Curtis Stone's Maude Restaurant in Beverly Hills

Maude is named after TV personality and executive chef and owner Curtis Stone's grandmother which opened in Beverly Hills.  The small restaurant seats about 30 people and features a new monthly 9-course menu focused on an in-season ingredient.  The opening tasting menu month featured citrius and in March, the menu included artichokes.   For the month of April, the featured in-season ingredient was peas.

I really wanted to "love" this restaurant.   There has been so much hype in this hard to get reservation at Maude.  Maybe because the month of April was dedicated to peas which is not on too many people's favorite list, but with accomplished celebrity chef and owner, Curtis Stone, at the helm, it shouldn't have been that much of a challenge.  The fixed price menu was $80.00 and the wine pairing was $60.   We elected the wine pairing as recommended by the General Manager and wine director, Ben Aviram, who also helped service the tables.

The first wine pairing was a beer mixed with champagne, Deus.   It is a Belgian Ale and was interesting and somewhat refreshing.
 

The Deus accompanied the amuse bouches that were served.

Burrata with Pea Pesto and Garlic Toast

Rabbit Pie with Pea Foam

I have to admit that the Rabbit Pie was surprisingly my favorite of all the amuses presented.  The crust was perfectly delicate with a tasty braised rabbit shoulder and leg and pea foam and tarragon on top.

Gyro lamb

Fritter

Chateau Jolys, "Cuvee Pauline", Juracon Sec, France 2009

Spring Salad - Spring Onions, Cucumber Lemonade, Radish Flowers, Asparagus, Dried Peas

The Juracon Sec was a nice wine pairing with the Spring Salad.  As the Spring Salad was good featuring various types of peas, it was somewhat ordinary.

Schloss Gobelsburg,"Steinsetz", Kamptal Reserve, Austria 2012

The next wine was from Austria and not one of my favorite.  It was a Schloss Gobelsburg Steinsetz and accompanied the next 2 courses of soup and trout.  I think they could have accompanied these courses with a better wine from a better vineyard.

Peas & Carrots Soup - Pea, Carrot Foam, Puree, Mint

The Peas and Carrot soup was one of my favorite.   The deep pea reduction and the carrot foam gave a very nice taste.

Ocean Trout Crudo with Pea Leaves and Flowers topped with Wasabi Snow

Arnot-Roberts, "Luchsinger", Clear Lake, CA 2013

The next 2 courses were paired with a Luchsinger from a Clear Lake winery, Arnot-Roberts, which was a nice change from the Austrian wine.

Vitello Tonnato - Sweetbreads, Pearl Onions, Wood Sorrel

Bouillabaisse Raviolo - Crab, Shrimp, Goat Cheese

The Bouillabaisse Ravioli was probably my favorite course of the meal.  The peas was actually in the flour of the ravioli.   The bouillabaisse sauce in the ravioli reminded me of a shanghai dumpling that oozes a wonderful liquid that nicely accompanied the bits of crab and shrimp.  The pasta was perfectly done and presented.

Wind Gap, Syrah, Sonoma Coast, CA 2011

  

Lamb Neck - Chanterelles, Ramps, Potato

The lamb neck was accompanied by a syrah from the Sonoma Coast.    The syrah brought out the flavor of the braised lamb that had that gamey muttony taste but softened by the morels and pea puree.   

Pea and Elderberry White Chocolate Ice Cream

The palate cleanser was a nice touch before dessert.  The pea and elderberry ice cream was coated in white chocolate and was a nice transition to dessert. 

Elio Perrone, "Bigaro", Piemonte, Italy 2013

The dessert wine from Italy was a very nice sweet wine and went well with what was to follow.

Frangipane Tart - strawberry, Tarragon Cream, Tangerine Sorbet

Final petite four course offering of sweets:  Matcha almond dragee, pea & ginger shortbread, and yuzu caramel.  The Yuzu caramel was the tastiest and I could have eaten a lot more of them.

Mignardises

Overall, the presentation of each course was excellent and the service was above average.   There was creativity in featuring peas as part of each course;  some worked, some didn't.   Of all the courses served, I would say the Rabbit Pie, Peas and Carrot soup, Bouillabaisse Ravioli, and Lamb Neck were the highlights of the meal.


The other courses, that included the Spring Salad, Burrata with Peas Pesto, Ocean Trout Curdo, and Fritter, although good, were nothing special.  At $80.00 for this prix fixe meal, I had higher expectations for each of the courses served.  Add the $60 up charge for the 3 oz. wine pairing that included an unusual Austrian wine choice, I expected the meal to be at least at the caliber of Providence or even Orsa and Winston.  I would definitely skip the wine pairing because the selection does not warrant the additional $60.    Maybe it was the Peas, but at $180 that includes tax and tip per person, I'm not overly anxious to give this place another try very soon even with the parting homemade granola and yogurt breakfast gift.

Closure of the Ritz Restaurant in Newport Beach

The Ritz is a Newport Beach institution for the last 32 years and it is closing next month because the Irvine company will not renew their lease.   The decor is very upscale and their wine list is extensive.

