I’ve seen many comments suggesting that MAZ may be a waste of a fine dining experience in Tokyo when there is so much good local food. It actually made me feel a bit skeptical before going if I’m honest. I went in with mixed expectations. Central food isn’t always the most incredible taste but they stick with altitudes so closely. Really to a fault. I appreciate the craft and dedication but it doesn’t always make for the best flavour. Here, elevations were more of a strong suggestion so there was a bit of creative license.
Sure; there was a lot of Peruvian influence here but it was mainly Japanese ingredients that were the star of the show. Fresh, in season fish and game were the stars of the show. The potatoes were replaced with lily bulbs. Alpaca with wagyu beef. Overall the food was really, really tasty.
The overall space and atmosphere were quite nice. The restaurant is quite intimate. Maybe 8 or so tables adorn a space which could have been teleported directly from MIL or Central. Service was top notch. You could hear 4 languages being spoken in our immediate vicinity and staff did a great job of managing this. The team was just great.
The wines were quite good. A lot of South American focus here but the cellar was stocked with many very good options. I didn’t really look for cocktails but I’m sure the options were fine.
We really liked it. We’ve had plenty of good Japanese food so far and in no way would I say I regret visiting here at all. Santiago has a done a fantastic job building what he’s got here and I hope he continues to integrate further with Japanese ingredients and technique.
by ochief19