The Ride-Along Report: First Takes From Last Night’s Dinner

"What It Is: A fancy tasting menu restaurant in Beverly Hills Perfect For: Dinner With The Parents, Fine Dining, Special Occasions Maude used to serve an expensive tasting menu based off a single ingredient (usually a fruit or vegetable or nut) that changed every month. But as of January, things have changed. The menu is now based off a specific wine region, and on our visit, it was the Rioja region of Spain. We loved the novelty of the old Maude, but this new menu feels more practical - it allows for a greater variety of food, and the menu only changes four times a year. As for the rest of the restaurant, the casual French sidewalk cafe feel remains, as does the overall meal structure - save for the very beginning, which now has you starting inside their wine cellar. Speaking of, the wine pairing isn’t cheap (it starts at $125, on top of the $125 meal price), but you get seven pairings, and it’s well worth the money if you’re ready to throw down for a special experience." - jess basser sanders, brant cox, brett keating