Newport Beach Restaurant week was a good opportunity to enjoy this restaurant for one last time and at a great price.  They offered a $20 prix-fixe lunch which is a bargain for this place.   The service was EXCELLENT and the decor and ambiance did not disappoint.   It is like going into an old Hollywood joint.  However, with the impending closure, they didn't bother taking down the Christmas decorations which was a bit distracting.  

I had a bad experience about 10 years ago at the Ritz and hadn't been back.  The Newport Beach Restaurant week was an opportunity for them to redeem themselves in my eyes and close on a high note.   The service and atmosphere certainly met and exceeded my expectations.    Unfortunately, for me, the food was a bit disappointing as it did not match their upscale service and atmosphere.

From the prix-fixe menu, I started with their signature Caesar salad which was probably my favorite of the 3 courses.  It was nicely dressed with plenty of shaved parmesan cheese and the lettuce was fresh and crisp even though I don't think they used  romaine.  For the entree, I had the scampi provencale which had good flavor and was nicely seasoned, but the quality of the shrimp was less than I would have expected for the Ritz.  They were meaty but small-to-medium in size with a bed of linguine to help fill you up.   Their best trio dessert sample was the citrus cheesecake.

Shrimp Provencale

Ritz Trio Dessert Sampler

Overall, the lunch was generally good especially at their special prix-fixe price of $20 for all 3 courses.   However, I would have expected more from the Ritz on the food which was a little bit above mediocre.  I believe the Ritz has survived over the last few years on reputation and legacy dining from their loyal and local customers.   I would have been more disappointed if I had paid their normal menu price for the dishes that were served.  

FOOD   3 stars
SERVICE  5 stars
AMBIANCE  4 stars

Son of a Gun, what a great restaurant, near the Beverly Center

Son of a Gun is the second restaurant opening for chefs Jon Shook and Vinny Dotolo, well known for Animal.   Son of a Gun, in contrast, is a storefront seafood-focused menu with a nautical theme.

The restaurant takes reservations, but if you don't show up with your entire party within 15 minutes, you have the potential of losing your table as this place gets fairly crowded and can get loud.   They have both individual tables that are reserved and a long communal type table to accommodate their walk-in patrons.

The menu items are generally served as small plates that are meant to be shared with your party (some more difficult than others and some, you just don't want to share any of it) so you can have several different tastes that this restaurant has to offer.  The menu changes daily, but there are always some favorites that are always on the menu.

There were quite a number of dishes that were noteworthy and quite good that we shared.

Shrimp Toast

Lobster Roll

The shrimp toast was very tasty.  It is somewhat similar to the shrimp toast that you would find at some dim sum restaurants, but the portion is a bit larger.   Because it is deep fried, it is highly recommended that it is eaten as it is served to get the most of this dish.


The lobster roll was presented on a soft bun that was split down the middle filled with a fair amount of lobster.   It was buttery and quite tasty.   You will want to order your own individual serving.

Fried Chicken Sandwich

The fried chicken sandwich is probably the largest filling and portion of food on a plate that they have on the menu.   The chicken was moist inside and fried to near perfection.  The cole slaw adds a bit of extra dimension of flavor to what could have been an ordinary sandwich.

Roasted Escolar

Dungeness Crab

Blackened Local Rock Fish

 



The roasted escolar was a bit on the smaller portion size.  They serve about 4 oz of escolar on truffled pomme puree.  As the dish was overall delicious, I was craving for a bit more escolar.





















The dungeness crab was absolutely one of my favorite dish at Son of a Gun.  This seafood  dish was light and full of flavor.  The presentation was absolutely spot on.


The rock fish was served with tomatillo salsa which was reminiscent of eating a fish taco.  Definitely a nice presentation and dish to share. 

Seasonal Berry Pie with Homemade Buttermilk Ice Cream

We finished the meal with one of their more popular desserts, seasonal berry pie with some homemade ice cream.    What is more American than a piece of pie and you can never go wrong with homemade ice cream.




Son of a Gun is a nice addition to the 3rd Street restaurant choices and offers patrons with some unique seafood dishes and flavors that only Jon Shook and Vinny Dotolo can deliver. 


Son of a Gun, 8370 W. 3rd Street, Los Angeles, California 90048
(323) 782-9033

Connie & Ted's - A Rhode Island Seafood Shack Hits West Hollywood

Never did I ever imagine the ability of experiencing a true New England seafood or crab shack in L.A. but owner and chef extraordinare, Michael Cimarusti, has done that at his new venture, Connie and Ted's.  Just opened in June 2013, Connie and Ted's has become a highly sought out table and dining reservation in L.A.  With high success at his Providence restaurant which I think is the best restaurant in L.A., Cirmarusti decided to conjure up his childhood when he visited his grandparents in Rhode Island and the foods that he grew up and yearn today.

