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taste of health Go MaCro: M Café We celebrate the landmark's 7th anni- versary with a look at the cultural evolution L of its signature fare By Jen Jones Donatelli Lee Gross was unknowingly planting the seeds for one of Hollywood's favorite healthy haunts. "Dur- ing that time I was refining a macrobiotic repertoire that stayed true to the principles, but was fun and tasted good—we had a lot of fun with that at din- ner parties," says Gross, M Café's inaugural and now consulting chef. "By the time I got to M Café, I was ready to put it out to the world." And Los Angeles was ready to listen. For the ove the innovative, vibrant macrobiotic eats at M Cafe? Thank Gwyneth Paltrow. While serving as her personal chef for several years, last seven years, health-minded foodies and curi- ous eaters alike have flocked to M Café (which now has a Beverly Hills location in addition to the original Melrose mainstay). The restaurant also a gradual gravitation toward more wholesome, plant- based eating. "When we started seven years ago, we were one of the first out of the gate doing quinoa and kale; now it's ubiquitous," he says. "Generally, whole foods and whole grains—which are the heart and root of macrobiotics—have evolved mainstream. We've seen incredible growth in consciousness, which is wonderful and exactly what we set out to do." Among the menu's most-ordered dishes are the boasts plenty of star power, with such boldface names as Natalie Portman, Jake Gyllenhaal and Jessica Alba making regular appearances. Much of the appeal stems from M Café's creative and accessible approach, which Gross says makes macrobiotic eating less intimidating. "M Café translates macrobiotic principles to be more main- stream, more familiar, more fun," he says. Looking at the bigger picture, Gross also credits the restaurant's popularity to collective curiosity and 22 wholelifetimesmagazine.com in a seasoned tofu pouch. Yet despite these signature dishes' resemblance Big Macro Burger, which Gross calls a "complete macrobiotic meal within a bun," and the zesty Carolina-Style BBQ Seitan Sandwich—along with sweet potato- or thin-cut organic fries. Colorful kale and quinoa salads also serve as popular sides (or stand-alone dishes), and many customers like to wash them down with fresh-squeezed juices. Those looking for a quick sushi fix can snack on their choice of Tuna Tataki, Braised Shiitake or Cucumber-Gari sushi, made with organic brown rice and wrapped to popular picks from more mainstream cuisine, M Café's offerings are hard-core macrobiotic. All food is prepared without red meat, poultry, dairy, eggs or refined sugar, and chefs Gross and Yamato have carefully designed the largely plant-based menu to be fully balanced in keeping with macro principles. "Good menu planning is all about employing cally balanced palate of food," explains Gross. "[The goal is] contrasting energies and balanced flavor texture." Not surprisingly, the good energies translate to the restaurant's environment as well— M Café staffs a feng shui master, Kwai Lan Chan Cook, who, Gross says, helps with site selection and optimal layout. To help patrons achieve their own personal balance, the restaurant recently introduced a "RE- SET Your Life" 5-day meal plan in tandem with holistic nutritionist Elissa Goodman. The acronym "RESET" is a nod to the five macrobiotic transfor- mations of energy (renewing, energizing, support- ing, empowering and transforming), and a typical day might include such selections as kelp noodles, M Chopped Salad, detox juice and miso soup. "It's a great way to get a taste of macrobiotic eat- ing and see results," says Gross. Whether it's a promotion like RESET or the sea- sonally rotating menu, M Café is constantly evolv- ing and changing—and Gross wouldn't have it any other way. "Macrobiotics in practice is evolution. In part, it's about living fully in the world," he says. "It's not about restriction, it's about ultimate free- dom. We're trying to celebrate that here." knowledge of yin and yang to create an energeti- 9433 Brighton Way M Cafe De Chaya 7119 Mel rose Avenue, Hollywood , B.H.: mcafedechaya.com eat here now Photos: Top; Courtesy, M Café, Bottom: Jen Jones Donatelli