Curtis Stone’s guide to LA

Celebrity Chef and TV host Curtis Stone is a home-grown Aussie but these days he calls LA home – he even opened a restaurant, Maude’s, in Beverly Hills in 2014.

We caught up with the best-selling cookbook author to get the low-down on what’s hot in the City of Angels.

What are your favourite spots in LA for breakfast or brunch?

I’ve got a few!

Chaumont Bakery and Café
This little bakery on South Beverly Drive, located dangerously close to my restaurant, Maude, offers a stellar assortment of flaky, buttery French pastries. I can’t go past their pain au chocolat.

The Hart and the Hunter
The seasonal produce used to make the Californian cuisine here is vibrant, locally sourced and super fresh. It’s open for breakfast, lunch and dinner, but it’s their brunch menu that excites me most. They get it right every time, from their kale salad with seasonal fruits, pecans, sheep’s cheese and walnut vinaigrette right through to their heart-stopping croque-madame with country ham.

The Oaks Gourmet
When it comes to Sunday and Monday (my days out of the restaurant), I loved being cooked for, and it's especially so when it comes to breakfast. The brekky burrito at the Oaks Gourmet is pretty insane, especially when slathered in hot sauce.

Homestate
They have the best 'Texas-style' breakfast tacos in LA. There’s just something so satisfying about eating tacos for breakfast. Try the shredded brisket, cabbage slaw and guacamole taco.

The best spots to get away from it all in LA?

Take a hike! If you’re looking to get away from the hustle and bustle steer clear of the Runyon Canyon hike – the well-known trail in Hollywood is more suited to people watching than working up a sweat. I like Mandeville Canyon in Brentwood - on a clear day you’ll see beautiful views of the Pacific Ocean.

Favourite beach in LA?

Manhattan Beach. It has much more of a seaside, shabby chic vibe than Venice and Santa Monica and the water seems to be clearer. The food scene is booming in Manhattan beach too. Try Manhattan Beach Post and Little Sister.

Best place for coffee in LA?

Coffee Coffee or Paramount Coffee Project, both are located on Fairfax Ave, West Hollywood. Paramount Coffe Project is owned and operated by Mark Dundon on 7 Seeds café in Carlton, Melbourne (so you know it’s going to be good!) The Aussie invasion in LA is real right now.

A tough one – but favourite restaurant?

You’re right, that’s a tough one because I love both ends of the dining spectrum – casual side-of-the-road taco stand and something a little more high-end once in a while. For a very special occasion, I like Urasawa, in Beverly Hills. You basically have to sell something before you can pull up a seat at the sushi bar here, but it’s well worth every penny. The space is intimate and exclusive, with approximately 10 seats, and head chef Hiroyuki Urasawa is a true master of his craft; an exquisite dining experience.

Best LA bar or pub?

Bar Covell in Los Feliz is probably the best wine bar in town, for its dynamic, thoughtful list and insanely knowledgeable staff. You go up to the bar and let them know the type of wine you’re after, and they come back with a handful of options for you to taste that really make you think outside the square.

Best spot in LA for foodie inspiration?

East LA. I recently headed to East LA with the chefs from my restaurant, Maude, to check out all of the authentic Mexican restaurants and eateries there. LA is known for its killer tacos but you’re not going to find them in Beverly Hills, you’re going to find the real-deal in East LA in hole-in-the-wall eateries.

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Spot in LA that tourists MUST visit?

Downtown LA. People often stay by the beaches or in West Hollywood or Beverly Hills when they visit LA and skip out on taking a trip downtown. There’s an incredible arts district, contemporary and art deco architecture and a thriving food scene downtown. My favourite place to check out is the Grand Central Markets. There’s a good mix of old, new and ethic cuisine food stands to check out at this historic downtown landmark.

What is something about LA that would surprise visitors?

The unassuming strips malls are home to some of the best restaurants in LA.

What is the best restaurant that no one’s ever heard of?

Birch. British chef Brendan Collins, a fellow LA-based former Marco Pierre White protege, opened Birch in the heart of Hollywood last year. With clean, bright Scandinavian design and a massive floor-to-ceiling garage door entrance, Birch strikes a nice balance between sophisticated and casual. The not-to-miss dish is the pork shank, palm sugar, coleslaw and za’atar flatbread.

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Where is your favourite holiday destination?

I recently travelled to Sayulita, Mexico (just under a 3-hour flight from Los Angeles) with my family and about thirty of my best mates to celebrate my birthday. I’d go back in a heartbeat. The people are so friendly and hospitable, the waters are clear and the food is really impressive. Sayulita is a little beach town so the seafood there is super fresh - I indulged in my fair share of fish tacos.

But obviously Stone still calls Australia home...

I go back to Oz around six or seven times a year, for two to three weeks at a time, so I’m fortunate that my work allows for me to travel back home frequently. I think we’ll live in Oz again at some point. I want my two boys to know their heritage and feel a connection to our land Down Under.

Favourite Aussie beach?

Any beach on Bellarine Peninsula. The Bellarine is just a sixty minute drive from Melbourne, and extends from Geelong to Queenscliff, and down to Torquay, just before Bells Beach. I spent my summers here when I was a kid. My mum still lives on the Peninsula, so I’m there a handful of times a year.