Curtis Stone knows where to find California’s best tacos
The Michelin star chef opens his little black book to share where to dine and what to do in his adopted home of LA.
There’s a lot to love about Los Angeles, but Michelin-starred celebrity chef Curtis Stone’s favourite pastime revolves around one thing and one thing only: food. Or, more specifically, the seemingly endless array of restaurants, food stands and casual eateries that beckon at any hour when hunger strikes.
“LA is great in that I can get any kind of food at any time of the day or night,” says Stone, who has called the City of Angels home for eight years. “Some of my favourite LA memories are all spur of the moment, like finding a local taco stand or exploring a new beach.”
After opening award-winning Beverly Hills restaurant Maude in 2014, Stone has continued to flex his culinary prowess with a string of new venues, including Gwen Butcher Shop & Restaurant on Sunset Blvd and Georgie by Curtis Stone in Dallas.
In November, Stone is set to unveil Grace by Curtis Stone Events, his first bricks-and-mortar venue in Australia. The 120-seat event space in Richmond, Victoria will serve bespoke menus for weddings and corporate events.
In true fashion, cooking is never far from the chef’s mind, which is why his guide to LA centres on the best spots to dine, pick up produce and sample the region’s renowned chardonnay and cabernet sauvignon.
“It’s impossible to see and do everything in LA, even after living here for many years,” he says. Thankfully, he knows exactly where to start.
Beachside brew: Los Angelenos are spoilt for choice when it comes to stellar cafes but Stone has a clear favourite. He starts his morning with breakfast at Back on the Beach Cafe, an easy-going, waterfront establishment on the Pacific Coast Highway in Santa Monica. The relaxed restaurant caters to families and beachgoers with breakfast burritos and maple syrup-doused buttermilk pancakes served under the shade of striped beach umbrellas.
Hand-rolled heaven: Choosing a restaurant other than his own might seem impious, but if one thing comes close to matching the top-notch dishes served at Maude, it’s Sushi Park in West Hollywood. “It’s not your normal sushi joint,” he says of the omakase restaurant, which serves a revolving multi-course, chef-prepared tasting menu. “It’s some of the best food you’ll find in the city, and it’s an experience unlike any other,” says Stone. Masterfully-formed nigiri and seared Chilean sea bass are just some of the delicacies you can expect to be served. It’s also a regular haunt for the likes of Emma Stone, Leonardo DiCaprio, Justin Bieber, Beyonce and Jay Z.
Shop hop in Beverly Hills: “It’s a surprisingly tight-knit community, and a big part of that is because it’s really walkable,” Stone says. He recommends The Cheese Store of Beverly Hills where “there is always something new to taste.” Think artisanal delicacies like Epoisses, an aromatic and salty cheese first made in the 1600s by French Monks. “Inevitably I leave with an armful of goodies.”
Naturally, he also stops by Gwen Butcher Shop & Restaurant, Stone’s European-style butcher shop and fine dining restaurant, to pick up meat to grill at home. The butchery works directly with ranchers and farmers to source sustainably-raised animals for the best cuts of meat, including Blackmore wagyu beef from Australia.
Day tripper: If you’re willing to journey a little further, Stone suggests driving to Santa Barbara for an “easy day trip”. “There are excellent wineries for the parents, and many of them have kid-friendly gardens with board games and places to play,” he says.
His must-visits include Lo-Fi Wines in Los Alamos, which specialises in handcrafted, low-alcohol wine to be enjoyed every day, Scar of the Sea in San Luis Obispo, which partners with local farms to make low-intervention wine, and Au Bon Climat and Brewer-Clifton in Santa Barbara for a classic, Burgundian-style Chardonnay or a drop of cool-climate Pinot Noir respectively.
Surf and turf: During moments off, Stone heads out on his relentless pursuit for the best tacos in LA. He suggests visiting La Super-Rica Taqueria in Santa Barbara, a modest eatery that just so happens to be a favourite of American cook Julia Child. Expect lines out the door, but for what’s been coined some of the best Mexican food available in the city, it’s well worth it. Try the Tacos de Bistec, thinly sliced beef resting on top of a made-to-order hand-pressed tortilla finished with homemade salsa.
Of course, it’s near-impossible to fit everything into one trip. Stone says one week is the perfect amount of time to visit before figuring out “when you’re coming back to check out all the things you didn’t have time to see the first time around.” It seems a return trip is inevitable.