Maude

CHERRY MONTH!!!
First of all, getting a reservation here is ALMOST impossible without hovering in front of your computer while continuously refreshing and clicking at the speed of light. TRUST. It sells out before you can finish your sentence so make sure you just click whatever you can… theres only 4 bar seats so those might be hard to come by.
The place itself is VERY UNASSUMING… a door with the letter «M». Once inside, you pretty much come face to face with the diners and make unnecessary frequent eye contact. a tad awkward I must say. If you are early, you wait outside again until its closer to your time.
PARKING: theres a parking garage right next door. No valet, but no need anyway.
We got bar tickets (bird’s eye view of the kitchen and making of the dishes) and got lots of interaction with the chefs.
Onto the food:
GREAT DETAIL IN EVERY SINGLE DISH! They had one dish where the chef slowly placed stars and green veggies with tweezers! They wipe down each plate before plating. I really appreciated the amount of work the put in.
I was blown away by most of the beginning food such as cherry bubbles on top of almond soup… now that was delicious! And then the tangy yuzu tripe with rainier cherries. OMG! That was my favorite of all!
When we moved onto several of the meatier dishes such as the smoked surgeon fish and abalone, I felt like the cherries were kinda just tossed in and the flavors didn’t blend that well nor could I really taste the cherry. I really wanted to be able to say I ate cherry this and cherry that…
For dessert we had several dishes like the icy cherry ice cream, and delicious hot bready dish with cherry sauce. Now those were pretty tasty~
After we finished, we got petit fours and a cherry scone to take home with their menu. Overall, dinner was verrry filling, but only ²⁄₃ of the items really satisfied my taste buds.
SERVICE: it was perfect. Constant changing of the utensils paired with each dish, constant wiping of rhe table top. These people were friendly and we even got our menu signed by Curtis Stone himself. exciting ;)

We went the first night of June for their cherry dishes, and were very excited for this experience. The service was excellent, but the food was overall disappointing at best. There were a few courses that stood out (the pasta, the squab), but for a restaurant of this reputation, we expected to have a few misses, if any, not just a few hits.

This restaurant picks one key ingredient per month and incorporates that ingredient into every course. This sounds like a very gimmicky concept — much like French Laundry’s «never repeat an ingredient» concept. And it is a gimmicky concept. That’s all it is. A gimmick. We had the [CHERRY] tasting menu last night. We were disappointed.
Please note that this review does not take into consideration the service or experience — which were good. This review is all about the FOOD.
(1) Maude tries to be creative, but it doesn’t succeed.
Creativity is a great thing. Combine ingredients together; combine different techniques; produce a new product. But — it’s only great when it succeeds. Sit in front of a piano and try to improvise a musical piece … sometimes you’ll create something that blows your mind, and sometimes you’ll create something that sucked.
At Maude last night, we believe most dishes failed.
I understand that it’s hard to incorporate cherries into every dish. It’s difficult to balance the strong cherry flavor with other ingredients. But, regardless of how difficult something is, we have to be real and honest with the outcome.
A) Jicama salad — the chef spent 30+ minutes layering different plants on top of each other. It looked amazing… until the chef covered it up with some gelatin and sprinkled some garnishes on top. Here’s how I would put it: go to your grandma’s back garden and grab some interesting, fresh vegetables. Cut them up into really nice shapes and organize them on a plate. Now, you just created a piece of art! It looks great, right? Now, cover that piece of art you just created with a piece of cheese. It destroys the work you just did, right?
Fine, we’ll leave presentation aside. But the salad made no sense. It was just raw vegetables on top of each other. The ingredients (jicama) were interesting and fresh — don’t get me wrong — but there was absolutely no – wait for it —- «harmony». I believe it needed more (if any) dressing to blend the flavors of raw vegetables together.
SCORE: ²⁄₁₀
B) Omasum (cow stomach). Cook omasum. Leave it at room temperature. Put it on a plate. Now, put a layer of cherries on top of the omasum. Put a mint leaf on top. Put a piece of mushroom next to it. Eat it.
Yes, it’s creative. Cherries + omasum + mint leaf has probably never been done before. And yes, you guessed it – it fails. It doesn’t taste good. If you want good omasum, go to your local dim sum place on a Sunday afternoon. I absolutely promise you that you would rather eat the dim sum instead of this course.
Again, they try to be creative, but it fails.
SCORE: ²⁄₁₀
C) Sturgeon meat — I’m guessing it’s wild white sturgeon based on how amazing the meat was. It was cooked to fucking perfection. Like a scallop melting in your mouth. Absolutely amazing. I could even smell the wood used in the grilling.
But, they tried to be creative with it (made it too sweet) and — again — messed it up.
SCORE: ⁶⁄₁₀
D) Agnolotti pasta — the sauce was creamy, well salted (from the ham), with a hint of cherry. It was delicious — but only because the other course before it were horrible. If I were to evaluate this course on its own, I would only say it’s «good». It didn’t blow our minds, but it was solid.
It would have been better if they didn’t add the cherries to overpower the core pasta + sauce. The pasta and the sauce is the star, but the cherries completely overpowered the star.
It just wasn’t balanced.
SCORE: ⁷⁄₁₀.
E) Abalone and beans — finally, a great course that deserves a clap on balance. The sauce coated the beans perfectly. The chile added a little heat. The abalone was well cooked. Finally, a course I can talk about. I even want to make this one at home. This one passes!
SCORE: ⁸⁄₁₀.
F) Squab (pigeon) and beets/​cherries — It’s an okay dish. Well seared on the outside. I personally felt it was slightly overcooked, but that’s me, and I’m picky with my meat. My friend thought it was cooked fine.
SCORE: ⁶⁄₁₀ .
G) Gaperon cheese course. This one I really have to complain about. Take a look at the picture. The cheese is way too big. The flavor is too powerful and strong. My friend knows everything about cheese (she can blind taste any cheese) — but she couldn’t finish this course because the portion was too big.
I feel like the chef didn’t think carefully about the progression of the tasting. There is no *need* to give us such a big chunk of cheese. Less is more. Give us a few bites and let us want more. Don’t shove me a big chunk of cheese and make me throw up.
SCORE: ³⁄₁₀
H) Bitters ice cream, brandy dressing, cherry topping — It was delicious. The alcohol content just flowed with the bitters ice cream. The brandy added a bit of sweetness and kick to it.
SCORE: ⁹⁄₁₀
Maude has a long way to go before it can be considered a top restaurant.
Go for the hype. Be prepared for reality.