The location is where the infamous Silver Spoons diner was and the space has been completely redone with casual dining areas that are smartly furnished with red and wood and images of the New England area.   Leave your misconceptions of East Coast seafood at home as Connie and Ted's bring alive true crab shack dining as New Englanders know them to be.   The Rhode Island clam chowder, for example, is not your traditional New England or Manhattan style chowder, but a clear broth, tasty none the less.

Their appetizers are true Rhode Island stables that include:

Grilled Calamari

Steamers (soft shell clams)

Stuffies - linguiça, garlic, butter, breadcrumbs

Clam Cakes (or fritters)

Steamers were a surprise as they were not the traditional Manila clams you see everywhere else, but the tasty soft shell New England clams that came with clam broth for cleaning and drawn butter for dunking. Stuffies were absolutely delicious with the right amount of flavor and kick that you wanted to have more and more of them.  Clam Cakes were new to me.  Don't confuse them as being crab cakes but with clams.  They are basically clam fritters and quite a treat!

Connie and Ted's offer many other favorites as entrees and include many of the fresh catch of the day that range anywhere from Bluefish from Massachusetts, King Salmon from California, and even Tautog from Rhode Island.   All their fish is fresh and of course, their lobster is from Maine.   The lobster is a bit pricey at market price of $28.00/lb when we were there.  They do not serve complimentary bread but offer as a side for $5.00, hot dinner rolls which were the bomb.  It is worth splurging for your daily carbo intake.    

   

Hot Dinner Rolls

New England Boiled Dinner

Fried Clams with Bellies

Herb Crusted Bluefish with Onion Rings

Overall, the menu items are well conceived and provide a lot of variety to share or to order individually.   They also have a rib eye steak for those that do not care for seafood, but then, why would you come to Connie and Ted's?   The kitchen does have a few kinks that need to be ironed out as they have a fast rule that they do not take a table order incomplete.  The wait staff and service which were truly top-notch has to input the entire table's order at one time which worked in general, but that rule also created problems in the kitchen as our entrees came before we completely finished all of our appetizers that came at different times.

Blondie

If you have an extremely sweet tooth, then having a Blondie for dessert should not be missed.  It is a white brownie topped with homemade vanilla ice cream with a marshmallowy texture and salted caramel sauce.







Both owners Michael Cimarusti and partner Donato Poto have a great concept for a cuisine void in Southern California.  True New Englanders welcome their food of their childhood past and make fans of all others. 


Connie & Ted's, 8171 Santa Monica Blvd., West Hollywood, CA  90046
(323) 848-2722

Raphael Restaurant - A Great Find in Studio City

When you think of exceptional fine dining restaurants in Los Angeles, you usually think of those with named chefs on the Westside or "in town", but rarely would one think of one in the San Fernando Valley, home of the Valley girls and the reincarnated Sherman Oaks Galleria.   However, I recently visited a wonderful restaurant in Studio City which is in the San Fernando Valley but not too far from the heart of Hollywood.

Raphael Restaurant is a gorgeous yet very hip casual bar and chic restaurant known for Executive Gavin Humes' take on the small plates menu with exotic cocktails.  The small plates are not that small of a serving and can be easily shared with others at your table.   We had multiple dishes and each dish we ordered was served with the freshest ingredients and tasted absolutely delicious.   The creativity and presentation of each of the dishes were spot on.

Crispy Cauliflower

We started with crispy cauliflower with barbeque sauce aioli, pickled celery, and radish.  Even though I am not a fan of cauliflower, these were prepared so well that you almost weren't aware that you were having cauliflower.   

Albacore Tartare

Next came probably one of my favorite dishes at Raphael: albacore tartare with avocado, jalapeno, shallots, and lime.   A generous portion of albacore tuna that was well seasoned and went extremely well with the avocado and slight heat from the jalapeno. 



  

Heirloom Tomatoes with Burrata Cheese

Their heirloom tomatoes with burrata cheese was another stunning dish.  The tomatoes were so sweet and fresh that you could almost taste the kiss of the earth where they once came.  Now that's fresh!



  
Some of the other items that were sampled and did not disappoint in either presentation or taste were:

Gnocchi with fennel, sweet corn and fine herbs

Pork Belly with tomato, peppadew, frisee, and agri-doux

Wild Boar Ragu, house-made pappardelle, parmesan

Wild Sockeye Salmon

And don't forget to save room for dessert.   Two of the winning desserts that Raphael serves are the banana bread pudding with pumpkin ice cream and a seasonal fruit tart which was peach cobbler crunch with buttermilk ice cream on our night's menu.   You will want one of each all for yourself!

The menu changes slightly daily based on the availability of ingredients and fish markets that makes the menu quite diverse and please everyone's taste.  The service staff was also top notch that did not rush you through dinner and was quite accommodating to complete the most amazing dining experience.

Be sure that you try Raphael Restaurant when in Los Angeles for a real treat. I cannot recommend this place enough.

Banana Bread Pudding

Peach Cobbler Crunch

   

















Raphael's Restaurant, 11616 Ventura Blvd., Studio City, CA  91604
(818) 505-3337