Click It. BEAT picks of the week.

How beautiful does Jessica Chastain look on the cover of T Magazine? A great loose blowout, a strong red lip, and a pretty yellow dress is such a perfect spring look. This Reese Witherspoon red carpet look from 2007 is still one of my favorites.

A simple recipe for cinnamon-sugar pecans. I made these for a party Saturday night and they were a hit!

Speaking of easy recipes ... enjoy the end of grapefruit season with a Greyhound!

HBO's "Girls" premieres tonight.

Today at brunch I had arepas for the first time, and became an instant fan. Jonathan Gold divulges where to find in L.A.

-- Leslie Anne Wiggins

Photo credit: Cass Bird for T Magazine

Do It. LA Weekly Pancake Breakfast with Jonathan Gold.

LA Weekly's food critic Jonathan Gold puts on his annual Gold Standard event every spring, featuring his picks for the best of L.A., and it's always a huge success. Now he's narrowing it down and focusing on just one basic food groups: Pancakes.

Alas, you're surely not to get just simple flapjacks at the LA Weekly Pancake Breakfast happening later this month. With participating restaurants like Warszawa, Salt's Cure, LAMill and Playa, the menu promises to be fun, inventive and still completely delicious.

Having brunch with J. Gold! We're a lucky city.

The LA Weekly Pancake Breakfast takes place 11am-2pm on Sat., Aug, 28 at Vibiana, located at 214 S. Main St. in downtown. Tickets are $25 each and are available here.

-- Chau Tu

Eat Out. Food + Lab.

Silverlake surely isn't lacking another great brunch spot, but that doesn't mean they don't stop popping up. And I'm definitely not complaining -- especially when it brings us places like Food + Lab.

Food + Lab already has a location in West Hollywood, but opened up its Eastside branch just a few months ago out on Sunset, down a storefront from Dusty's. And it already fits in perfectly -- a casual joint that's friendly and has stellar cuisine. All the menu choices are scrawled on blackboards against the back wall, and filled with organic and vegan choices. But you also have your usual indulgences, and an overall balanced menu featuring delicious ingredients.

Above, you'll see potato, onion, gruyere and bacon omelette, which packed with goodness and the perfect sort of accent from the cheese. The sandwich was the organic chicken with gouda, sundried tomato aioli, and arugula on cibatta bread, of which the aioli was quite amazing. And I couldn't even fit our massive bowls of coffee into the picture. But overall, the food had rich flavors thanks to fresh ingredients, and portions were perfect -- filling but not overwhelming. I'm dying to try the sunny-side eggs and Australian speck featured on the website.

Yep, just another great brunch spot in Los Angeles. Us spoiled folk we are.
Food + Lab is located at 3206 West Sunset Blvd. in Silverlake.

-- Chau Tu

Photo credit: the BEAT

Eat Out. Grub.

A great low-key Hollywood brunch place is Grub. I hadn't even heard of it before googling for breakfast in L.A. on Sunday morning from the road after option #1 was too busy. We arrived around 11:00 a.m., and while it was quite busy, there was an outside table available so we were able to sit right down. A bowl of mixed dry cereal quickly followed.

I ordered a small orange juice and Hank had an iced coffee with milk (one downfall--no espresso machine at Grub). We both had egg (mine scrambled + his fried) and cheese sandwiches, which they make on croissants. So simple and delicious.

Grub is located at 911 Seward Street in Hollywood. Open for breakfast, lunch, and dinner. Info: grub-la.com, (323) 461-3663

-- Leslie Anne Wiggins

Photo credit: the BEAT

Eat Out. Brunch at the Chateau Marmont.

We had an impromptu fancy Sunday brunch yesterday, at a place I'd never brunched before: the Chateau Marmont. The legendary hotel has a great bar (Bar Marmont) and the restaurant is a well-known dinner destination (they're famous for steak frites). Brunch was something I had just never considered.

On the drive over, around 11:15 a.m., we passed the ridiculous Griddle Cafe, with their usual huge crowd outside, all waiting for tables where they'd consume huge stacks of pancakes while listening to blaring music.