Maude is awesome. Good food without the pretension. Me and my coworkers came for the garlic month menu. It was about $ 190 a person, which includes a 18% service charge. Although they told us it would be about 9 courses, it was more like 13 with a take home cheese muffin and butter. We were thoroughly full and satisfied during this 3 hour dinner.
The atmosphere is felt warm and cozy. Like going to a French grandma’s home to have dinner. I loved the flowery bowls and plates that the food was served on!
Staff was down-​to-​earth and were not afraid to crack jokes with us and help us take group pix. They were also professional as they described each dish to us and cleared our plates. I’m a bit of a slob and going to these fancy places always makes me a little uncomfortable. You could tell everyone was on top of their game but they also wanted to make you feel comfortable too. When I went to the bathroom, I found my napkin neatly folded on the table after I haphazardly threw it on my chair. They would wipe away every time I accidentally dropped soup or a crumb or would wipe the bottom of our water glasses if they poured too much. They did all of this and I didn’t feel uncomfortable about it at all!
Food was da bomb. No dish was too heavy and each dish succession felt like a happy symphony. My only complaint might be that the scallop was a bit salty.
I thought it was well worth the price to enjoy good food without feeling bad for being a slob. Will be back again!

MAUDE! We finally made it! After months of anxiously anticipating their May Garlic menu and going through the ordeal that is booking tickets online a month in advance, etc. the big night finally came.
Love the space. Obsessed with it. Intimate, cozy, elegant without being too pretentious. The service was excellent. Everyone from manager to server was friendly, efficient, knowledgeable, and really on the ball.
We opted to the forego the wine pairing, which you can prepay for in advance, and I’m so glad that I did because their beer selection is excellent. I had the Flying Dog blood orange ale, and it was spectacular.
Overall, the dishes were good. Ten courses, all reasonably portioned and each one was unique, had good flavor, perfectly cooked and beautifully presented. The handmade pasta ribbons with Prince Edward mussels in a garlic seafood broth was probably my favorite of the night. The sweetbreads with garlic purée was also superb. There’s no point in waxing on about specific dish recommendations because the menu is constantly changing.
I only have 2 complaints. 1) For a garlic-​themed menu, I have to say that they were fairly light-​handed with the garlic. I don’t know that I would call any of these dishes real «garlic dishes». More often than not, the garlic was just pureed into the sauce or served on the side as a garnish. I realize that not everyone is a garlic fiend like I am, but I certainly could have handled having the garlic be the star of the night instead of just a supporting role. 2) Curtis Stone was not in the house that night, so I did not get to see his beautiful Aussie magnificence in the flesh. But that is more a personal problem than a complaint attributable to the restaurant.

