Located in a spacious double shophouse along Craig Road is the newly-opened Ma Cuisine, a little slice of heaven for oenophiles and those looking to immerse themselves for an evening in great wines with stories.
Ma Cuisine Singapore is loosely affiliated with the Michelin-recommended establishment of the same name in Beaune, Burgundy. In a departure from the original Ma Cuisine in Beaune, owners Anthony Charmetant and Mathieu Escoffier are excited to introduce a new generation of winemakers from traditional wine regions like Burgundy, Rhone and Bordeaux, as well daring, delicious new world wines, in a market like Singapore where they believe wine lovers are more open to trying new things. The young French owners here have curated a collection of over 600 labels from diverse terroirs from wine-producing regions in France to more uncommon regions like Hungary and even Lebanon.
Ma Cuisine Singapore is loosely affiliated with the Michelin-recommended establishment of the same name in Beaune, Burgundy. In a departure from the original Ma Cuisine in Beaune, owners Anthony Charmetant and Mathieu Escoffier are excited to introduce a new generation of winemakers from traditional wine regions like Burgundy, Rhone and Bordeaux, as well daring, delicious new world wines, in a market like Singapore where they believe wine lovers are more open to trying new things. The young French owners here have curated a collection of over 600 labels from diverse terroirs from wine-producing regions in France to more uncommon regions like Hungary and even Lebanon.
Anthony Charmetant and Mathieu Escoffier share their passion and insight into the wines at Ma Cuisine as part of the experience.
The journey of discovery begins when guests receive the extensive wine list, where each bottle has been carefully considered before earning a place at Ma Cuisine. Anthony and Mathieu bring them in in small batches, and once the bottles run out, its place in the menu is stamped with a cheeky 'No More Already'.
If you have a chance, let Anthony take you on a tour through the climate-controlled wine cellar and feel the crunch of a carpet of lava stones under your feet while he regales you with stories of winemakers and vintages. The owners' specific knowledge of the winegrowers, vineyards, grapes, histories, and the colourful, irreverent way they tell these stories, takes guests on a voyage of discovery and is what makes the experience at Ma Cuisine unique.
Watch this video:
If you have a chance, let Anthony take you on a tour through the climate-controlled wine cellar and feel the crunch of a carpet of lava stones under your feet while he regales you with stories of winemakers and vintages. The owners' specific knowledge of the winegrowers, vineyards, grapes, histories, and the colourful, irreverent way they tell these stories, takes guests on a voyage of discovery and is what makes the experience at Ma Cuisine unique.
Watch this video:
First Look: Ma Cuisine
Mathieu Escoffier also helms the kitchen at Ma Cuisine, turning out rustic French fare that will transport you to the vineyards and rolling hills of Beaune in Burgundy. The food menu is simple and concise, there mainly to accompany and accentuate the wines you would have already chosen.
A Côtes du Rhône La Vie On Y Est Domaine Gramenon 2016, for example, pairs beautifully with the La Pissaladiere, a caramelized onion tart with anchovies and olives, the savoury umami-ness of the pizza-like dish bringing out the ripe apricot flavours in the wine. You can also try the terrine of jellied ham and parsley here, a dish recommended by the Michelin inspectors from Ma Cuisine in Beaune. A spiced lamb shoulder with winter root vegetables served in a Staub cocotte made the perfect partner to the Domaine Laurent Combier 2015, a stunning vintage in Crozes-Hermitage with its intense fruitiness and peppery notes.
While it may seem a little strange and pretentious that the wine menu does not offer anything by the glass, the reason, as the owners explain, is simple: Every bottle tells a unique story that has to be experienced from it being chosen in the cellar accompanied by anecdotes told by Anthony or Mathieu, to its flavours evolving as you decant it and taste it over the course of the night. And when you're done with a bottle that you've fallen in love with, Anthony will take it to their glass-cutter at the back and return with it repurposed as a candle holder with the label preserved, a thoughtful souvenir for you to take home.
A Côtes du Rhône La Vie On Y Est Domaine Gramenon 2016, for example, pairs beautifully with the La Pissaladiere, a caramelized onion tart with anchovies and olives, the savoury umami-ness of the pizza-like dish bringing out the ripe apricot flavours in the wine. You can also try the terrine of jellied ham and parsley here, a dish recommended by the Michelin inspectors from Ma Cuisine in Beaune. A spiced lamb shoulder with winter root vegetables served in a Staub cocotte made the perfect partner to the Domaine Laurent Combier 2015, a stunning vintage in Crozes-Hermitage with its intense fruitiness and peppery notes.
While it may seem a little strange and pretentious that the wine menu does not offer anything by the glass, the reason, as the owners explain, is simple: Every bottle tells a unique story that has to be experienced from it being chosen in the cellar accompanied by anecdotes told by Anthony or Mathieu, to its flavours evolving as you decant it and taste it over the course of the night. And when you're done with a bottle that you've fallen in love with, Anthony will take it to their glass-cutter at the back and return with it repurposed as a candle holder with the label preserved, a thoughtful souvenir for you to take home.
The wine cellar at Ma Cuisine.
The interiors are cosy and casual, imbued with vintage French style and contemporary sensibilities.
A glass of Meursault with La Pissaladière (caramelised onion tart) and Le Jambon Persillé (terrine of pork shoulder).
For dessert, indulge in port and cheese.
