It’s avocado season here in Southern California, and Maude, Curtis Stone’s critically adored restaurant, is celebrating in grand fashion with a month-long tasting menu dedicated to the super-luscious, downright buttery ingredient.

Maude’s menu changes with the seasons, focusing on “one key ingredient” each month. [See what the restaurant is cooking for the rest of this year.]

Our ten-plus course dinner featured California-grown Hass avocados in every single dish. Sometimes avocado was the star of the plate, while other times it elevated the ingredients surrounding it. As a lifelong avocado lover, it was a pleasure to experience the fruit in a plethora of forms, both classic and innovative—avocado leaf ice cream, anyone?

Named after Curtis Stone’s grandmother, Maude is a jewel box of a restaurant with just 25 seats and an impressive open kitchen. The space and service were warm and welcoming with the ideal touch of sophistication.

To start, a pale green quenelle of avocado ice cream accented with zucchini, coconut, and sorrel. Who says a meal can’t begin with ice cream?

Next, a minimalist salad featuring radicchio, tomato, radish, and kohlrabi. The puddles of sweet tomato and velvety avocado were the highlight of the plate.

Then came an avocado soup. Hidden beneath the chilled puree were peppery wasabi micro-greens and salmon roe.

Jamon iberico, sliced razor-thin, was the star of the fourth plate. Ribbons of cantaloupe and honey dew, as well as a wafer of avocado “toast,” countered the ham’s double punch of saltiness and richness.

One of the highlights of the evening was the roasted avocado fancied up with caviar, a warm avocado mayonnaise, toasted brioche, and caviar sauce. It was totally decadent and totally delicious.

Equally luxurious was the Alaskan King crab salad with smoky puffed grains, cilantro, and an avocado mash.

The evening’s pasta course featured beautifully hand-made agnolotti filled with avocado and accented with summer squash, beets, and ricotta salata. I would’ve welcomed another plateful of these summery parcels.

For the protein course, we sliced into gorgeous rib eye steaks prepared sous vide with bone marrow fat, garlic and thyme. Served alongside the meat was the cutest baby corn, bone marrow powder, and pickled avocado. Yes, yes, and more yes!

My favorite use of avocado was in the cheese course, which paired Mrs. Quicke’s very sharp (and musty) English cheddar with a delightful avocado mustard. I loved how the avocado’s natural creaminess tempered the mustard’s bite.

To cleanse our palates, a frozen and refreshing interplay of candied avocado, green strawberries, and watercress snow.

The meal concluded similarly to how it started, with a quenelle of ice cream. This one was made from avocado leaves and served with an “Oreo” cookie, chocolate mousse, and blackberries.

Here’s what the dessert looked like beneath the “Oreo” cookie. Mmm…

And finally, a trio of mignardise—a passion fruit meringue, a hibiscus biscuit with avocado ganache, and an avocado truffle.

Team Maude sent us home with avocado bread for the next morning.

Dinner at Maude was truly a splendid experience, especially for an avocado lover like myself. I’ll definitely be back—passion fruit in September sounds positively dreamy.

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Maude
212 South Beverly Drive
Beverly Hills, CA 90212
Phone: 310-859-3418

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