Where East Meets West

I visited Ma Maison on a Friday evening. The restaurant was rather difficult to locate (some corner of the third floor) and this was not helped by the some-teen other establishments displaying their Japanese fare at Central.

The restaurant interior turned out to be far from what I expected (namely, bright lights and kawaii deco of the Hello Kitty variety). It is reminescent of a cosy English cottage, with dark timber furniture, low lights and soft piped jazz - perfect for a quiet outing where you and your friends have plenty to chat about.

Foodwise, Ma Maison has plenty to offer. The menu features Western dishes with a Japanese twist, such as hamburger steaks and squid ink pasta. For starters, my dining companions and I shared the Escargots in Garlic and Butter Sauce, which is always a delightful treat. The Beef Stroganoff with Buttered Rice also went down well, with the generous helping of scrambled eggs lending an unexpectedly yummy touch.

However, I felt that the restaurant's signature Hamburger Steak was overrated. Its claim to fame is a teriyaki-esque sauce that has been simmering for 28 days... but I didn't find the taste too different from my mum's day-old stews. The minced beef/pork  patty was soft and altogether too 'synthetic' for my liking. Give me a good ol' steak any day!

Despite its unfortunate location, Ma Maison warrants the treacherous foray into the maze of Japanese restaurants that is Central, if only for its unique Jap-European fusion concept. Kudos to their eye for detail, from the dainty English crockery to the huge brass keys denoting the table numbers, combined with trademark Japanese efficiency and hospitality.