"Between the selfie stick-toting tourists and rental Lamborghinis revving their engines, Rodeo Drive isn’t the first place that comes to mind when we think of a peaceful lunch. But then there’s Nua inside the Crescent Hotel, where you can collect yourself in a lush, quiet patio, sip an espresso martini, and break into a chewy, sesame-crusted Jerusalem bagel with someone who also needs a moment to themselves. Nua’s lunchtime menu is smaller than its brunch and dinner but still features many of the same homey Mediterranean staples, like warm falafel, schnitzel sandwiches on fluffy challah, and a garlic-heavy shakshuka with three sunny yolks poking through the tomato sauce. " - sylvio martins, brant cox