People often call this place Maison Sota, but it’s really just Maison. I heard about it from David Chang’s podcast.
Menus were individually decorated.
First amuse. Favas, apple, didn’t catch what the main ingredient was, some kind of seafood. Nice, subtle.
Came with a delicious apple-sorrel drink.
Chef Sota brought out the second amuse. I didn’t understand what he said much beyond it being crunchy. Shiny bit was preserved fish? with something slightly sweet? Good. Wine pairing started after the amuses, so we got a couple of different Champagnes.
Koji-fermented rice with cuttlefish and seaweed. Fabulous, subtle but profound. I’d happily have just a big bowl of that for lunch.
Very atypical Godello. Good match for the scallop.
Scallop wrapped in shaved white asparagus on horseradish-seasoned raw cream. Really good.
Chestnut bread. Excellent. Used through the rest of the savory courses to sop up sauces etc.
Alsatian Gewürztraminer made in a vin jaune-like style. Great stuff.
Sort of a celery root taco filled with sea urchin and helianthus (similar to sunchoke) with a vin jaune sauce. All worked together, good dish.
I was skeptical because in California, Colombard is usually plonk, but this was excellent.
Crepes with spinach, sweet onion, porcini sauce, and a dollop of tarama. Great dish.
By this time the place was pretty full. I counted 30 guests, absolute maximum would be maybe 40? but only if all the tables in back were parties of four, instead they were two or three. They don’t turn the tables, dinner seatings are from 7:30 to 9:00.
Lobster with lobster head sauce and if I understood correctly Peruvian naturally freeze-dried potato. Great dish. Super-interesting texture on the potato.
Came with a couple of spears of asparagus …
… and a salad with a bite of lobster claw and a lobster dressing.
Dude at the next table had Gossamer on his Chucks.
Austrian Pinot Blanc. Very good.
Forgot to photograph the turbot. Foie gras and nettle sauce was fabulous. Another great dish.
Turbot at another table. It was covered with a nasturtium? leaf.
15.5% (!) ABV Barbera, not for me. My wife liked it.
Pigeon was another great dish. There’s a bit of sausage, a little artichoke heart, some chanterelles.
Marinated strawberries with bergamot ice cream and tarragon sauce. Great.
Good but robbing the cradle here.
Blown sugar egg with passion fruit and I’m not sure what the green was.
Another great dish. I wonder how many they broke getting ~30 perfect ones.
Nice centerbe, new to me.
Mignardises: carrot and orange jellies, financiers. Really good.
Great meal, best wine pairing I’ve had in years, polished but friendly service, loved the atmosphere, 3-1/2 hours at table went by like two.
$723.18 on my credit card. Compare with $1695.23 for my meal at Kato last year. Kato was better but not by a lot. Makes as little sense that Maison has no Michelin stars as that Kato has only one.
Lemme be real, I didn’t want to look at my bill at Table too closely. I enjoyed my meal and had some memorable dishes, but cannot see myself paying that cost again. Lobster at Maison stood out more for me, although it looks like you got a different version than I had.