For about the same cost (maybe a few dollars more), we got a shaded table for three on the serene patio of L.A.'s coolest hotel immediately. A giant pot of coffee, croque madame, pancakes, eggs benedict, iced teas, and bloody marys later, we were extremely satisfied with the service and the food, and of course the setting. We even spotted a hot Hollywood director. The patio is really good for seeing celebrities.

If you can't make it to West Hollywood to experience the Chateau yourself, it's featured in some films, including Laurel Canyon and Somewhere (I'd recommend Laurel Canyon of the two). There's also a great out-of-print book, The Chateau Marmont Hollywood Handbook available on Amazon.

Chateau Marmont Hotel and Bungalows is located at 8221 Sunset Boulevard in West Hollywood. Info: (323) 656-1010, chateaumarmont.com

-- Leslie Anne Wiggins

Photo credit: modelsandmoguls.com

Eat Out. Local.

Finding a place to brunch on New Year's Day is not an easy thing to do -- everyone else out there is just as hungover and lazy as you are, and wants some good food in them to start the year out right. But somehow D and I lucked out, and came upon the awesome Local, located in Silverlake.

We originally picked the place -- even though we had never eaten there before -- because we figured its vast outdoor seating would help us to getting eating soon. It definitely exceeded expectations. It's one of those order-and-then-choose-a-spot-to-sit-in places, which can be annoying (i.e. Father's Office), but people seem to move in and out fairly quickly, and the waiters and waitresses always help out with getting you a table. And speaking of the service, the guy taking our orders at the register, although trying to handle a billion requests at once, was extremely cheerful and helpful, in the most genuine way possible. He was probably the owner, and he seemed to be completely in love with what he was doing. It was quite inspiring.

And then there was the food. I'm actually pretty sad I didn't take any pictures -- but we probably scarfed it down too quickly anyway. D got the breakfast sandwich, which was the special on the blackboard that day and looked amazing, while I stuck with whole wheat pancakes with eggs and bacon. I don't think I've actually had whole wheat pancakes before, and I don't even particularly like pancakes, but these had to be some of the best pancakes I'd ever had -- whole wheat or not. The wheat gave it a nuttiness that went perfectly with the sweetness of the butter. Totally mouth-watering. We also, for total over-indulgence reasons, ordered the spicy fries, which too, were delectable.

It's also good to mention that the food is mostly locally sourced and organic, and vegetarian friendly -- it is Silverlake, after all. Feeling good and having amazing food at the same time? A great way to start out the year.

Local is located at 2943 W. Sunset Blvd. in Silverlake.

-- Chau Tu

Photo credit: Yelp

Eat Out. Malo [Sunday Brunch].

Silver Lake's Malo restaurant is well-known for its great margaritas and happy hours, but it just so happens that it's a great place to visit after those margaritas and happy hours too. The Mexican eatery recently began opening up early for weekend brunch, and the hip Eastside crowd is loving it--for good reason.

The brunch menu offers all the regular, great-for-the-hangover brunch favorites, like the breakfast burrito and chilaquiles (both seen above), but with Malo's extra attention to detail in flavor and fresh ingredients. The chilaquiles, though obviously not the healthiest meal, actually wasn't as greasy as I had imagined, and the portion was just right not to make me feel like I'd see it (or the night before) later. There were also fun and unique options like the mango and banana French toast that seem worth trying out.

And of course, with any good hangover brunch, Malo offers drinks--top-notch, of course. Their sangria is always a favorite of mine, and a mojito would probably be nice around noon. We tried the Malo Cafe, which had coffee mixed Kahula and tequila, and it was pretty strong. Made for a good wake-up call, at least.

Malo is located at 4326 Sunset Blvd. in Silver Lake. Brunch is served Saturdays and Sundays, from 9am-3pm.

-- Chau Tu

Photo credit: the BEAT

Eat Out. Cheebo.

