FROM LEFT: Gladstone’s Malibu surf ’n’ turf; Gladstone’s Malibu. BELOW: A classic mojito from Gladstone’s Malibu; Happillon with his handmade oyster bar by artist Frank Bauer.
GLADSTONE’S MALIBU
SBE, the hotel/nightlife/restaurant juggernaut, has abandoned its usual Hollywood digs for its latest project on the beach in Malibu. The company—helmed by founder and CEO Sam Nazarian—has taken over the iconic PCH restaurant Gladstone’s Malibu (17300 Pacific Coast Hwy., Pacific Palisades, 310-454-3474; gladstones.com), giving it a facelift and adding new life to one of LA’s best options in ocean-view dining. Here, the top 10 reasons to head up the coast to the reincarnated Gladstone’s.
1. Ocean view. Need we say more? The waves provide a stunning backdrop and sound track to your meal.
2. The spice-crusted tuna with creamy polenta, goat cheese and green beans—trust us.
3. Plenty of outdoor seating. Can’t ever come up with the perfect place to nosh or grab a cocktail outside? Well, now you have it.
4. The mojitos. Try the classic version or the dragon-berry mojito. They’re so delicious you’ll want a designated driver.
5. It’s a Malibu institution. SBE may have renovated everything from the decor to the menu, but it maintained the beachy, laid-back vibe that has made Gladstone’s a three-decades-old Westside staple.
6. Hyde Beach. A day-to-night venue that brings cabanas and cocktail service to the sand. Good-bye, Hollywood dance floors. Hello, grooving under the stars.
7. Day drinking. Enjoy a buttery glass of Chardonnay or a Corona on a perfect beach day and then stay and watch the sun dip into the water.
8. Did we mention the view?
9. The seafood. We can’t get enough of the oysters, grilled Maine lobster and Alaskan jumbo king crab legs.
10. It’s Malibu. Even the drive up PCH is enjoyable.
Keep on Shuckin’
If oysters truly are an aphrodisiac, consider Christophe Happillon LA’s Cupid. Presiding over his portable raw bar packed high with ice and oysters, this roving maitre écailler (shellfish specialist) has become a staple on the local dining scene. With regular weekly pop-up appearances at some of the city’s top restaurants—Church & State, Joe’s Restaurant and The Edison, to name a few—Happillon has become the source for top-notch raw oysters as well as for a free tableside education on everything from the history of oysters to current trends in fishing. “Oysters are sustainable, so it’s interesting to promote something that doesn’t deplete the ocean,” he says.
The oyster master’s own watery roots can be traced to his childhood by the Mediterranean Sea in Montpellier, France, where his grandfather was a fisherman. As an adult, Happillon followed his family’s footsteps and got into the fishing industry as well, getting a bachelor’s degree in fish farming and at one point owning a smokehouse that specialized in smoked salmon. “It’s in my blood,” he says.
Although Happillon acknowledges a deep-rooted oyster tradition on the East Coast, you’ll usually find his display brimming with West Coast delicacies from Mexico, Canada and the US, such as Luna, Fanny Bay, Barron Point and Endless Summer oysters—all of which are shucked by Happillon himself. “I’m a troubadour,” he says. “It’s a crusade to spread the gospel of the oyster.” Visit oystergourmet.com.—LESLEY MCKENZIE
