Vital rituals
88 Club, Maison Matho, CENTO Raw Bar, San Luis Obispo listings, Gosby House Inn, best Long Beach restaurants, MORE
RESTAURANTS • First Word
Chinese dream
The Skinny: Opened early last month, modern Chinese restaurant 88 Club is chef Mei Lin’s long-awaited return to LA’s fine dining scene five years after the closing of her heralded restaurant Nightshade.
The Vibe: The entry to 88 Club on Santa Monica Boulevard is easy to miss, marked by minimal signage. Inside, though, the atmosphere is anything but understated. The private-club-like space is dimly lit, with marble floors, heavy velvet curtains, and R&B pulsing through the room. On a recent Wednesday night, it was packed.
The Food: The menu favors family-style dining, balancing nostalgia with elevated technique. The night’s standout was a dish of prawn and bamboo shoot wontons. They arrive in a pristine white porcelain bowl with delicate chicken master stock, a Chinese version of tortellini in brodo. Another highlight is the tender and glazed char siu abanico, a thin piece of Pata Negra Iberian pork rich in fat streaks. The sesame prawn toast — a Nightshade signature — returns in a more layered format, sandwiched between two slices of bread and served with hot mustard and sweet and sour sauce. While it didn’t quite resonate with us, it was on almost every table — some adding caviar for good measure. The night ends with refreshing ginger ice cream and a buttery almond cookie.
The Drink: The cocktail list builds Chinese flavors into classics, as in the LIIT, a twist on the Long Island Iced Tea, layered with baijiu and osmanthus. Meanwhile, the wine list favors French bottles, with a focus on small producers and sustainable selections, as well as big swings like a $5,800 bottle of Pomerol.
The Verdict: By the time you leave, it’ll be hard to shake the memory of 88 Club, let alone imagine an LA without it. –Victoire Loup
→ 88 Club (Beverly Hills) • 9737 S Santa Monica Blvd. • Tue-Thu 530-1030p, Fri-Sat 530-11p • Reserve.
Photo: Marcus Meisler
LA RESTAURANT LINKS: First look inside Elon Musk’s retro-futuristic Hollywood diner • Japan-based Sushi Zanmai prepping first U.S. location in Koreatown • Noted Spanish chef Dani García readies to open in Westfield Century City next month • 10 previously impossible LA restaurant reservations that are now easy.
REAL ESTATE • First Mover
Three properties for sale in San Luis Obispo:
→ 4340 Prefumo Canyon Rd (San Luis Obispo) • 4BR/4.1BA, 4463 SF • Ask: $3.799M • modernist house set atop a hill on 4.63 acre property • Annual tax: $20,350 • Days on market: 126 • Agent: Lindsey Harn, Christie’s.
→ 1498 OConner Way (San Luis Obispo, above) • 4BR/3BA, 2400 SF • Ask: $4.2M • Historic O’Connor Ranch covers 189 acres with residences, barns, and outbuildings • Annual tax: $1233 • Days on market: 59 • Agents: Rea Callender and Ed Perry, California Outdoor Properties.
→ 1015 Rimrock Ln (San Luis Obispo) • 6BR/5.1BA, 6971 SF • Ask: $8.2M • 10-acre estate with Pacific Ocean and 360-degree views • Annual tax: $43,543 • Days on market: 44 • Agents: Colleen Clark and Rob Rose, Christie’s.
WORK & PLAY LINKS: So, what’s the plan for Palisades rebuild? • Loma Alta Park reopens in Altadena four months after fire • Getty Villa sets 06/27 reopening • Buff & Hensman modernist masterpiece hits market in Pasadena.
GOODS & SERVICES • FOUND Bakery
French twist
Years after leaving France for LA, I don’t miss the strikes, nor the dubbed movies. But a good jambon beurre? That, I crave. After careful research, I can confirm the best one here is at Maison Matho. The sourdough baguette is baked in-house daily, crusty on the outside, with just the right chew. It’s slathered with rich cultured butter and stacked with ribbons of tender cooked ham. A few cornichons add crunch — and maximum French-ness — but purists can skip them. Simple, flavorful, and effortlessly chic. Truly, what more do you need?
Chef Daniel Matho grew up in Grenoble, trained with fine dining heavyweights, and in 2023, gave East Hollywood a gift when he opened this low-key takeaway spot near the 101. He prefers his jambon beurre with prosciutto, as in the house special, Daniel’s Favorite. The omelet sandwich is another standout, a silky fold of pale yellow eggs tucked into a baguette and scattered with dill. It evokes the beloved Petit Trois omelet, but for the road. You’ll also find pork rillettes, Comté ravioles, a crisp gem salad, and a no-fuss brunch set.
The pastry case is full of flaky wonders: almond croissants, pain au chocolat, brioche apple buns, and a recent lemon-pistachio-marzipan croissant made with Meyer lemon jam. To drink, there are lattes of many colors, plus coffee classics like cortados and macchiatos. There’s also a raspberry lemonade called “Zinedine Zidane.” Because, pourquoi pas? –Victoire Loup
→ Maison Matho (East Hollywood) • 4770 Melrose Ave • Mon, Tue & Thu 7a-2p, Fri 7a-4p, Sat-Sun 8a-4p.
