212 S. Beverly Drive
Beverly Hills, CA 90212
www.mauderestaurant.com
Tel: 310.859.3418
$$$$ ($50+)
Tues, 04/28/2015, 5:45pm reservation
(5 Piglets)*Still one of my favorites*
From parsnips of February to asparagus of April, Maude manages to deliver an exceptional menu once again. Curtis Stone and the team transform an ordinary vegetable to a unique set of dishes, only this time, there are twelve courses rather than nine.
The asparagus menu is lighter compared to previous menus in the past. The concept is to correspond to the Spring season, offering more courses but lighter textures and flavors.
The ambiance is still fantastic. The staff still manages to be personable and accommodating. And well, who doesn't love a pic of the chef's grandparents as a personal touch? After all, Stone's grandmother was the inspiration to this restaurant.
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| Photo of Curtis' grandfather and grandmother |
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| Plating |
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| A glass of orange wine- went well with the whole menu. And yes, I did really say orange! |
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| COURSE 1: SNACKS: FINANCIER: A delicate cake with crunch, texture, and richness that was utterly delectable. A great way to start off the meal. |
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| COURSE 1: SNACKS: SPOT PRAWN: I can never get enough of these locally sourced spot prawns. Barely even cooked, these little Crustaceans are succulent, sweet, and perfectly seasoned. One of the best snacks I've ever had at any restaurant! Can I have some more please? |
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| COURSE 1: SNACKS: FOIE GRAS CUSTARD: I can never get enough of foie gras. And when you turn it into a custard, I think I died and gone to heaven. It was smooth and creamy. The foie gras subtly shined through the custard. A perfect bite. |
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| COURSE 2: GRILLED ASPARAGUS: Buttermilk, black walnut, wild greens. The asparagus was cooked to perfection. All the flavors came well together. If you wanted a plate full of deliciously cooked asparagus, this would be the ideal dish. |
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| COURSE 3: KINGFISH: Avocado, green strawberry, Thai basil. The avocado mousse was light and airy. The crudo of fish was fresh, with the right amount of acidity. The Thai basil brought the whole dish together, bringing an earthy undertone to the dish. |
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| COURSE 4: PEE WEE POTATO: Geoduck clam, mussel, green garlic. The potato and hints of crisp bacon was and will always be the best relationship. The tempura asparagus was crispy, light and not oily at all. The geoduck clam and mussel gave a sense of the freshness of the ocean, without overpowering the dish. This dish reminded me of the perfect breakfast. All it needed was a poached egg to complete my idea of a great breakfast dish. |
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| COURSE 5: SNAPPER: Yuba, fava beans, oysters. The Aussie snapper was a little on the fishy end, but that didn't deter me from finishing this dish. The fava beans complemented the snapper well. |
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| COURSE 6: MISO SOUP: Scallop, brown rice. This is probably the best miso soup I ever had. The soup had deep, rich, complex flavors finished off with smokey notes that I didn't think could ever be apparent in miso soup. The scallop was succulent and the tofu noodles were lovely. |
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| COURSE 7: RAVIOLI: Pea, Pork Belly, Parmesean. This reminds me of a garden. Everything was so light and fresh, where the ingredients were kept to its original form. The ravioli reminded me of xiao long bao, bursts of soup in your mouth. You had to eat it in one bite or it would be a catastrophe on the plate. |
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| FRESH ONION BREAD....I COULD EAT LOAF AFTER LOAF AFTER LOAF. |
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| MY FAVORITE DISH. COURSE 8: RIB EYE CAP: White asparagus, bordelaise. Move over Cut, this piece of meat was what I was waiting for. Forget those vegetables and asparagus, this meat was moist, juicy, and downright delicious. I wish I had a whole big piece of this steak. The meat was definitely the star of this dish. |
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| COURSE 9: CHEESE: Idiazabal. Spanish sheep's milk. Creamy and rich and perfectly paired with the asparagus and cracker. |
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| COURSE 10: DESSERT 1: SORBET: This cleansed the palate to prepare for the second dessert. It was light and refreshing, The temperature changes in this dish were remarkable: the first bite on the outside was slightly room temperature, but once you put your spoon in the middle, it had bursts of coldness. The basil on the top was an interesting and unique garnish. Beautifully done. |
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| My cute and adorable cup of coffee |
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| COURSE 11: DESSERT 2: YOGURT: Pine nut, bitter chocolate. I loved this dessert. I preferred this one that the sorbet, but my friend felt the opposite (personal preference). It was creamy, with hints of crunch. I loved the texture. The only thing I wasn't a big fan of was finding a piece of asparagus in its natural form in the middle of the dessert. It just didn't go well. I realize the theme is asparagus, but maybe if it was changed to something else, like an essence of asparagus, the dish would've been perfect. |
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| COURSE 12: PETIT FOURS: Delicious, light, and went well with coffee. A great way to finish off the meal. |
Overall, Maude is an extraordinary restaurant delivering dishes that go above and beyond. With the concept of a new ingredient each month, one can never get bored of this place. It is only necessary to check out the menu each month if you're lucky enough to score a reservation. Comprehensively, the asparagus menu was on the lighter end and I much preferred my dining experience with parsnips as the main ingredient (just a personal preference since I like heavier and richer dishes due to my piglet appetite). Word of advice: don't get discouraged when calling. I know some who have called 120 times to score a reservation on the first of the month.
Notable dishes: Rib Eye Cap and Spot Prawns
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