Recipe Box: For the serious snackers

It's three-o-clock in the afternoon and you're feeling low on energy. A growling stomach tells you there's no way your 11:30 lunch will keep you sane 'til dinner. Snacktime is a daily dilemma most everyone faces. It's a serious problem that if not treated quickly or properly can result in severe crankiness. In my case, I'm in dire need of munchies no less than three times a day, and most days, chips from a vending machine are too much of a bore for my taste buds to even pay attention. For those times when you're in need of a real snack, here are 10 fun and easy recipes from the Los Angeles Times Test kitchen that will keep you satisfied and cranky-free.

Johnny's spinach and cheese balls

Nori's seaweed crackers

Fig, proscuitto and blue cheese pizzas

Thin wheat crackers

Carrot chips

Cream cheese balls with sesame and pistachios

Four seed snapper crackers

Beer-battered rock shrimp with honey mustard

Melon bites with prosciutto and basil

Hot h-o-t boneless buffalo wings

ALSO:

Dinner tonight!: Spaghetti with arugula and garlic bread crumbs

Test Kitchen video tips: Non-stick cheese grating

Cookbook Watch: Joe Bastianich's 'Restaurant Man'

-- Jenn Harris

twitter.com/jenn_harris

Super Bowl: Basement Tavern, City Tavern, Rush Street & more

Basement Tavern: Sports fans can enjoy happy hour specials all night long at the Basement Tavern at the Victorian on Super Bowl Sunday. There will be $3 beers, $5 well drinks, $5 house red and white wines by the glass, and 50% off all bottles of wine and champagne. Hot dogs, hamburgers and other dishes will be complimentary with a two-drink minimum. Feeling indulgent? The tavern is also offering a Bottle and Bacon package: For $1,000, guests will receive a bottle of whiskey and bourbon and bacon-wrapped hot dogs for 10-20 friends. 2640 Main St., Santa Monica, (310) 392-4956.

City Tavern: This "new American tavern" is offering all-day happy hour in honor of the Super Bowl.  Spectators can sip on $10 craft beer growlers while munching on Super Bowl meatballs and pigs in a blanket made with Spanish chorizo. If you are going with a group, reserve your own table tap booth where you can pour your own beer throughout the game. 9739 Culver Blvd., Culver City, (310) 838-9739, www.citytavernculvercity.com.

Pink Taco: The Century City taco joint has 11 LED TVs and one jumbo projection screen for your Super Bowl viewing pleasure. The restaurant is serving crispy carnita tacos with salsa fresca and chipotle mayo, adobado chicken mini tortas, mini churros and more, all for less than $6 (or pick four for $22). 10250 Santa Monica Blvd., Los Angeles, (310) 789-1000, www.pinktaco.com.

Rock & Reilly's: Located on the Sunset Strip, this pub boasts more than 45 Irish whiskeys and 14 antique framed flat-screen TVs as well as a 120-inch projection screen. It will be serving Super Bowl favorites with an Irish twist including whiskey bingo wings, Irish nachos (made with potatoes, peppered bacon and Irish cheddar), wee burgers and corned beef sliders. If you are not a beer drinker, the bar will have its signature Irish whiskey flights available. 8911 Sunset Blvd., West Hollywood, (310) 360-1400, www.rnrpub.com.

Rush Street: This high-end sports bar is serving up gourmet snacks on Super Bowl Sunday. Diners will be able to try dishes such as warm pretzels with beer cheese fondue, avocado fries, lobster and shrimp egg rolls, and a trio of hummus. For those with a bigger appetite, the gastropub will be serving pizzas, like caramelized onion, fig, pancetta and goat cheese, along with burgers, sandwiches and salads. It will also have an extensive drink menu including team-themed specialty cocktails. 9546 Washington Blvd., Culver City, (310) 837-9546 www.rushstreetculvercity.com.

