The first time that I dined at Ma Maison located in Greenbelt 2, I died a delicious death. It could be the voluptuous flavor of the White chocolate Mixed Fruit Tart that was so rich and hauntingly decadent. Or it could be the ethereal creaminess of the Kani Cream Croquette suggestive of the taste of clouds and the sea. It could be.
But in my sweet resurrection, it was the beautiful memory of dreamy feast of the palate and the visually arresting rustic ambiance of the place that lingers.
A restaurant with a French name that translate into “My home” specializing in Japanese western cuisine, Ma Maison may deem to rely heavily on the proverbial wonders of fusion. Yet, at a closer look, it is the grace of its charm which makes this addition to the Bistro Group of Restaurants remarkably unforgettable.
How could one ever forget the charm of an English countryside ambiance peppered with vintage embellishment transforming yet another rustic place into something that has character? As faint as the pleasantly muted light of the place, every display whispers a beautiful nostalgia of a long forgotten stories and unspoken tales. Amidst the whispers, it’s the resonating melody of delightful dishes that reverberates.
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| Camembert Cheese Fritters (Php385) / Deep-Fried Chicken Wings (Php245) |
A bite on a pillow of Camembert Fritters was a beautiful start. Sink your teeth into its crispy light batter of golden hue and you will be greeted by the shy flow of melted cheese. While the honey vinaigrette lends a contrasting flavor to the cheese fritters, it equally adds a new dimension of taste to the sweet savory Deep-fried Chicken Wings. The crispy and tender flair of the wings coupled with its pleasant taste reminds me of chicken bonchon, only better.
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| Chasoba Salad (Php425) |
The Chasoba Salad was a kaleidoscope of a dish that illuminates contrasting colors of beautiful hues. In terms of taste, it was a subtle reminder that there is unity in diversity. The combination of Japanese mayo and the sesame dressing renders distinct taste to the dish as every other ingredients rhyme perfectly well with each other. But if you carefully trace back the root of the flavor, you will know that it’s the cold green tea soba that provides delight to every bite.
Two dishes proved that Ma Maison has the knack of a good Japanese restaurant are the Curry Udon and Tonkatsu. The medley of Japanese noodles, beancurd, leeks, and fish cakes in a slightly thick curry soup provides hearty comfort that only a good soup can.
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| Curry Udon (Php325) / Tonkatsu (Php375) |
Melt-in-your-mouth tenderness can be such a cliché, but
there couldn’t be more apt description that fits perfectly well to Ma
Maison’s wafu style (Japanese style) crispy pork cutlets. The savory
taste was very apparent yet the lightness on the texture of the meat was
so remarkably sublime. Meant to be eaten with a dab of salt and the
famous Ma Maison sauce, having Tonkatsu with the side servings of potato
salad and shredded cabbage was an experience on its own.
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| Baked Escargots with Garlic Butter (Php385) |
The sight of plump and buttery Baked Escargots amidst little flame was an entertaining feat that Ma Maison could boast of. A tad chewy in texture yet tender, this exotic dish with enticing flavor of garlic and butter managed to be earthbound and dazzling at the same time.
Ma Maison’s traditional brown sauce is one of the things that this establishment is proud of. A tried and tested recipe hailing way back 1981, is known to enhance the taste of meat dishes. That enriching flavor is very apparent when we sampled their hefty serving of Hamburger Steak. Topped with fried egg and served with bread, potato salad, and buttered vegetables, the hamburger steak is very western in nature but it was sent a notch higher with the brown sauce smothered on it.
The Omu-Rice is a simple rice dish made with Japanese rice mixed with catsup covered with fried scrambled egg. The tanginess of the dish went perfectly well with the distinct flavor of the brown sauce.
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| Hamburger Steak (Php375) / Omu-Rice (Php255) |
Kani Cream Croquettes are logs of pure bliss and pleasure. A crusty bite after another provides a balance between the creaminess of the potato and the distinct taste of the crab. Little chunks of crab lend a bend in the delicate texture of the potato in the palate. This dish reminds me of the Sea Food Fried Roll I love dearly at The President’s Tea House in Binondo.
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| Kani Cream Croquettes (Php375) |
Boiled eggs wrapped in minced beef and pork is what
Scotch Egg is all about. This dish can be a tad too common yet, what
sets Ma Maison’s version apart form the rest is the brown sauce that
comes with it. The flavor-enhancing component of the sauce sure made a
big difference that is noteworthy.
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| Scotch Egg (Php375) / THE delicious cabbage salad dressing |
Several dishes are served with shredded cabbage salad which can be tagged as the usual route for a complete Japanese meal. What rocked my world about Ma Maison’s is the sauce for these rather ordinary servings of shredded cabbage. Little things like this that isn’t taken for granted matters a lot.
Aside from variety of dishes, perusing the content of the menu can lead you to wide choices of beverages to choose from. I have tried two of Ma Maison's signature drinks namely; Aloe Vera Apple and Green Tea Citrus. Both were equally refreshing but it was the latter which suits to my liking.
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| Aloe Vera Apple and Green Tea Citrus (Php125 each) |
While all the dishes are well worth to fall in love with, it was the desserts that were served to us which steeled my solved that Ma Maison is indeed something special.
At a glance I thought I would be biased between the two desserts laid in front of us since I have deep rooted love for green tea and brazo de mercedez. A combination of two could send me to heaven and back, and indeed that was what Ma Maison's Frozen Green Tea Brazo de Mecedes did to me.
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| White Chocolate Mixed Fruit Tart (Php195) / Frozen Green Tea (Php185) |
But when I took the first bite of the White Chocolate Mixed Fruit Tart, I know I have found my soul mate in the presence of that dessert. The predominant taste of white chocolate was ever present without being cloyingly sweet as the citrusy component of the mixed fruit temper its saccharine in a playful way.
I would like to say that the dessert renders a beautiful ending to the festive dinner, but no. Because it hinted of a new chapter, a reason to go back at Ma Maison for more.
Needless to say, I like everything about Ma Maison. It maybe uncharacteristically me, but some friends could attest how I have victimized them with an sms brigade about how good Ma Maison is.
A day after that dinner I found myself seated again at one of their comfortable chairs waiting for my meal to arrive with such unwavering anticipation that it is going to be yet again one of the best meals of my life.
A day after that dinner I found myself seated again at one of their comfortable chairs waiting for my meal to arrive with such unwavering anticipation that it is going to be yet again one of the best meals of my life.
Ma Maison
(right beside Italiannis)
Ground Level, Greenbelt 2,
Paseo de Roxas cor. Legaspi St., Ayala Center
Makati City, Philippines
Contact Number: (+63 2) 729-9122
Ground Level, Greenbelt 2,
Paseo de Roxas cor. Legaspi St., Ayala Center
Makati City, Philippines
Contact Number: (+63 2) 729-9122
