Late Night, MAUDElin Street

Last night, the Fiance and I were one of a fortuitous few who were able to secure a reservation during previews at Maude, Curtis Stone's new restaurant.  It officially opens February 1st.

I've decided to break this review down into two parts.  The first, to honor the food and the Chef.  The second, a few thoughts I had on a personal level as it's my blog.  With that, here we go!

We arrived at Maude which is so nondescript and tucked in between its neighbors, you could blink and miss it.

We had an early reservation and it seemed as if we were the first to be seated.  (Another couple arrived about 5 minutes after us.)  The place is tiny. When Curtis says it's "intimate" he is spot on.  It really does appear as if he is cooking for you in his own home, albeit he may have installed a commercial kitchen.  You are both comforted by its warmth and overwhelmed by its beauty.  Impressed by the bottles that line the wall yet transported back to your childhood with the plates, cutlery and various serving pieces placed throughout, you swear to yourself your grandmother had that exact thing in her home.  Maude is named after Curtis' own grandmother who taught him how to cook. (I'm not going to touch much more on that, but please go explore the Maude website for some back story.)

The staff is cheerful.  We are told we are fortunate to be involved in the preview dinners at the restaurant.   We will be indulging in a tasting menu focusing on Citrus and to sit back and leave ourselves in the Chef's hands.  We are presented with a list of beer and wine or offered the pairing for $55 per person.  Neither the Fiance nor I are wine people, we decide to go for it and let the experts guide us.

The first plate is brought out.  It is a Lime Sorbet with tiny bits of orange.  Just a few cool, fresh bites that awaken your palate.  It was gone before either of us thought to take a picture of it and my tongue had never felt so alive!  Just as quick, that plate is gone and Oysters & Caviar are brought out.

When I was a girl, my dad took me to one of his company parties.  I thought I was so grown up.  My dad, so handsome in his suit, someone loaned me a fancy coat to wear, I had kitten heels.  I tried caviar.  I would have told you I rivaled Cinderella.  Well kids, after last night, I might as well have been back in the pumpkin patch at dad's party because the oyster and caviar at Maude were delectable! Just the slightest hint of citrus as it goes down.  Sigh!  I had been really worried about the Fiance going into this.  He likens oysters to something you'd cough up and never, ever eats anything that comes out of the sea.  He did promise to eat everything, yet as he tossed it back I swore I saw a slight heaving motion.  However, I am happy to report he says "The oyster was quite good.  All the flavors worked well together and it was much better than I was expecting considering how much I dislike shellfish."

Next up was the Onion Bhaji. Crispy and packed such a punch. 

This was followed by a single bite Gougere which featured an artichoke puree and can only be described as a little bite of heaven.  It was so fluffy, warm and creamy, ones eyes tended to roll back into their head.

The final part of our first pairing was Crispy Mussel sitting on an orange aoli.  All of these had been complemented by H. Goutourbe "Cuvee Prestige" Champagne, France N.V

The Garden Salad showcased pickled pearl onion, buttermilk, and nasturtium.  We were told that something had come from Chefs own garden, but drat, I didn't catch what it actually was!  Leave it to this culinary master to get me to crave onions of all things.  Paired with George Skouras Moscofilero Peolponnese, Greece 2012

At this point the Fiance started leaving part of things on his plate.  He was worried he'd get full.  I have no shame, plus there was no way, the food was too good.  Carrot Soup was brought out.  Smoked parsnip, orange, and serrano ham.  He took his ham in one bite, I told him to break it up.  It was much better to savor it over several bites.  Paired with Les Vine de Vienne Viognier France 2012

Lobster with crimson turnip, radish and brioche was to follow.  I don't like turnips or radishes. Can't say that anymore, can I?  Paired with Hitori Musume JunmaiNigori Ibaraki, Japan

Chicken Terrine, Pain Perdu, and Mustard Ice Cream  These were to be eaten together.  If you thought mustard ice cream sounded gross, let me tell you that you are WRONG.  Fiance could eat that all day.  He left a few bites of the Terrine, but he all but lapped up the ice cream.  Paired with Breton "Les Perreries" Bourgueil, France 2009

"Duck, Duck, Goose"  Duck Egg, Smoked Goose Fat, Swiss Chard Inside the ravioli was duck, finger lime, beurre blanc sauce and grated cured duck egg yolk on top.