ALSO:

Anthony Bourdain visits College of the Canyons on Feb. 9

'Moveable Feasts' dinner series by Los Angeles Nomadic Division

Tar & Roses open in Santa Monica

--Leah Rodrigues

twitter.com/Leah.Rodrigues24

Photo: Jeremy Back, assistant general manager of City Tavern. Credit: Gary Friedman/ Los Angeles Times

Media watch: Jamie Oliver calls Sarah Palin a 'froot loop'; Ludo's pop-up TV show; Anthony Bourdain in Haiti

 
Jamie Oliver fights fire with fire: In an interview with the Associated Press, Jamie Oliver countered the barrage of finger pointing by conservatives like Rush Limbaugh and Sarah Palin against the Obama administration's healthful eating agenda, claiming that Palin was a “froot loop” when it came to the nation’s food issues. Oliver, who is currently filming the TV show "Jamie's Food Revolution" in Los Angeles, lamented that the nation is in a “really dark moment” regarding childhood health and nutrition, insisting that the lack of healthful eating options and awareness in the U.S. bears the significance of a “civil rights issue.” Then there’s Rachel Ray’s take: "How could you criticize the idea of children playing in the sunshine and eating healthy food?"

Ludo on the Sundance Channel: Ludo Lefebvre has parlayed his pop-up restaurantconcept into a television show on the Sundance Channel. Set for July, the mini-series takes place in six different cities. Lefebvre and his wife/business partner, Kristine Lefebvre, will set up pop-up dinner events within a six-day time frame that revolve around the local community’s regional cuisine. Ludo and his wife are no strangers to the camera, having appeared on "Top Chef Masters" and "The Apprentice," respectively. With the circuit starting up in Alabama, Texas and South Carolina, all eyes will be fixed on how the French chef will merge his high-end repertoire with local comfort foods such as BBQ and fried chicken. Don’t blink, it's a short run -- just six episodes. As ever, Ludo is here today and gone tomorrow.

Anthony Bourdain in Haiti: Kicking off the seventh season of "No Reservations," Anthony Bourdain broke with his more familiar landscape of sunny beaches and Mai Tais for hard-hit Haiti. Following Sean Penn around at the sprawling tent city of his J/P HROPétionville camp, Bourdain avoided painting any fuzzy pictures of joy among the rubble. Encounters were often uncomfortable and intense, including somebody getting whacked with a belt when Bourdain tried to hand out food purchased from a street vendor. Nonetheless, the episode had a strong impact on viewers, causing the website of Penn’s relief organization to crash at one point from the flood of responses.  Selecting locations that include Nicaragua and Cambodia for the new season, Bourdain has certainly grasped the notion that venturing to emotionally charged locations can raise awareness beyond his typical media antics.

-- Max Diamond 

Photo of Jamie Oliver by Pat Carter/Associated Press; photo of Anthony Bourdain by Tom Pelling.

Small bites: dinner, brunch, and then a birthday party

Lobster and seafood boil for two. Fleming’s Prime Steakhouse and Wine Bar offers a new three-course menu at their many locations in Southern California until Aug. 15. Two of you can enjoy coleslaw salad  with tomatoes and mozzarella, seafood boil made with lobster, clams, mussels and shrimp, as well as corn on the cob, potatoes and sausage, with a peach-and-dried-cranberry cobbler to finish. It's $99 for two, but dinner for one is also available for $49. www.flemingssteakhouse.com

Brunch at Dominicks. Every Saturday and Sunday, you can try polenta waffles with whipped mascarpone, biscuits with a mushroom fontina gravy, herb waffles with smoked salmon and poached eggs, prosciutto and ricotta on a baguette, or white corn polenta with fried eggs and parmesan cheese. Sip a morning cocktail as well, like a strawberry Bellini or an Arnold Palmer with a kick. 8715 Beverly Blvd.; (310)652-2335; www.dominicksrestaurant.com

SusieCakes is 4. SusieCakes Bakeries are throwing birthday parties across town Aug. 7, from 1 p.m. to 4 p.m. Eat free mini cupcakes, enjoy 40-cent snickerdoodles, chocolate chip and iced molasses cookies, or just listen to some classic rock. susiecakesla.com

