Momed
233 South Beverly Drive
Beverly Hills, CA 90212
(310) 270-4444

If you've got hummus on your mind (I often do) you might want to check out Momed restaurant and marketplace in Beverly Hills, which professes to specialize in "Modern Eastern Mediterranean" cuisine. Indeed, the menu has options that don't much resemble the highly traditional offerings of tried-and-true Eastern Mediterranean restaurants like Marouch on Santa Monica Boulevard.

For breakfast there's sheep's milk yogurt with organic honey and toasted walnuts, hardboiled eggs with cumin and pita, and organic eggs baked over roasted tomatoes, peppers and onions, as well as a variety of za'atar bread with akkawi cheese.

Lunch and dinner bring nuanced offerings including zucchini and feta cheese fritters with yogurt sauce; Djemaa el Fna (escargot with garlic and herbs); spicy sujuk sausage, red onion, piquillo peppers and halloumi cheese; apricot and smoked chile-glazed grilled lamb riblets; and cabbage leaves stuffed with veal, avgolemono and rice.

Skewers, sandwiches, salads, soups and the expected sides such as hummus, house-marinated olives, dolmas, baba ganoush and tabbouleh are also available on the menu as well as to take home from the marketplace.

The space is airy and light, with an open kitchen and an attractive counter filled with dips and desserts. There are also communal tables and a patio. 

Fruit and even veggie variations of classic cocktails are working their way onto Gold Coast bar menus. Yesterday's upstart, pomegranate, now shares the bill with new stars, such as passion fruit, lychee fruit, flowers and even cucumbers.

Cucumbers? At Fort Lauderdale's BOVA Prime, which opened on Las Olas Boulevard in 2008 as Riley McDermott's, one of the signature drinks is the Mint-To-Be martini, made of premium Polish Orzel vodka, mint leaves and fresh cucumber slices shaken together, then poured into a martini glass and garnished with a mint sprig.

"It's a very light summer martini, very crisp, very fresh," says Jason Cotter, beverage director at the seafood steakhouse. The drink is especially popular served with oysters from the restaurant's raw bar, he says.

Another hit at the eatery: the Pineapple Bella Martini, made of vodka soaked for days in fresh pineapple, Veuve Clicquot champagne and crushed ice. "It has an effervescent candy pineapple flavor," Cotter says. "It's really popular with women in our bar."

At Blue Martini at the Galleria Mall in Fort Lauderdale, one of the star exotics is Pink Passion, a mixture of Skyy Passion Fruit vodka, PAMA pomegranate liqueur and pineapple juice, served in a glass rimmed with pomegranate-flavored sugar and garnished with an edible orchid.

The finest fish from across the globe meets Californian sensibilities at the Forum Shops’ Sushi Roku; the restaurant consistently wins top honors in the “best of” polls voted on by Las Vegas readers. While quality is important—and Sushi Roku doesn’t compromise—it’s the artistry with which its sushi is created that truly sets Sushi Roku apart. Head sushi chef Kiichi Okabe incorporates non-traditional ingredients from Latin America and Europe into his works of art; the result is revolutionary. Pair that with hand-crafted cocktails created specifically for the restaurant or a selection from the lengthy sake list, and feel your taste buds come alive.

On the third level of the Forum Shops at Caesars. Reservations are recommended. 702-733-7373. www.sushiroku.com

On the Square

The Rittenhouse Square neighborhood, Philadelphia’s most upscale district, is home to a host of great eateries including three recently opened hotspots. Try stylish Square 1682 in the hip Hotel Palomar (121 S. 17th St., 215-563-5008) for a taste of chef Guillermo Tellez’s adventurous New American fare; try the perfectly charred marinated octopus, one of 40 shareable plates. Sushi lovers will adore Zama (128 S. 19th St., 215-568-1027), chef Hiroyuki “Zama” Tanaka’s gorgeous, Zen-like destination for contemporary Japanese cuisine. Zama delivers delicacies like Berkshire pork Tonkatsu, pristine sushi and innovative maki (the whole tempura spicy tuna is a must). Then there’s Village Whiskey (118 S. 20th St., 215-665-1088) from the new “Iron Chef” Jose Garces. It’s worth the wait for a table at this tiny corner spot, thanks to the decadent duck-fat fries, house-made pickles, barbecue pulled pork and what may be the best burger in town (with or without the foie gras). Wash it all down with a sampling from the restaurant’s 80-bottle whiskey list.

Hands down one of the BEST dining experience we had while we were in Bali, was at Bebek Bengil, or more commonly known as Dirty Duck Diner in Ubud town of Bali. Tourists from all over the globe have stepped into, cracked some duck’s bones, and subsequently sworn allegiance to the 19 years old restaurant, situated in Padang Tegal, in the heart of Ubud town.