of the Pantages Theatre in the heart of Hollywood surrounded by a throng of masked theatergoers, pumped for opening night of the touring company of the Tony Award winning musical based on the Baz Lurhmann movie spectacle from 2001 which starred Nicole Kidman and Ewan McGregor. The question running through my head: will experiencing the kinetic thrill of live theater be worth the risk for a neurotically risk-averse person like myself? I suppose I won’t know the full answer to that question until the incubation period passes and I remain symptom and/or COVID-free. What I can say at this very moment, the morning after, is that the opening night performance was everything I had hoped for and like Dolly’s magical return to the Harmonia Gardens, it was “so good to be back where I belong.”

From the moment you enter the theater, the lush set design recreates the ambience reminiscent of turn of the century Paris. The show starts off with a high-octane performance of “Lady Marmalade” and quickly casts its spell conjuring the enchanting world of this cabaret and its cast of Bohemian artists. The caliber of the performances were Broadway-worthy and while this innately anachronistic jukebox musical based on the Baz Luhrmann fantastical spectacle may not be everyone’s cup of tea, this production was firing on all cylinders. For me, the true revelation of this musical was its leading man Conor Ryan who imbues the role of Christian with just the right combination of heart and whimsy that makes the character believable and sympathetic. From the moment he appears on stage to welcome the audience and explain the stakes of the evening involve matters of life, love, and death, he does it with such an endearing and authentic yet vulnerable quality reminiscent of a young hapless Owen Wilson that it’s impossible not to be taken in. It is particularly rewarding when it comes to the musical numbers, Ryan’s vocals are no less remarkable, sweet and pristine when called

for in Elton John’s “Your Song” and aching and anthemic during songs like “Crazy” and “Roxanne,” singing whatever pastiche of songs the show throws his way with conviction and seeming ease. Yes, he’s that good. While I didn’t have the chance to see Aaron Tveit’s Tony winning performance as Christian in the Broadway production, Ryan brings a magic to the role that is all his own. While the rest of the company were equally up to the task, Christian is the beating heart of the show which requires the audience to buy in to the conceit and transport us into a world where love is quite literally a matter of life and death.

The other two standouts were of course the tragic heroine Satine played impeccably by Courtney Reed and the manipulative impresario Harold Zidler played with gusto and zeal by Austin Durant. Reed traverses the full range of emotion as the starlet/vixen suspended from a chair singing “Diamonds are Forever” to the tragic songbird whose artistry is being straightjacketed by her controlling benefactor. David Harris delivers a solid performance as the Duke of Monroth, the moneyed villain who – like the phantom of the Opera – threatens to undermine the fate of the star-crossed lovers (Satine and Christian), demanding Satine’s heart in return for keeping the theater and the lives of its artists afloat. Like Phantom of the Opera, the story of Moulin Rouge is fairly simple to follow adhering to the trajectory of a classic tragic opera while creating the necessary stakes of suspense that allow the cascade of musical numbers to envelop and enthrall. And in this company’s hands, it all works exceedingly well. The one criticism I had was that I was expecting more from the choreography which was created by Sonya Tayeh, a breakout choreographer on the Fox competition So You Think You Can Dance, known for her daring and often boundary-pushing routines. Though the dancing was well-executed, there was nothing groundbreaking or spectacular about it. Fortunately, the story, the music and the performers brought so much to this production that the choreographic shortcomings were a mere footnote. The unifying thread of Moulin Rouge and the need to fight for the four essential elements of the Bohemian spirit – Truth, Beauty, Freedom and Love – couldn’t be more appropriate at this particular moment in time. Given the chance, would I see it again? In a heartbeat.

Now through September 4th at The Pantages Theatre (6233 Hollywood Blvd., Los Angeles, CA). Visit www. pantagestheatre.net for tickets and more information.

Photo by Matthew Murphy for MurphyMade