CULTURE & LEISURE • Famous Friends
Kate Berlant and Friends • Largo at the Coronet (West Hollywood) • Tonight @ 8p • seats assigned at will call, $50 per
Kate Hudson • The Roxy Theatre (West Hollywood) • Tonight @ 8p • GA, $84 per
Los Angeles Philharmonic – Gershwin and Strauss • Walt Disney Concert Hall (Downtown) • Fri @ 8p • row BB, $60 per
WORK • Thursday Routine
Fish tales
AVNER LEVI • chef/owner • CENTO / CENTO Raw Bar
Neighborhood you live in: West Hollywood
It’s Thursday morning. What’s the scene at your workplace?
Buzzing. These last few months have been all grind at our newest concept, Raw Bar, with contractors, designers, and inspectors flowing through nonstop prior to our opening earlier this month. Meanwhile, our prep crew is busy in the back, making sure everything’s set for service. Family meal is at 4p every day — it’s always something different, whether a dish from someone’s hometown or something seasonal. We take pride in these pre-shift meals at CENTO; they’re an important ritual where we eat well and share a laugh. I believe we do that better than anyone else, which explains why most of our team has been with us for years.
What’s on the agenda for today?
Tasting oysters of the day — my favorite. We get fresh seafood delivered daily, and that’s how we craft our specials. I’m meticulous about sampling all of our prep — something I picked up from my time in kitchens with Ori Menashe and Steve Samson. For Raw Bar, we’re offering a flowing list of specials based on what’s swimming — like Dungeness crab sliders or Santa Barbara sea urchin. Myself, my best friend and business partner Adrien D’Attellis, and our creative director Brandon, will bat around ideas in our new office above the restaurant (yes, it has an over-the-door basketball hoop).
Any restaurant plans today, tonight, this weekend?
Since it’s just Adrien and I running the show, you’ll likely find us in West Adams, but if I wasn’t in the midst of opening a restaurant, I’d definitely be at one. I love Lawry’s for happy hour. Great vibe, not too busy, and service is always strong. I’ve also been loving Tomat, a new restaurant in Westchester for a familiar infusion of Persian and Jewish flavors. For a longer dinner, Baekjeong in Ktown is great. I love smelling like grilled beef when I get home. Also, Damn, I Miss Paris opened up nearby in West Adams and should be on your hit list.
How about a little leisure or culture?
I’ve been doing Jiu Jitsu for years at 10th Planet. It's my favorite form of exercise and one of the best ways to decompress and come back into my body. That, and a quick trip to the barber shop makes me feel like a new man. Family keeps me busy during downtime — whether dominating my nephews in a game of basketball, or barbecuing at my sister’s house.
Any weekend getaways?
I’ll be honest, I used to be that guy – I'm not that guy anymore. When I was younger, I would spend every dime I made traveling from city to city, trying the best restaurants they had to offer, from Le Mirazur in France to Quintonil in Mexico City. (If you want some specific recommendations, dm me @glutton_ish.) Nowadays, I eat kabobs from Shekarchi, Thai from Pa Ord noodle, and steak from Lawry's. But of course, for something special, I like to go to The Peninsula with my lady, sit by the pool and check out.
What was your last great vacation?
My last great vacation was taking my parents to Europe. We stayed at the most beautiful hotel in Rome called Hotel Eden which had stunning breakfasts every day on the rooftop. I'd highly recommend it to anyone traveling there. Hit Roscioli Salumeria for the best carbonara and cacio e pepe in Rome. I’ll be headed back to Italy this summer for wine tastings at Randi winery in Emilia-Romagna. It’s a family-owned vineyard led by the talented Massimo Randi, who we are working with to create our line of CENTO natural wines.
I also just went on a much needed, last-minute vacation to Cabo last week. When I can get away, I always want a tropical vacation — get on a beach, relax, and drink a piña colada, an extremely undervalued cocktail.
GETAWAYS • Central Coast
Into this inn
On a recent getaway to the Central Coast, my goal was to visit Carmel and Monterey, but I stumbled upon a charming town in between: Pacific Grove. The city has a quaint, neighborly feel, much less touristy than Carmel and Monterey. Craftsman-style homes line the streets, and it’s easy to imagine horse-drawn carriages from days gone by. We stayed at Gosby House Inn, which marries the bones of a vintage craftsman-style building with the interior of a boutique hotel
The corner property has stained glass picture windows and a white-columned entrance leading to a spacious front porch. During a 2023 renovation, some vintage hallmarks were left in place, like the mirrored stand in the entryway, the rotary phone next to it, and the antique plates lining the kitchen walls. The 22 rooms are spread throughout the main house and in an adjacent building across a small garden path. No room is exactly alike, but they all offer a king or queen bed, and the pricier ones have outdoor private spaces and soaking tubs.
The inn offers a complimentary breakfast and wine and cheese in its kitchen. After our long day driving up from LA, we took full advantage of the wine and cheese upon arrival. We retreated to the common room, which had a fireplace, couches, and a few high-top tables for added seating. For a trip where we spent more time in the car than in the hotel, Gosby House Inn managed to hit the right note. –Dyana Lederman
→ Gosby House Inn (Pacific Grove) • 643 Lighthouse Ave • Rates from $355/wknd night.
GETAWAYS LINKS: 11-mile stretch of PCH reopening tomorrow • Inside newly opened Treehouse Hotel Silicon Valley, disrupting hospitality • First Class is back, but sometimes in disguise.
ASK FOUND
Today, one FOUND subscriber PROMPT for which we seek intel:
Where can I get a great Italian espresso in LA?
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RESTAURANTS • The Nines
Restaurants, Long Beach
The Nines are FOUND's distilled lists of LA’s best. Additions or subtractions? Hit reply or found@itsfoundla.com.
Heritage (Rose Park), siblings Lauren and Philip Pretty serve sustainability-focused farm-to-table tasting menu