Rice to the occasion at Ma Maison

When the Bistro Group brought Japanese restaurateur Akihiro Terazawa’s popular Tokyo eatery — Ma Maison — to the Philippines November of last year, it created a buzz among its expat fans, who simply couldn’t get enough of its baked escargot in garlic butter, which is set aflame just before the dish is served. I simply got hooked! The white and brown-shelled, slightly larger escargot doesn’t swim in a vat of butter (although that thought is quite enticing), so you won’t feel guilty even if you downed all six of them in one go.

Then there’s the pork tonkatsu, the crackling star of Ma Maison’s menu, which is best enjoyed, not with gravy — as most Filipinos prefer — but with a grain of salt. The salt, Akihiro said, enhances the natural flavor of the meat. The tonkatsu also goes well with the eatery’s famous “brown sauce,” the owner’s secret sauce, which is stewed for 28 days!

And so, while the expats are having a heyday sampling Ma Maison’s Japanese-Western-inspired food items, the locals are confused by the restaurant’s concept.

Ma Maison, which means “my house” in French, is a Japanese restaurant that doesn’t serve sushi and sashimi. The interiors remind one of a homey English country cottage — instead of a traditional Japanese house — furnished with wooden tables, chairs, and knick-knacks sourced from various antique shops in Kamuning, QC.

“We found out during our focus group discussions that Ma Maison's menu is comfort food for Japanese. For Filipinos, it's a disovery and they also suggested some rice meals so we enhanced our menu, ” says Lisa Ronquillo, AVP for marketing, Bistro Group. “As far as the former is concerned, they are satisfied and happy with Ma Maison’s existing menu. But when it comes to Pinoys, some admit they’re not familiar with Japanese-Western cuisine, which is what Ma Maison is all about.”

Japanese-Western cuisine includes western-style dishes developed in — or significantly modified — in Japan, like tonkatsu, yoshoku (curry rice), and donburi (a combo of an entrée on a big bowl of rice).

RICE, RICE, BABY!

In enhancing the menu, Ma Maison got the support and made full use of the expertise of Bistro Group’s new executive chef Josh Boutwood, who recently harvested medals in all seven categories at the Philippine Culinary Cup.

Chef Josh experimented in the kitchen for two months until he came up with a list that got the nod of the focus groups they invited during the taste test. These include the teriyaki sets — chicken teriyaki and salmon and tempura teriyaki — served with a bowl of miso soup and Japanese rice.

At Ma Maison, lunchtime means crunch time as diners can indulge in the lip-smacking goodness of prawn and chicken katsu as well as seafood katsu (shrimp and squid katsudon) that’s crisp on the outside and juicy inside.

Go into carbo-loading mode with a serving of sizzling chicken rice, glazed chicken bits set atop rice and served with a veggie combo and fried egg. My personal favorite is the sizzling seafood rice loaded with crabmeat, scallops, and shrimps in garlic butter served with special umadashi sauce, kizami nori, and egg. The nori and umadashi, Japan’s version of patis but with a tinge of sweetness, give the dish its distinct, delectable flavor.

“At Ma Maison, we listen to what our guests want and give them their favorite flavor profiles while maintaining high regard for culinary innovation, creativity, quality, value and, of course, the Bistro trademark service,” enthuses Guia Abuel, VP for operations.

The oh, so rich and decadent white chocolate mixed fruit tart and refreshing green tea brazo de Mercedes is the best way to cap a satisfying meal at Ma Maison.

* * *

Ma Maison is in Greenbelt 2, Makati City. It is open daily from 11 a.m. to 11 p.m. For reservations, call 729-9122.