Snake River Farm's Beef Beef Cheek, Broccoli, Rosti   Have you ever had beef cheek that just melted in your mouth?  If you are lucky enough to dine here you will!  Both dishes were paired with Emilio Morro Tinto Fino Ribeira del Duero, Spain 2009

Abbaye de Belloc Mostarda, Semolina Crackers  Made from Sheeps milk by Benedictine Monks (que Enigma) we spread the mostarda across it and I actually got mad at Fiance when he wanted me to try a bite of the cheese on its own. 

Madeleine's with Salted Caramel  All madelaines should taste like these!

 Lemon Curd, Dulcey Cremeux, Yuzu Sorbet, Hempseed  If I heard correctly part of this contained a recipe from the namesake's own recipe collection!  They brought out a plate with a variety of things I've forgotten.  I think I hit food coma status.  These had been paired with Isole e Olena Vin Santo Tuscany, Italy 2004

By this point I was bursting.  It had all been so good.  If you died and went to heaven this is what the food would taste like. You don't want it to end, but you don't think you can find room for more. 

Find out for yourself and try to get a reservation!  Each month Chef Stone will celebrate a specific ingredient.
$75 Per Person




Cute little note:  Fiance made a trip to the restroom and was impressed.  He told me that I had to check the womens as he'd been impressed with the mens.  It wasn't until this morning I found out why.  The ladies was nice, had a little chair, some lotion, nice towels.

The mens?  Vintage Playboy's.

Ready for the 2nd part I mentioned?

I've been a fan of Curtis for several years now.  I wasn't when he was on Celebrity Apprentice.  I don't know why, but I found him annoying.  However, because of my job, I ended up watching America's Next Great Restaurant.  My opinion of him changed.  I met him briefly when he did a cooking demo at The Grove.  I went back and watched Take Home Chef.  Again because of work, I had a connection with Around the World in 80 Plates and Top Chef Masters.  I met him again when he did a signing at The Grove.  He is a nice guy.

Since I've been with Fiance, I've become a bit of a Foodie.  We've been to two Bouchon locations.  He's been to Culinary school.  I get spoiled with his cooking.  There's still that nagging doubt tho, that "OMG which fork do I use?" The fear that I'll get the side eye from the staff.  Why is the chubby girl in here?  Altho admittedly I am much less chubby nowadays, I still feel like a sham.  Those fears creeped in last night.

I have this thing about eating around people I like.  I've long since gotten over it with Fiance, but when we started dating it was a huge issue.  When I heard Curtis was opening a restaurant I knew I wanted to go.  When I heard they were taking reservations I knew I wanted in.  When I heard there was a chance at previews I knew I was doing it.  When I actually got a reservation I thought I had won the lottery.  All this week I was having pep talks with myself about eating at the restaurant of a celebrity chef who I adore.  By last night I thought I had it somewhat under control. 

Fiance spotted him in the kitchen before I did.  It was kind of surreal seeing him right there, doing his thing.  Focused.  We'd joked over the past few weeks as I'd seen pictures that he has been sporting a beard.  He looked like a lumber jack.  In person it's more trimmed.  Very handsome.  I'm not a beard person.  He can rock it. 

I think one of the tables knew him.  Or maybe they didn't.  He's just that personable.  He served that table dishes twice.  He served the couple at the counter.  He posed for photos.  He served the couple that came in right after us.  You could hear him communicating with all of his staff.  It wasn't ever barking orders like Chef Ramsey style, if anything it was firm, commanding and caring.  I watched him focus his attention on each and every dish and table in the restaurant. 

Except ours.

I'm never going to own my own restaurant or cook foods that taste anywhere close to the creations that this man can prepare.  I'm not going to have that level of pressure on me.  Godspeed to him.  I hope Maude is a huge sucess! 

