UPDATE 6/27/2011: i just received an email from a second reader saying the fritters contain egg. stay away from them! the good news is, supposedly the bazaar has introduced a separate vegan menu. i can’t find it online, so it must be pretty new. so awesome!

UPDATE 4/9/2011: since posting this, someone has commented saying the fritters contain egg. i followed up and called the restaurant, and was told again (just as i was by my server) that the fritters are vegan. maybe bazaar has changed their policy, so be sure to ask. and as always, eat at your own risk!

this is a blog post for all you high rollin’ herbivores out there. we all know we can have our casual fast food, our greasy pub grub, and even epic tasting menus occasionally at exclusively vegan restaurants. but can we eat at ultra posh hang outs with artsy decor where celebrity chefs serve up unique cuisine? thanks to the bazaar by jose andres at SLS hotel, we certainly can.

if you want a truly fancy los angeles experience that is vegan-friendly, but not specifically “vegan” (let’s face it: vegan restaurants aren’t known for their atmosphere), the bazaar is your place. you will have to get to know the wait staff and ask for things made to animal-free specifications, but i assure you that you can absolutely get a great meal at the sls hotel’s fancy restaurant. i hit up the bazaar recently with my friend jackie from alternative outfitters, and we had quite an awesome meal. i even saw kate beckinsale in the bathroom!

jalé berry: fresh blackberries, gin, cointreau and a slice of jalapeño. $16

first up, drinks. being at such a fancy restaurant, we couldn’t pass up the chance to indulge in some specialty cocktails. we both ordered the “jalé berry” which consisted of fresh blackberries, gin, cointreau, and jalapeno. the perfect mix of sweet and spicy, this drink was delicious.

olives: modern and traditional. $10

next, we went about ordering tons of food. the style at this restaurant is small shared plates, so everything you see pictured was split between 2 people. the bazaar has loads vegetable dishes, many of which are vegan, but i’d still recommend you ask about each one specifically. even though our waiter was very knowledgeable about veganism and willing to accommodate us, we did wind up with accidental dairy on our table at one point…so always double check. i’d even suggest letting them know you’re vegan when you book your reservation.

first up, the olives. this dish came with two styles of olives: modern, pictured above and traditional, pictured below. the modern ones were served in little spoons floating in oil and basically melted the second they went into my mouth. talk about amazing texture!

the traditional olives were stuffed with hot piquillo peppers. they also normally come with anchovies, but the folks at the bazaar were happy to leave those out for us.

jicama wrapped guacamole, micro cilantro, corn chips. $10

next we had the “jicama wrapped guacamole, micro cilantro, corn chips”. paper thin jicama purses stuffed with creamy guac and crispy little chips. there were 5 of these babies on the plate and we were totally fighting over the last one.

ottoman carrot fritters, apricots, pistachio sauce. $8

i let jackie have the last guacamole bundle, but it paid off because i got the last carrot fritter! these crunchy babies were the highlight of my night—fried crisp on the outside and all soft in the middle. mmm. mmm.

brussels sprouts, lemon puree, apricots, grapes, lemon air. $8

the next dish was the “brussels sprouts, lemon puree, apricots, grapes, lemon air”. i believe there was something inherently non-vegan about this dish that our waiter had to warn us about. perhaps the lemon puree? either way, the vegan version we received was excellent. that lemon air kinda looks like spit, doesn’t it? i promise it tasted good.

oven roasted cippolini onions, clementines, passion fruit, pumpkin seed oil. $8

our next course was “cippolini onions, clementines, passion fruit, pumpkin seed oil”. i’m not a huge fruit fan, so this was a little too sweet for me. if fruit is your thing though, this would probably be amazing.

persimmon and seaweed salad, sesame, soy, yuzu. $10

i believe the persimmon and seaweed salad was the dish that arrived with accidental dairy. either way, our waiter spotted it right away, and it was quickly corrected. i loved the sweet persimmon taste balanced out with the salty ocean flavor.

sauteed cauliflower couscous: cauliflower puree, harissa, lemon, crispy quinoa. $9

lastly, we shared what was probably my second favorite dish (nothing beat the fritters): “sauteed cauliflower couscous: cauliflower puree, harissa, lemon, crispy quinoa”. crunchy, sweet, and spicy all at the same time…i loved it.

there’s also a pretty large dessert menu at the bazaar, with a few vegan items including chocolates, fruit, and assorted candies. just be sure to double check with the patisserie about ingredients.

the interior at the bazaar is killer. it’s like eating in a fancy museum/living room/dining room. comfy chairs, a long bar, tables that are all very far away from each other…plus a mishmash of crazy art and collectibles. you just have to see it to believe it. here are some pictures i snapped on the way out…

oh check it out, here comes my ride:

just kidding!

overall, the bazaar is an awesome place to dine if you are looking for a really fancy experience. it has ambiance and sophistication that no meatless restaurant in this town can offer. that being said, just always remember that the bazaar doesn’t have a separate vegan or vegetarian menu, so you really need to double and triple check your food. call in advance, tell them you’re vegan, and keep reminding your waiter. if you do that, you should be fine. jackie and i had a lovely time, and i’m looking forward to eating at the bazaar again once i save up enough scratch for another meal.

the bazaar
SLS Hotel at Beverly Hills
465 S La Cienega Blvd
Los Angeles, CA 90048
(310) 246-5567