Crystals, Sex Milk, and Seaweed, Moon Juice Energizes Silver Lake on Saturday

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Amanda Chantal Bacon's dried mango and papaya is sweeter, with more flavor than any other dried fruit in LA. But why? The Suzanne Goin-trained chef and self-proclaimed ingredient nerd seeks out only the highest quality organic ingredients for her CCOF-certified sweet/savory raw snack line and cold pressed juices, the menu for which has grown dramatically since Bacon launched Venice's Moon Juice on Rose in early 2012. And tomorrow Moon Juice gets serious in Silver Lake with its second, more grown-up shop on W. Sunset Boulevard.

Bacon's resume, which reflects a few years at Lucques and counts opening chef at Forage in Silver Lake, is made apparent in her more-sophisticated-than-your-average-juicery bill of fare. From sour cherry and cracked black pepper jam cups to strawberry geranium bars to dulse and vinegar almonds, there's an understanding of flavors and textures generally uncommon at juice joints. In fact, how many juice bars in LA are making an entire line of raw nut milk cheeses and pates, fermented coconut yogurt, and sandwiches with carrot cake and saffron cream? Exactly.

While Bacon's new Silver Lake shop is a matured and expanded vision of the Rose juicery, many of her new snacks will hit the Venice shelves next week. Design-wise, just like the Venice shop, Bacon conceived the simple, earthy space with help from friends. The woodwork/cabinetry was done by Eric Lamers and custom lighting fixtures are from Rewire Gallery on Melrose.

The large photograph hanging in the living room area was done by artist Tierney Gearon, and she's also responsible for the stack of tie-dye tee shirts for sale. There's also a set of linens designed by Moon Juice x Rachel Craven, with aprons, dish towels, and more textiles to come.

Other new and noteworthy additions are a line of nut milks (pumpkin seed ginger, walnut cinnamon breakfast milk), Moon Tonics (Sex Milk, Beauty Milk), with flower potions/remedies (yes, that's really happening) en route from "flower witch" Alexis Smart.

Moon Juice is a far more complex operation than meets the eye. Bacon says that she wants her shop to offer easy access to thoughtfully crafted, health-improving food and drink enhanced with esoteric ingredients you've likely never discovered. And while she isn't looking to add a Moon Juice to every street corner in Los Angeles, she's open to launching a few more locations. Hours of operation in Silver Lake will run daily from 7 a.m. to 8 p.m., although Bacon expects to eventually serve even later.
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