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SELF-CARE TIPS FOR MOMS eat here now L ocated on Melrose Ave. in the heart of Hollywood, Barba- ra Jean is a graciously appointed patio restaurant behind the Melrose Umbrella Company. With comfortable booth seating, lush plants, and atmospheric elements from some of the chef's personal books to graffi ti art, this is a comfortable spot to savor market-driven, fresh ingredients. The vibe is both sophisticated and homey, a perfect al fresco setting that feels uniquely Los Angeles. The cuisine emphasizes the use of ancient grains and veg- etables, and often employs fermentation as well. "Locally sourced, and inspired by love" is the tag line used by Chef Jason Fullilove. The menu varies seasonally, according to Aylya Marzolf, the restaurant's manager and executive coordinator. "Our menu is changing regularly based on what is in season, fresh, and avail- able for brunch and dinner," she relates. "I think it's important for people to know that this entire project is full of soul and heart. Every step in creating the menu and the space has been a labor of love." Originally from Cleveland, Ohio, Chef Fullilove spent parts of his childhood in Southern Africa. Fullilove has been featured on The Food Network, and helmed tasting menus and multi- course dining inspired by art exhibitions and fi lms at the Los Angeles County Museum of Art. It's not a surprise then, that his menu here is artfully presented and prepared. "We use a lot of traditional soul food fl avors, but Chef Fulli- love uses modern techniques and globally inspired ingredients in their preparation," Marzolf adds. The vegetable dishes on the dinner menu are particularly richly fl avored and succulent. Earthy and satisfying, black-eyed peas, braised and gluten-free, are truly a wonder. They're nei- ther too soft nor too hard, enormously fl avorful, and vegan all the way. Fried okra with violet mustard also offers a terrifi c com- bination of fl avors. As with many of the dishes here, the taste builds gradually, almost insinuatingly, until as a diner, you'll want to devour the whole plate. But pace yourself. There are caramelized Brussels sprouts with apple chutney, both mildly spicy and delicately sweet; perfectly crisp hushpuppies with truffl e honey; and roasted baby potatoes with minted lime yo- gurt that may be my favorite dish. While a standard just about everywhere in L.A. these days, the grilled little gem lettuce salad with beets is a fl avorful and colorful presentation here featuring tri-colored beets; grilling enhances the fl avor and texture. A peach crumble with coconut sorbet makes a perfect fi nish. For brunch, organic wheat blueberry pancakes with ma- ple syrup are hard to top. There's an inspired craft cocktail program too, as well as beer, wine, and kombucha. With bar bites such as a mélange of mixed season farmer's market roasted vegetables, a tangy wa- tercress salad with grapefruit, and a gluten-free quiche made with summer squash and organic eggs, there are satisfying tastes any time of day. In short, veg lovers may have met their "soulful" match at Barbara Jean. Barbara Jean is located at 7465 Melrose Ave, Los Angeles 90046. Call 323-718-5142 or visit BarbaraJeanLA.com SELF-CARE TIPS FOR MOMS SELF-CARE TIPS FOR MOMS By Genie Davis Elegant Soul Food with a Veg Twist BARBARA JEAN Photo top: Genie Davis, Photos left: Courtesy of Barbara Jean LA BARBARA JEAN 18 wholelifetimes.com