This was my first time at Maude and i was expecting it to be spectacular. Unfortunately it was not spectacular, but I did have a pleasant experience.
I came here with my daughter during GARLIC month. We were on time and ventured to seat at the Chef’s seating which over looks at the Chef’s and the Sous Chef’s at work
There were plenty of staff on hand. With 25 people to serve, I believe they had 20 workers serving us.
Below is my rating of the restaurant
SERVICE– 5 stars (exceptional and friendly– not pretentious at all)
AMBIANCE– 5 stars (very cozy and well done)
FOOD PRESENTATION– 5 stars (lots of care and time goes into each plates presentation)
WINE PAIRING– 3 stars (there were a few stand outs, but for $ 125 per pairing, and such a small pour, I felt violated and disappointed in the wines– very underwhelming)
FOOD– 4 stars (there were a few standouts, but i thought they gave us way too many deserts and I expected more seafood and meats)
At $ 125 a person for food and $ 125 a person for the reserve wine pairing– I am reluctant to go back and spend $ 250.00 plus their service fee again.
Because of the price, the poor wine pairing and the fact I was not WOW’d– I give Maude 3.5 stars
I think my next full course meal will be N. Naka or Yazawa

I came here for my birthday with a friend. I’ll start off by saying this is a unique restaurant, tucked away in a small space on South Beverly Drive. The interior is quite charming. We sat at the Chef’s Table so we could see what went into the preparations. The waitstaff was first rate and took care of us the whole evening.
I was interested to see how they’d integrate April’s theme, radishes, into a twelve course meal. I’d only really experienced them either in a salad or as a garnish for tacos. I was very surprised and very much enjoyed some of the preparations Curtis and his team came up with. Two diners sitting next to us mentioned they liked the radish menu even more than the pistachio menu from the previous month. My favorite course from the night had to be the spot prawns with herbs and lime. It was such an inventive presentation for a dish and combining the radish with herbs and prawns was an effective way to showcase different flavors.
They threw in a chocolate ganache cake with wasabi as a surprise birthday dessert. The wasabi provided an awesome hint of spiciness to contrast with the coolness of the chocolate cake. My coffee (from Verve Roasters) also came in these posh teacups with pictures of the Queen, definitely appreciated that touch.
This is a great restaurant to come for a celebration or special occasion, assuming you can get a reservation.

This will be the shortest post ever for me.
If you can afford the ticket (s) then log on and get them. Hands down, bar none an amazing experience that should not be missed.
No point in describing the food because it changes monthly. Just go. Period. No questions. Seriously. Stop reading it and go. Oh oh oh, look up Curtis Stone. He is the chef, you will know him. Waaaiiiiit, one more thing: when you get your tickets for the bar. You get to be in the kitchen, basically.

H O L Y S H I T.
Ive been twice. So basically, $ 1200 later, I feel overly qualify to write this review.
Fennel month was my first rodeo. It was great… but… fennel…
Chili was my second time around the block and this time I was prepared to f’ing RAGE. We got the wine pairing, i came hungry, thirsty, and after following Curtis Stone on Instagram, a little giddy. Every.Single.Item that came out was perfection. Too many to list and many others have done the leg work. So let me use my elite status on Unilocal (did i just say that?) to give a solid 5 stars and to inform all FOODIES in LA that this is the best restaurant I’ve ever eaten at and worth every penny. Curtis served our dessert and my friend just about fell off her chair. He is a dream. XOX til next time.