-- Amanda Gottesman

Photo: Lobster and seafood boil. Credit: Fleming's Prime Steakhouse and Wine Bar

Liver tasting menu at the Grill on the Alley, $5 cocktails at Elements Kitchen and weekend brunch at Delphine

The Grill on the Alley: This stylish Beverly Hills haunt is applying a modern approach to a vintage dish with its three-course liver tasting menu, served April 19-25. This isn't your grandmother's liver and onions: Dinner begins with an endive, spicy pecan, romaine and Gorgonzola salad before moving on to a choice of either calf’s liver with bacon and onions or calf’s liver with bordelaise sauce, and finishing with a sweet treat. The cost is $37.75, add another $10 for a glass of wine. 9560 Dayton Way, Beverly Hills. (310) 276-0615; www.thegrill.com. Also available in Thousand Oaks and Westlake Village.

Elements Kitchen: Chef Onil Chibas’ classy Elements Kitchen in Pasadena has implemented a cocktail program headed up by bar consultant Michael Dozois of the much-talked-about Neve Luxury Ice company. Neve makes hand-cut ice cubes frozen to a slow-melting density that suits classic cocktails and fine sipping liquors. Dozois uses fresh juices and house-made syrups to create a menu of old-fashioned crowd-pleasers including gin rickeys, Gordon’s cups and mint juleps. To celebrate the new bar program, Elements has launched “Thursday Liquid Sketches” featuring three cocktails centered around a single element such as cucumber or hibiscus and priced at $5. It's a sister program to the restaurant’s “Wednesday Night Sketches,” which offers a weekly changing menu of $5 small plates based around a single ingredient like asparagus or scallops. 37 S. El Molino Ave., Pasadena. (626) 440-0044. www.elementskitchen.com.

Delphine at the W Hollywood: This breezy brasserie in the uber-hip W Hollywood hotel will debut its outdoor patio and begin serving brunch this weekend on both Saturday and Sunday from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. Classic, Riviera-inspired dishes include Le Delphine fruits de mer; Croque Monsieur or Madame; eggs à la Basquaise; scrambled eggs in puff pastry with asparagus and wild mushrooms; steak frites with béarnaise; and grilled chicken paillard salad with frisée and mustard vinaigrette. Fresh-squeezed juices, espresso, cocktails and Bellinis are also available. 6250 Hollywood Blvd. (323) 798-1355; www.restaurantdelphine.com.

-- Jessica Gelt

Photo: The beefsteak tomato tartare at Elements Kitchen. Credit: Glenn Koenig / Los Angeles Times

Small Bites: Drago Centro's panini bar; red velvet goes vegan at Sprinkles

It's good to be vegan: Babycakes isn't the only vegan-cupcake game in town. Sprinkles has announced that "after months of testing, trials and research," it is unveiling new vegan and gluten-free versions of its signature red velvet cupcake. They'll be available at all Sprinkles starting Monday. The vegan red velvet cupcake is made with soy milk, tofu-based cream cheese and pure coconut oil. Gluten-free red velvet is made with gluten-free flour and topped with Sprinkles' original cream cheese frosting. See www.sprinkles.com for locations. 

Call me Dagwood: Downtown's sandwich options keep expanding: There are now two branches of Mendocino Farms; the Lazy Ox, now open for lunch, is serving oyster po' boys and shrimp rolls along with grilled cheese and its signature burger; and now Drago Centro introduces its panini bar. Made-to-order sandwiches can be eaten at the restaurant bar or ordered to go, such as fresh mozzarella, tomatoes and basil ($9); pork sausage with onions, peppers and garlic aioli ($9.50); Kobe meatballs with arrabiata sauce ($9.50); and porchetta with Gorgonzola dolce, fig mustard and arugula ($9.50). Cookies (pistachio and orange biscotti) are $2. Monday to Friday, 11:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m., 525 S. Flower St., Los Angeles, (213) 228-8998, www.dragocentro.com.

