Yōshoku at Ma Maison

8th August 2010. Written by Xin Li.

Dressed in a European cottage style, one might mistake Ma Maison for a European or French Restaurant from its name and exterior. However, beyond its European façade is a Japanese Restaurant serving yōshoku (洋食).

This was something I picked up from National Geographic Traveller’s Guide Book. Yōshoku (洋食) starring dishes like the Hamburger Steak and Beef Stroganov started around the 19th and 20th century in Japan after the Meiji Restoration with their lifting of the ban on red meat and introduction of western cuisine.

The Beef Stroganov, a Russian dish was brought to the shores of Japan following the fall of Imperial Russia resulting in the White Russians fleeing Soviet Russia to Japan with the Russian dish.

This dish was Wei Xiang’s choice for our lunch at Ma Maison restaurant located Marina Parco last Sunday. Taking a bite from the warm, brown stew accompanied by an omelette covered buttered rice, I quite like it, the beef was quite tender and the fluidity was just right, the fragrant butter rice goes very well with it.

Wei Xiang described that “the butter rice is fragrant, the beef and mushroom is evenly spread out with gravy that is nice in texture and the egg buffered both the rice and beef, making it a nice balanced overall.”

The Beef Stroganov Omu Rice Set cost 16.50++ SGD and comes with soup, mini salad and drink.

The Hamburger Steak known as Hanbāgu (ハンバーグ hanbāgu) is another common yōshoku dish found in Japan. You can read my maiden Hamburger Steak experience at UCC Plaza Café in Kyoto here.

Craving for that melt-in-your-mouth Hamburger Steak in Singapore, I ordered the Hamburger Steak with Brown Sauce Set (16.50++ SGD) without hesitation. I found the steak to be quite decent, it was well-seasoned and the considerably tender and juicy.

However, it lacks the melt-in-your-mouth sensation that I had in Kyoto and there were some fatty bits in the hamburger steak. The brown sauce was too thick as well.

My fellow schoolmate, YY had the Hamburger Steak with Japanese Sauce Set (16.50++ SGD). This was much better than the Hamburger Steak with Brown Sauce, it was lighter and the sauce did not overpower the flavour the beef patty has to offer. The scallions added gave savoury touch to the dish which makes it tastier than the Hamburger Steak with Brown Sauce.

Both Hamburger Steak came with soup, mini salad, bread or rice and drink. The sauce changes every 3 days.

Nobuko had the Omu Rice with Brown Sauce Set (15.50 ++ SGD) – Ketchup Rice Wrapped in Omelette with Choice of Brown Sauce or Ketchup. It came with a soup, mini salad and drink.

Unlike the other Omu Rice we find in hawker centres and food courts. This particular omu-rice has a more fluid texture almost like a scrambled egg. While it was quite good, it starts to feel a little heavy on the palate to the point one might get a little tired of it. As a result, Nobuko wasn’t able to finish her Omu Rice (the portion was quite big too)

Ma Maison Restaurant has very good service, the waiters and waitresses were very friendly and knowledgeable. Water was being refilled with prompting and they took the time and effort to explain the specials, dishes graciously and professionally.

The restaurant has a nice romantic, cozy atmosphere. It is like what the restaurant seemed to present itself from the very first step you enter its cottage-style environment. Even the bill is presented as a key, a nice detail. The only place that makes paying of bills a little different that I know of is OVOlogue in Hong Kong.

Pricewise, the food was good and the service was great. Food comes in set and the specials changes daily, even the non-specials come in sets priced around 15 SGD – 25 SGD.

The normal sets includes salad, soup (or bread) and a choice of drink (or ice cream).
On weekends they even have a Special Set starring steak and their hamburger steak with soup, salad and ice cream plus drink.

Overall, I felt that Ma Maison is worth try as the price is reasonable for a set and the food is quite good. There are two other branches of Ma Maison located at Bugis and Central (Clarke Quay) and several more located in Japan.

PRICELIST:
Set G – Omu Rice : $15.50++
Set H – Beef Stroganov Omu Rice : $16.50++
Set F – Hamburger Steak Set : $16.50++

Ma Maison Restaurant

Address:
9 Raffles Boulevard #P3-03 Parco Marina Bay, Millenia Walk Singapore

Tel:
+65 6338 9391

Opening Hours
Daily: 10.30am – 9.30pm