An excellent place for brunch in Los Angeles, Cheebo has a very tasty, affordable menu with all kinds of quirky tofu scrambles, sandwiches, and frittatas. I also remember being really impressed with their coffee. What's really nice about it though, the bright oranges and yellows give this place a very small restaurant, warm atmosphere. You'd never know it was off Sunset Boulevard.
Most meals here are about $8-$10 per plate and most of the dishes seem very healthy.

It's recommended to call ahead, but I've visited without reservations and got a table right away -- but I may have just been lucky.

Cheebo is located at 7533 W. Sunset Blvd. Their phone number is (323) 850-7070.

-- Lauren Williams

Eat In. A full English breakfast.

An English breakfast is more than just a type of tea. It's a satisfying hot meal always served with Heinz Baked Beans (above). The beans aren't like American Heinz beans, they have no BBQ flavor whatsoever, simply that of sweet tomato. The March 2010 issue of Bon Appétit had a great story on the food of Ireland, and that was the inspiration for this post. Much like how English breakfast and Irish breakfast teas are similar, so are the actual breakfasts.

Aside from the beans--fried eggs, bread (toasted or fried), sauteed mushrooms, grilled tomato, and sausage (or "banger") and/or bacon are also part of the feast. The beans and English sausages can be found at specialty shops (such as the Tudor House or Continental Shop--both in Santa Monica), imported, and the rest of the ingredients you probably already have in your kitchen! This breakfast is not a formal tradition, like an afternoon tea, so as long as it's all served hot, you're doing it right. Like brunch, it can be served through the early afternoon.

Tea is the drink of choice of course, and the hearty meal is enough to sustain you for hours of hard work (or weekend lounging).

If you'd rather go out than make this at home, the King's Head in Santa Monica does it very well.

-- Leslie Anne Wiggins

Photo credit: britishpages.org

Eat Out. Fern's [Sunday Brunch].

Spending your Sunday afternoons in a dumpy dive bar in Long Beach may seem kind of trashy, but Fern's is a bit different.

By no stretch of the imagination could one call this place classy, with a mural of a topless horned woman with a bifurcated tongue on one wall and the floor that looks more like the foundation, but Sundays here are $1 Busch day, happy hour all night, and at times, barbeque, grilled cheeses and PB&J nights, this place on Sunday is the place to be.

It's definitely more of a punk-style bar, but has probably one of the best jukeboxes I've ever seen (have you ever been able to find Elvis, Tom Waits, the Stones, the Clash, Siouxsie, Bauhaus, Dylan, Johnny Cash, Iggy Pop, and the Damned on one jukebox?)
And the beer selection is great, with at least three different kinds of Angel City brew, but you may have to wait a while. The sassy bartenders may give you the snub.

Note: This place is definitely not for the faint of heart. This place defines the phrase "dive bar".

-- Lauren Williams

Eat Out. The Coffee Table.

Since moving from West Hollywood to Los Feliz, I've had to find some new breakfast places. On the weekends, brunch is one of my favorite activities, so finding just the right place is highly important. After several months of going to The Coffee Table in Silver Lake here and there, I've found that perfect nearby-and-has-so-many-attractive-options-you-have-a-tough-time-choosing-what-to-have, plus the coffee (and chai!) is hot and fresh.

On Sunday, I tried the South of the Border omelette for the first time, and it was impressive. As a big fan of Mexican food, I really enjoyed the green chili, cilantro, pico de gallo salsa on the side, and sour cream decorating the top (and of course favorite omelette ingredients avocado and cheese). The avocado was unblemished and creamy, just right! Rather than coffee, I had a large chai tea latte, which was not too spicy (like Starbucks'), but rich and flavorful nonetheless. It did get chunky (with lumped powder)by the last few sips, but I was about done by then anyway.

My all-time Coffee Table favorite is the Egg Sandwich--two fried eggs, swiss cheese, lettuce, tomato and HERB MAYO on your choice of bread (sourdough). Like most breakfast items, it's served with fruit and potatoes. The sourdough is remarkably fresh and the herb mayo is what sends this dish into the 'favorites' category. Yum.

Other dishes I'd recommend--oatmeal (served with apple, cranberries and walnuts) and the breakfast burrito, which is simply eggs and cheddar wrapped in a sassy red tortilla, both choices simply delicious.