-- Betty Hallock

Photo: Sprinkles' red velvet cupcakes. Credit: Ken Hively / Los Angeles Times

Small Bites: Prohibition menu at Saddle Peak Lodge; offal on offer at Palate Food + Wine (lunch coming Feb. 19)

What's old is new again: Saddle Peak Lodge is celebrating the 125-year anniversary of the rustic building it is housed in and 25 years under its current ownership. Given this lengthy history, it's little wonder that the place -- once frequented by Hollywood heavyweights including Charlie Chaplin and Mary Pickford -- was popular during the Prohibition as well. To that end, Saddle Peak mixologist Chris Barragan has launched a new cocktail menu packed with Prohibition-era favorites including mint juleps; Negronis (Carpano Antica vermouth and Hendrick’s gin); Papa Hemingway daiquiris; Sazeracs; mojitos; and classic Manhattans. In addition to the libations, the kitchen has cooked up some new seafood and vegetarian dishes to complement its menu of game meats. 419 Cold Canyon Road, Calabasas. (818) 222-3888; www.saddlepeaklodge.com.

Innards are in: Octavio Becerra's acclaimed restaurant and wine bar, Palate Food + Wine, in Glendale has introduced an extra-special Wednesday night menu called "offal good," featuring, yes, offal and lots of it. Depending on the temperament of your tummy (and your ability to eat items closely associated with another animal's digestive tract), you may be ecstatic about this news. The three-course, offal-based menu costs $25 and is served from 5:30 to 10 p.m. The inaugural menu consisted of split pea soup with crispy pigs ears and lime; sweet bread with oro blanco, chicory, celery root and pomegranate; and braised oxtail, pomme puree and parsley salad. Future menus might contain cheeks, feet, heart, kidneys, brains, liver, lungs, marrow bone and tongue. In other news, Palate will begin serving lunch every Friday and Saturday from noon to 2:30 p.m. on Feb. 19. 933 S. Brand Blvd., Glendale. (818) 662-9463; www.palatefoodwine.com.

-- Jessica Gelt

Photo: Rabbit, grits and Concord grapes are served at Palate Food + Wine. Credit: Lawrence K. Ho / Los Angeles Times

Small Bites: Capriotti's Sandwich Shop to open in Beverly Hills; Water Grill expands its raw bar

Stuffed with goodness: The gourmet sandwich chain Capriotti's, which began as a family business in Delaware 33 years ago, is opening its first West Coast location in Beverly Hills on Monday. Originally conceived with the goal of creating a new sandwich concept in the Little Italy area of Wilmington (by roasting fresh, whole turkeys overnight), Capriotti's began franchising in the '80s. A colleague here at the office says Capriotti's broke into the Las Vegas market partly after the original owner and co-founder, Lois Margolet, brought subs on the plane to Vegas and hungry passengers would clamor for bites. Margolet also handed out samples to pit bosses with great success. Now, there are nearly 20 locations in Sin City. The Beverly Hills location will serve the traditional Capriotti's menu, including signature sandwiches such as the Bobbie (fresh roasted, pulled turkey, stuffing, cranberry sauce and mayonnaise) and the Capastrami (hot pastrami, melted Swiss cheese, Russian dressing and coleslaw). 9683 Wilshire Blvd., Beverly Hills. www.capriottis.com.

A raw deal: Downtown's fresh seafood mecca, Water Grill, just expanded its already satisfying raw bar offerings to include at least eight varieties of oysters from regions such as Mexico; British Columbia, Canada; New Zealand; and Connecticut. Also on offer: a bunch of new chilled seafood selections, including Channel Island purple sea urchin, Alaskan king crab “nuggets” and Oregon Dungeness crab. Most exciting to me are three new shellfish platters (I freak for shellfish platters) loaded with oysters, clams, king crab, shrimp, mussels, lobster, Dungeness crab, sea urchin and steamed periwinkles. Platters come in three sizes: “the Grand," $35; “the Deluxe," $70; and “the King," $135. 544 S. Grand Ave., L.A. (213) 891-0900; www.watergrill.com.  