This restaurant sits in a maudest little space in Beverly Hills. It seats 25 people. If 25 is little to you, then please read on. If 25 is large to you, please venture out more. But also read on. Also, if 25 is 5×5 to you, you know your multiplication tables. If 25 is your favorite Adele album, you’re incorrect and someone should tell you this. I’m sorry that it has to be me. 21 is the better of the two albums. Hello.
The parking situation in Beverly Hills always surprises me. There’s usually ample garage parking and it’s always pretty reasonably priced. The garage directly next door to the restaurant had a $ 5 flat rate. That’s much better than the $ 18 valet we paid for the 45 minutes we had a drink at the Four Seasons down the street. How much better? 3.6 times better.
February is the month of the potato at Maude and as you know, the potato comes from Idaho and cannot be grown anywhere else in the world. Much like the almond, the potato requires an inordinate amount of water to grow and potato trees are also highly prone to pests and vermin. Due to these circumstances, the cost of the potato is very high right now and it shows no signs of dropping off. Even the Chinese economy can’t affect the potato market. President Bloomberg might have to intervene in 2017 or the 99 percenters will be serving extra stuffing at Thanksgiving.
The high cost of the potato is good for Idaho farmers and it is also good for patrons of Maude. You will get to try all different varieties and preparations of the potato. Even the bark and leaves of the potato tree can be used. For dessert, you might get a potato latke with an engagement ring inside of it. Wouldn’t that be nice?

I’m gonna say it, this place takes it over Trois Mec minus the the hidden pizza storefront. Come to think of it, they should swap locations and then I’m happy. (Although I did like the Trois)
The setting is, and this is important… comfy-​warm and fancy-​nice. Also in this particular part of LA, storefronts are known to be luxurious and unfortunately snooty. (It is where the whole Pretty Woman thing went down.) But with this Maude it’s different! That old snootster shit is dated and dooshaye even when you’re on the inside, fortunately that is not a problem here, even though it easily could be.
The food is scrumptious and marathon-​coursed out, you might need a slightly adventurous tongue, but man, if you like food, then you can expect to be flavor layered into in-​satiety. I also expected I might be left a tad hungry like with so many tasting setups but the balance of delicates foods and portions is actually pretty spot on.
You take home the menu.

I had sky high expectation going to this establishment after hearing and reading so many good things about them. And now that being here twice I would say I loooove dining here.
Having eaten here previously in December for the month of black truffles, which was adequate for the price wise, but unfortunately not as spectacular as I hoped to be.
However, we came back again this month giving this venue another try and we were glad that we did. My husband and I left here very satisfied this time.
My favorites of the night were potato salad, turbot, and terrine. Ahhh, they were so good, just thinking about them make me drool. I wish they would let us order the dish by themselves after having them in a course.
Presentations of each dish are very delicate and inviting. Their service is flawless and professional, yet not too formal. Can’t wait to come back again! Hopefully next time, I get to see Curtis Stone in action: D

What a Beautiful Evening to reflect on a Fantastic 2015!
It took me a few months, but on November 1, finally remembered to grab a date for December and was able to nab December 18^th. Reservations are now done thru Tock website and you have the option of table or bar (although there are occasions I enjoy watching an open kitchen, this night was for intimacy, so opted for table). There are only 25 seats, so this place fills up quickly.
Every month is a different ingredient theme and December is Black Truffle. 10 courses with Black Truffle? 2015 was good to me! In addition, we ordered the the wine pairings. I had to prepay for the evening’s dinner and an 18% gratuity is included.
We ubered over, but there was a parking garage next door.
Restaurant front is discreet and there’s only an «M» above door to identify.
It’s a small space and feels like you stepped into a friend’s home for an intimate dinner party. Our jackets were taken for us and although I had concern our table seemed close to the table next to us, the spacing was perfect for intimacy. I loved the monogrammed cloth napkins and eclectic collection of china dishes.
Service: 5 STARS. Pacing was perfect. Servers, sommelier, etc. were personable and courteous. I couldn’t ask for more.
Food: INCREDIBLE. I personally loved that the menu was given at the end because I love the suspense of waiting for the next unique dish. I started running out of steam on the 9^th dish, but husband was more than happy to finish up my Elk & Chocolate.
Wine: SUPERB. We found the pairings complemented each dish perfectly.
Having visited Per Se in June, I wondered if Maude could measure up.
A RESOUNDING YES.
Final Note* They gave us little bags of ice cream & toppings to take home. When I went to snack on it, they were gone. Yep, the teens cleaned it out!