It's an order at the counter, then sit down place, which makes take-away orders easy. The back patio is the best place to sit if you're eating in. They serve breakfast till 3:00 p.m. daily, and are open till 10:00 p.m. For late afternoon through evening, something like a turkey burger or homemade soup might hit the spot. They also have a pretty fine selection of desserts (think red velvet, coconut cake, almond roca cake ... )

The Coffee Table is located at 2930 Rowena Ave. in Silver Lake.

-- Leslie Anne Wiggins

Photo credit: www.calendarlive.com

Eat Out. Figaro [Sunday Brunch].

Figaro on Vermont Avenue in Los Feliz is a place some (including myself) consider a near-perfect brunch spot. It's on a street that has loads of cute shops for post-brunch strolling around, they have both inside and outside (sidewalk) seating, and the food is fresh and flavorful.

The meal is started off right with a bread basket--something many restaurants reserve for lunch and dinner only. It includes a varied mix of breads including olive and nut among others, sliced and with a little dish of strawberry jam on the side.

Their coffee is tasty and refilled often, the latte bowls are ginormous, and the hot chocolate looks like an image from a childhood dream.

We were all very pleased with our meals (omelettes for Lauren and I, a Parisian croissant for Heather, and a spinach salad with hard boiled egg and crumbled bacon for Chau) ... I went with the classic choice, Omelette Figaro (pictured). It was a perfect combination of mushroom, brie and avocado. I had a seen a neighboring bruncher with it and almost didn't order because it looked a bit dry. The egg and mushrooms are cooked together, then folded around thick slices of brie and soft creamy generous slices of avocado. I am SO glad I got it. I ate every last bite. The inside ingredients easily blend with the egg/mushroom exterior.

One downside to the cute European-style sidewalk seating--a sensitive car (parked near our table) alarm (loud!) going off every time a fast car or bus would pass.

Figaro Bistrot is located at 1802 N. Vermont Ave. in Los Feliz

-- Leslie Anne Wiggins

Photo credit: the BEAT

Eat Out. Square One Dining [Sunday Brunch].

As the land of unconventional jobs with nothing close to the regular 9-5 workday, Los Angeles makes for a wonderful breeding ground for the perfect brunch spot. In this regular feature, The Beat will feature the best of the tried and true brunch scenes, which you'll probably find filled weekday to weekend, morning to late afternoon, because frankly, is there any better meal than brunch?

In our inaugural Sunday Brunch post, we welcome you to Square One Dining. The eastside eatery only serves breakfast and lunch, so let’s just say the expectations do come high for how it’ll handle brunch.

Square One gets it right. Even starting from its décor and locale, the restaurant nearly steps out of the imagination for what the perfect brunch setting should feel and look like: quaint, quiet and with an outside garden patio, for goodness sakes. And even though Square One’s olive green walls fall within the shadows of hospitals and a Scientology Centre, you’re far enough into the neighborhood to barely even notice.

But it’s the food that really makes this place shine. The restaurant prides itself in using local and organic produce and hormone-free meat for its dishes, and it shows. The vegetables and salads are undeniably fresh, and egg dishes like my bacon, tomato, mozzarella and spinach omelet and Heather’s baked eggs were fluffy and light. Leslie and Lauren opted for one of Square One’s most popular picks, the brioche French toast. It was moist, buttery and served with fresh vanilla bean cream. Lauren had hers topped with figs, one of the seasonal fruits available, and it looked delicious.

Though the place can definitely get crowded on the weekends, the service was attentive but not too intrusive. Overall, if you need a sweet spot for simple, refreshingly fresh food served with obvious care, Square One is a great place to go. Plus, with all dishes under $14 (most around the $10 mark), it’s a pretty decent deal.

Sometimes, it’s just good to be square.

--Chau Tu

Square One Dining is located at 4854 Fountain Ave., near the intersection of Vermont Ave. and Sunset Blvd. Open everyday, 8 a.m.-3 p.m., street parking. 323.661.1109.