I did feel sad that there were 11 of us in the restaurant last night and 9 were served personally by Chef Stone at least once.  Realistically, I probably would have just thrown up on his shoe.

;)

Ain't nobody got dime for that!

Saturday I made a trip out to Vasquez Rocks to take on January's FourteenBeforeForty Adventure.  I'd decided that since it's been 8 months since my spinal surgeries, I'd gotten the all clear after my emergency Gallbladder removal on December 27th & I've lost 34 pounds, I wanted to do something that involved some sort of physical activity.  It's been a while since I've felt this good and I guess it shows since lots of people have told me I'm looking good and have a lot of color in my face!  Wait, isn't color scary?  Didn't I used to aim for that pasty white complexion? You can take the girl out of the goth, but you can't take the goth out of the girl!

I digress.

Last year, the Fiance, the Boy and I had ventured out to the "Star Trek Rocks" and taken photos.  I'd huffed and puffed my way as far up as I could go and made a promise that I'd come back and climb to the top.

That was also the day I lost my engagement ring so Fiance was adamant I secure it in some way. I borrowed a chain from the Teen and wore it around my neck this time.

We navigated the easiest way up for me and it didn't take me very long to make it past where I'd been the last time.  I sat and took a break drinking some water and using my trusty inhaler.  Asthma sucks!  I mentally began trying to figure out the best way to go up the very steep rock wall.

I hadn't made it very far before I had to stop.  Fiance was hot on my tail and making me nervous.  I told him as much and asked if he wanted to sit.  He said no.  I tried climbing up a bit farther and again had breathing trouble.  I sat down again.  I said I needed to take it slow.  Fiance said he was going to wander around.  Frustrated I asked if he really needed to do that, since it would make the third time in 20 minutes he would have walked off and left me.  He said that he just didn't feel like sitting, if he walked around maybe there was another way up.  It was making him nervous and scared watching me do this.  He didn't think I could do it.  I started to get upset.  The whole point of this thing is because I haven't felt like I've done what I should have been able to do because of my stupid injuries.  I haven't lived the life I've wanted to for the last 7 years.  He had no idea what it felt like to not be able to do the things he wanted to do because his body wouldn't cooperate.  He again said that he was just scared for me and that he didn't think I'd be able to climb up.  At this point I just got mad.  I started tearing up and asked if he didn't think I was scared?  That's part of the challenge of this!  Do things I'm scared of, things I've wanted to, things that I haven't done!  There's no disabled lift for me, I have to find a way up myself!  If it takes me 5 hours and I have to scoot on my butt all the way up and stop every 2 minutes because my lungs won't function then that's what I'm doing!  I think I was yelling by then.  I said "Didn't I ever tell you that Pops said I was the most hard assed person he'd ever met?!  I don't necessarily think he meant it in a complimentary way either!"

 Pops was my Grandfather who passed away in January 2009.  He and my Uncle Craig who passed away in January 2010 were huge supportive influences in my life & were really the only members of my family who hung in there and gave me a chance when I needed help and were willing to take a risk on a girl who'd pissed away golden opportunities so many times.  For that I will be forever grateful and I think of and miss them every day.  It drives me to be a better person, it makes me want to make them proud.  OK enough about dysfunctional family issues for now.

Fiance said yes, he did remember me telling him that.  He did know I am stubborn and he was still scared, but if I was determined then he was right behind me.  I wiped away my tears and turned to look up at the path up I'd already scoped out roughly seventeen times before.  Seventeen times of checking to see the loose rocks, the orange peels from some previous climber who'd had a snack, seventeen times to see exactly where my feet were going to go, where I was going to put which hand, where I was going to scoot up.  Only this time there was a shiny dime laying right next to me.

 A dime that had not been there any of the previous seventeen times.

If you are a believer in the significance of finding a dime, it means that an angel is watching over you.  It is a sign from the other side.  A loved one is trying to reassure you in some way.

I kept the dime.

Thank you Pops and Uncle Craig, I love you!

Oh, I made it to the top!