Genteel. Cozy. Subtle. That’s how I would describe Maude, the 25-​seat restaurant that just recently made the No. 25 spot on Jonathan Gold’s 101 Best Restaurants in LA. To quote Gold, «You probably aren’t getting into Maude.» And he’s right. For the only way I was able to procure one of its coveted tables for November — theme: white truffles — was to create an account on Tock (reservations by pre-​paid tickets), then wait until precisely 10:00 a.m. on October 1. By 10:01 a.m., nearly half of the times I wanted were taken.
So why is Maude so hard to get into? The intimate space and single-​ingredient theme is certainly a draw, but chances are the main reason so many people scramble for a reservation at this hot spot is its celebrity chef, Curtis Stone.
A retreat from much of the trendy, globally-​inspired food being produced in LA these days, Chef Stone’s cuisine puts the fine in fine dining. As stated above, Maude is genteel, cozy, and subtle. But that also means that the flavors are not particularly assertive or bold.
In most of the dishes, the truffles were more an accent than the star, with the notable exceptions being the caviar, egg, and ravioli dishes. Consequently, those were my favorite dishes of the evening. But in some of the dishes –such as the lobster salad, veal stew, and Wagyu — the truffles were barely noticeable. That being said, I very much enjoyed my dinner here.
But the most disappointing part of the meal had to be the wine pairings. Put simply, they just didn’t work with the food. As a wine geek myself, I understand the desire to introduce diners to interesting wines, but I found the pairings really questionable. I mean, did the somm actually test the wines against the food? I was expecting more from Maude, but this was probably the worst wine pairing I have ever had at a restaurant of this calibre.
SUNCHOKE TART
Interesting textural contrast between the tart shell and the solid pieces of sunchoke. Just OK.
RISOTTO
Arancini, generously dusted with white truffle. Very good.
Wine: NV Vilmart, «Grand Cellier,» Champagne
A bright wine that energized the palate and paired nicely with the starters. This was the high point of the pairings.
ARTICHOKE TRUFFLE SOUP
Subtle and delicate. Quite nice, although the truffle was pretty faint. Loved the pickled carrots.
Wine: 2009 Loic Mahe, «Les Fougeraies,» Savennières
Bland and watery. I realize that artichoke is a notoriously tough pairing, but this did nothing for the dish.
LOBSTER SALAD
Hard to dislike lobster. Even though there was a schmear of sauce on the plate, the dish ate dry.
Wine: 2013 Big Table Farm, Chardonnay, Willamette Valley
Oaky and flabby, this wine was too fruity and rich for the dish; a simple white Bourgogne would have been better.
CAVIAR WITH SABAYON
Loved this dish! Salty, smoky, earthy, and creamy. I could easily have had another.
Wine: NV Berech, Champagne
I thought decanting this wine was a mistake. It lost its energy and hence failed to lift the dish.
SCRAMBLED EGG
A classic that one never gets tired of. You cannot do a truffle dinner without some sort of egg dish, and this did not disappoint.
FLUKE
This dish was masterfully executed. The fish was perfect. So delicate that it nearly melted in my mouth. The only issue, perhaps, was that I couldn’t really taste the truffle.
Wine: Nigl, «Privat,» Gruner Veltliner
One of the fruitiest Gruners I have ever tried. Not a good pairing, as it clashed with the dish.
RAVIOLI
This was probably my favorite dish of the meal. It also happened to be the most seasoned dish of the meal. Topped with brown butter and generous slivers of white truffle, this was exactly what I was hoping for. Absolutely delicious!
Wine: 2008 Domaine Pavelot, Savigny-​Les-​Beaune, Aux Gravais
The whole cluster notes overpowered the wine and the dish. Red Burgundy was the right choice — just not this red Burgundy.
VEAL STEW AND DUMPLINGS
While the veal was melt-​in-​your-​mouth delicious, the dumpling was undercooked and floury. The broth, however, was very good. Could have used more white truffle though.
SNAKE RIVER FARMS WAGYU
The meat was perfect, if subtly seasoned. The potato puff was also very yummy. But the white truffle was too subtle for this dish.
Wine: 2008 Voyager, Cabernet Sauvignon, Margaret River
Not a fan of Australian Cabs, and this wine was no exception. Overblown.
SWISS RACLETTE
I was not really a fan of this dish. The sweetness of the beet, coupled with the funkiness of the cheese, just didn’t do it for me.
TRUFFLE ICE CREAM
The truffle was very subtle, but the texture was amazingly smooth.
ROASTED PEAR
This dessert was just sort of whatever.
Wine: Jean Bourdy, «Galant des Abesses,» Jura
Absolutely hated this wine. It was just too medicinal to enjoy, alone or with food.
Would I come back? Absolutely. For white truffle? Maybe not. In my opinion, there just wasn’t enough of it to justify the price tag. But overall, a 5-​star experience, minus 1 star for the wine pairin