-- Jessica Gelt

Photo: A new shellfish platter at Water Grill / Water Grill

Small Bites: Brunch tacos at Fig, pressed caviar at Petrossian and holiday bento boxes at Breadbar

Breakfast tacos: Tacos are the quintessential L.A. food: simple, satisfying and available on practically every street corner. Fig Restaurant is now cashing in on the taco's cachet by adding a taco bar to its Kegs & Eggs Sunday brunch. Tacos go for $3 a pop and include chicken; steak; lengua; carnitas; fish; chicharron; poblano and mushroom; chorizo and potato; and quesillo and rojas. Sides include Spanish rice, refried beans, frijoles de la jolla, queso fundido and nopales. To drink, you can choose from Miller High Life (without a doubt the breakfast of true champions), horchata or sangrita. Fig Restaurant, 101 Wilshire Blvd., Santa Monica. (310) 319-3111. www.figsantamonica.com.

A bento-ful Christmastime: From now through the New Year, both Breadbar locations are offering special Christmas bento boxes priced at $17 for brunch, lunch and dinner. Inside during brunch: one BLT slider; one bacon-and-egg slider; white bean soup with tomato and kale; and a house-made chocolate roll. For lunch and dinner, the sliders get replaced with Breadbar's illustriously named Tower sandwich. Breadbar, 10250 Santa Monica Boulevard R-2, Century City. (310) 277-3770. Or 8718 W. 3rd St., L.A. (310) 205-0124. www.breadbar.net.

Im-press-ive! Petrossian Boutique and Restaurant is pleased to offer a treat that is hard to find in many restaurants because of restrictions on importing it: pressed caviar. The rich, thick paste is made from what is left over when traditional caviar is packed. You can find this decadent dainty on Executive Chef Benjamin Bailly's new Petrossian Experience menu, which is basically a smaller menu geared toward the adventurous eater of caviar. Dishes include stuffed potatoes with crème fraîche, chives and pressed caviar ($20); smoked salmon linguine with lemon, vodka and pressed caviar ($28); and seared sturgeon with white cocoa bean, artichokes and pressed caviar ($39). Or you can just pick some up to take home. Thirty grams cost $63. Yeow! Petrossian Boutique and Restaurant, 321 N. Robertson Blvd., West Hollywood. (310) 271-0576. www.petrossian.com

-- Jessica Gelt

Photo: Chicken tacos with avocado. Credit: Business Wire

Small Bites: 9021Pho opens in Beverly Hills, Alcove to get a bar, Lazy Dog Cafe opens in Valencia

Pho in Beverly Hills: As its name implies, 9021Pho serves pho (four types, to be exact) in the 90210 ZIP Code. The restaurant, which opens today, is overseen by chef Kimmy Tang, who emphasizes market-fresh produce and a health-conscious menu of stir-fry dishes, bento boxes and other Vietnamese eats. 490 N. Beverly Drive, Beverly Hills, CA.

Alcohol at the Alcove: The upscale market inside the Alcove Cafe and Bakery will reopen as a bar in early 2010. More details to come. 1929 Hillhurst Ave., L.A. (323) 644-0100.

Lazy Dog gets its day: On Monday, the latest outpost of expanding pan-ethnic chain the Lazy Dog Cafe opens inside the Valencia Town Center. (Soft opening this Thursday.) The brainchild of father/son duo Thomas and Chris Simms (dad is the founder of the vaguely New Orleans-y Mimi's Cafe chain), Lazy Dog's menu is a magpie collection of the most accessible dishes from around the world: pizza, pasta, hummus, burgers, wok-fried dishes, tacos, fish and chips, ribs, pot pies, salads and more. Plus, it has a full bar. 24201 Valencia Blvd., Valencia. (661) 253-9996, www.lazydogcafe.com.

-- Elina Shatkin

Photo: Salon's "sexiest man living," Jon Hamm, 38, of "Mad Men" relaxes at the Alcove in Los Feliz. Credit: Kirk McKoy / Los Angeles Times.