I have been remiss. I intended to write throughout my summer, weekly if possible, but something happened that made it hard to share. Something so shocking, so horrifying, so embarrassingly lame I just couldn’t bring myself to write about it. Even attempting to type it now makes me wince and look away from my computer screen, close my eyes and hope that somehow history will rewrite itself, maybe the story of my life will change despite the facts, I’ll wake up tomorrow and realize it was all just a bad dream…
I purchased The Hip Chick’s Guide to Macrobiotics.
There. I said it. I feel so God damned naked.
And what’s worse? I read it and I liked it. I’ve even recommended it to friends and clients. It’s so lame. It’s so stereotypical. I immediately want to defend myself and write about evenings of wine and meat that will make your head spin, the importance of coffee karma, and breakfast pizzas that are clear proof that there is a God who is a firm believer in the consumption of white flour…I’ve wanted to share it all but I just had to get this off my chest. I liked that fucking book. It’s full of good information. The recipes are only so-so but all that other stuff about balance and putting meals together…it’s really good.
There’s still another detail I have to share.
I bought it at M Café. Yeah, that place on Melrose and LaBrea where six Priuses and one diesel BMW vie for 4 parking spaces; where skinny girls and dirty boys eat their daily meal (in between smoke breaks, let’s be honest). That place.
It’s good. The dinner bento is a veritable feast for under $20 and the chocolate cupcake has a Hostess like quality that is truly the best margarine has to offer *. I find the food deeply comforting. Plus it’s open until 10pm which – in this gerbear (as in geriatric bear, duh) town is as good as a 24 hour diner. Lately, on Tuesday nights after working 12 hours, I pull the Volvo up next to the Prius pile and bask in the healing light of brown rice and perfectly prepared salmon (wild caught, of course) with a miso glaze. It is so comforting and so healing. And, let’s be honest, I mean with all that meat and working out? I was getting pretty fucking yang.
M Café
7119 Melrose Avenue
Hollywood, CA 90046
P: 323.525.0588
F: 323.525.0310
www.mcafedechaya.com
Monday - Saturday 9am - 10pm, Sunday 9am - 9pm
final word: The dinner bento is delicious but everything in the deli case is fresh and tasty, the soups are solid, the salads are giant and more original than some of the other stuff around town. They have a lot of faux meat options but I recommend going with the macrobiotic specials: vegetables, grains, and fish. They stick that landing every time.
* On the cupcake front, I have to take a moment and recommend the lemon cupcakes at Café Flore in Silver Lake. It's a vegan joint that has nice fair but KILLER baked goods. If you find yourself on West Sunset hit Intelligentsia for coffee and then pair that hot magica with a sweet treat from Flore - there will be no regrets!