A spectacular meal! While scoring a reservation took months of trying and failing before finally succeeding (back when reservations could only be made via phone), dining at Chef Curtis Stone’s intimate 25-​seat restaurant was an experience to remember.
The nine-​course tasting menu changes each month and is inspired by a key seasonal ingredient. My friends and I went back in September when the ingredient was PASSION FRUIT. Overall, I loved our meal. However, I will say I was least impressed with the pasta and fish dishes.
Here are some things to know:
* Reservations open on the 1^st of the month for the following month and they go fast. Back in August when my friend called for a reservation for September she tried all day long and eventually got through, so don’t give up!
* We were able to make a reservation for 5 people (started out with 6 but had to cancel 1) back in September. According to the website, it looks like Maude has since revised its policy, allowing parties of up to 4 people only (larger parties require reserving the entire dining room?!).
* The tasting menu is market priced according to the ingredient. The September menu featuring passion fruit was $ 140/​per person (not including wine, tax or tip).
* While there are nine official courses, there are also some extras (amuse bouche and additional treats at the end). I personally found it hard to finish everything. When I inquired about packing up one of the courses that I didn’t want to finish right then, I was politely discouraged. Yes I knew it wouldn’t be the same the following day, but I insisted as the paying customer and got something to pack it in. If you want to avoid an awkward exchange with the staff don’t bother.
* The website indicates that dinner takes approximately 2.5 hours, but dinner is paced according to your party. If someone is a slow eater they’ll slow it down for everyone else. The staff will not rush you; they wait until everyone is done with their course before removing dishes and presenting the next course. Our dinner took a whopping 3.5 hours!
* Lastly, they have what I call a «destination bathroom.» Check it out!

I’m delayed by nearly half a year in writing this review, but better late than never. We dined here in April when the ingredient of the month was asparagus.
1. What is Maude?
Maude is Curtis Stone’s dream restaurant, which is named after his grandmother. One key ingredient makes an appearance in each of the 9 courses. The tasting menu changes on a monthly basis, integrating a new seasonal ingredient.
2. How do you get a reservation?
Book on the 3^rd of the preceding month prior to your reservation. The restaurant recently transitioned to an online system. Back when I made the reservation in April, I called 30 times before I got through to the reservationist. The newly implemented system seems much easier to navigate and trumps the prior model that requires you to call over and over until you no longer hear that dreaded busy signal.
3. What is the ambience like?
The dining room is very intimate with seating for just 25 people. Maude elicits a quaint ambience. It is fine dining without a pretentious aura.
4. How is the food?
Delicious! Every dish perfectly wove in the main ingredient. I was particularly skeptical of how the dessert would turn out but even that was executed spectacularly — not an easy feat with a vegetable.
We loved that we were given a menu and a dessert to take home at the end of our meal. Before we left, we were lucky enough to snap a photo with Curtis, himself!
There is no doubt that we would return to Maude in the future. The menu may be ever-​changing, but we expect the quality and experience to remain exquisite.

I was lucky enough to eat at @curtisstone @mauderestaurant for Apple month last night during my visit to LA.
And guessing by other reviews, I was very lucky considering I had 1 night I was free, and I booked via email (the benefits of dining alone and booking from Australia where I ideally didn’t have to call at 2 in the morning when bookings opened).
The closest I got to taking photos of my food was a cool fork, and the menu. From the first bite size «dish», each course just got better & better, so there was not a chance I was wasting time taking a photo.
Fat Duck had all the spectacle and show, with really good food. Maude felt like an amazing home cooked meal (albeit multiples of them, if your home cook was well within 6 degrees of Marco Pierre White).
Don’t think I’m playing down the food by saying amazing home cooked meal. The venison has just made it to my death row meal, as easily the best thing I’ve ever eaten. The tagliatelle was probably also the best pasta I’ve ever had.
If you get a chance, make sure you go. And try and sit at the kitchen. Thanks to Chef Jesse and all the staff for a delicious night, with great, no fuss service!
Jonathan Gold dined last night too, I wonder if he had the same experience?
Next stop — Alinea!
Fun Fact: Chef Curtis Stone named the restaurant after his late Grandmother, and you can see throughout the styling and atmosphere she’s also played a part in the overall feel of the restaurant
Edit: what’s is it with restaurants in LA only serving beer & wine, no liquor? Maude is yet another one…

Maude has been on my list for months and I finally was able to make (and keep) a reservation for October with one of my good friends for her birthday. The ingredient of the month was apples.
The space is really charming and incredibly focused on details. The first thing I noticed when we walked in was the size. It’s a very small space and they are using every inch of it and have a beautiful open kitchen. I was a bit surprised they seated us at the chefs counter as I was not told in advance. I don’t mind sitting at the counter but generally restaurants let you know if that is the case.
There were 10 courses and all had some apple component, but I would not say that apples were the focus of most of the dishes. What’s great about this is that it’s worth coming in even if the ingredient that month is not your most favorite item as your likely to have many other elements to each plate.
Every dish I had was very good and nicely prepared. All the dishes are small in size so you’ll have no problem finishing the 10 courses. I did not find any one dish particularly memorable or sensational, which is why I’m ultimately giving this four stars instead of five.
I found service a bit impersonal. We asked to taste a few of their wines by the glass and it seemed as though they were a little irritated by this. They do not have many wines by the glass and one of them I had never even heard of, so we wanted to try them. The wine we ended up choosing was fantastic at $ 22 a glass.
The pace of the meal was great and I never felt like we were sitting and waiting for a course for too long. You are presented with the menu at the end of the meal with a small snack for breakfast the next morning. I love the gesture of a morning snack but did not love the curry on the granola bar they gave us. I also would have preferred the menu in the beginning of the meal so we could have followed along better with what we were having.
Overall, Maude is definitely worth trying, as it’s a great fine dining experience. Especially in a city where we do not have a lot of fine dining options.

Where, oh where, to begin! I guess there isn’t any use in going into too much details of each dish since I went during the month of chili (July), and each month features a different seasonal ingredient that is somehow integrated into all nine dishes one creative way or another.
Ugh, I had such an amazing dinner at Maude, and it has to be the most unforgettable melody of a course menu I’ve had… minus the super pretentious, nose-​in-​the-​air, overly proper wait staff. The last time anybody ever pushed my chair in for me while already situated in it… was over 20 years ago.
The food was trulyyyyy extraordinary. Each dish was so well-​balanced, and by that I mean avant-​garde while sustaining flavors of familiarity steering away from the harsh obviousness of super experimental practices. Not one dish was overly adventurous, so that’s what I really, really liked about their food. Complex, yet familiar, while the flavors worked soooo well together, therefore, incredibly delicious! Quite the harmony for your taste buds.
Both black and white truffle months are featuring in November and December! Hoping to score reservations to the white! (*fingers everrr so tightly crossed) I don’t doubt it’ll be just as memorable, if not more.

4.5 stars for July Chili Month with drink pairings.
Maude is tiny and extremely tough to get reservations for. Mr. A had to call in 200+ times when the phone lines opened to snag a 9 pm Thursday dinner for the following month.
Was it worth it? Yes. Aside from seeing the attractive Curtis Stone personally expediting, the food was excellent. Some highlights were:
Hen Egg, Fresno Pepper, Baked Potato, Sour Cream — Comforting, elevated breakfast on a plate.
Cannelloni, Chicken, Chanterelles, Lovage — This was my favorite dish. Savory, sauce drenched goodness and impressive plating. Paired with a remarkably complex 2008 De Conciliis Antece white made in the style of red, with the skin left on during fermentation.
Pork Shank, Tomatillo Verde, Romano Beans, Bacon Corn Bread — Satisfying sweet and savory combo.
The drink pairing started with champagne, then white and red wines, as well as a sake. One of the better pairings I’ve had.
Service was good all-​around, and our waitress was comically quirky (but not in a off-​putting way).
Why it wasn’t 5 stars for me:
–For a menu featuring Chili as the theme, the courses did not seem cohesive enough. If you didn’t tell me it was Chili month, I wouldn’t have known. The majority of the dishes didn’t have much, if any, heat from the chili.
–I got sparking water, but my refills were still water. This shouldn’t be mistake for a restaurant of this caliber.