Ma Ichi, this week's subject of Eating In, first opened its doors two weeks ago as a dine-in business.
Although the lockdown came just a few days later, the management seemed well prepared in switching to takeaway service.
After all, its proprietor is not a new face to the Bangkok restaurant scene. Ma Ichi is in fact the latest brainchild of chef Kritsada "Kaew" Chitrat, the man behind a popular nine-year-old Lat Phrao eatery, The Gallery Sushi Bar.
Prior to opening The Gallery Sushi Bar, Kaew worked as an executive chef for 10 years at a leading sushi restaurant in Chicago in the US. There he learned to combine the essence of the Japanese culinary arts, which he said has a genuine taste of ingredients, with an innovative dash.
Melt is a marriage of French foie gras and A5 wagyu on a bed of crunchy spicy tuna maki roll.
Thus his cuisine usually showcases various layers of fun-filled inspirations. Dishes, like Kaew's bulky foie gras sushi, are most treasured by his customers.
"Not as advertised," is a typical happy remark from customers astounded by the unexpectedly large portions of the food served at The Gallery Sushi Bar. Menu photos don't justify the actual size of the dishes. Some are monstrous.
The same is to be expected from Ma Ichi's takeaways.
The takeout menu, available online at bit.ly/MaIchiMenu, features an impressive collection of classic sushi and sashimi together with a number of contemporary and house-crafted creations.
The 100-item list evolves around fine fresh seafood and beef including tuna, hamachi (yellowtail), hotate (scallop), uni (sea urchin roe) and Wagyu beef from Japan; as well as salmon from Norway and foie gras from France.
Ma Ichi’s chef-patron Kritsada ‘Kaew’ Chitrat.
If the sumptuously rich, creamy and buttery foie gras is what you'd die for, then order the foie gras sushi (320 baht) and prepare to go to gastronomic heaven.
The sushi rice was completely concealed underneath a huge piece of flame-torched duck liver, to which a gourmand might describe as voluptuous while a novice might say intimidating. Traditionally, you are supposed to eat a sushi in one bite. But the delicacy here can offer four times the ecstasy.
One of Ma Ichi's signature dishes, Melt (1,290 baht), showcases a marriage of foie gras and Wagyu on a bed of crunchy spicy tuna maki roll. The four piece platter of luxurious sushi, each topped with a nice slab of highly-marbled A5 Wagyu, a plump piece of foie gras and load of ikura roe, promises faithful fans a melt-in-the-mouth pleasure.
Also a crowd-pleaser is Peter Parker (490 baht), a maki sushi inspired by the North American spider roll.
To mimic -- I suppose -- the bright red costume of the superhero, the spicy roll stuffed with soft-shell crab tempura and honey mayo is coated with red tobiko, ebiko and ikura before being topped with Alaskan king crab meat and lava-like hot chilli sauce.
Ma Ichi’s takeouts as enjoyed at home.
Wa Za (420 baht), is another signature dish that centres on viridian beauty. The green-hued sushi roll, which comes smothered with wasabi mayo, stars deep-fried breaded Hokkaido scallop, cubed fresh hamachi, avocado, unagi glaze and fragrant oba leaf.
Should all the above be too gluttonous for you, there's a more "minimal" signature on offer. The Salmon Zen (390 baht), one of my favourites, is a maki roll stuffed with prawn tempura and cream cheese. The roll came topped with flash-torched salmon and spicy mentaiko, with a thin piece of lemon to lend a citrusy contrast.
Ma Ichi sashimi set (650 baht) was of high quality with each item, namely hotate, hamachi, maguro and salmon, proved supple and naturally sweet.
Of the donburi (rice bowl) section, I found Ma Ichi t-mix don (350 baht), a combination of tuna, hamachi, salmon and ikura on vinegared rice, truly worth having.
For salad lovers, options range from Alaskan king crab honey salad, avocado salad, tofu salad and Thai-style yum salmon. I had spicy salmon salad (290 baht). It features mixed greens topped with a creamy dressing, diced salmon and cherry tomatoes.
Ma Ichi is located at Feast Ratchakru, Phahon Yothin 5. It opens daily 11am-9pm. Takeaway and delivery service orders can be placed directly at the restaurant at 02-106-3336 or LINE @MaIchi or via third party service provider including Line Man and Robinhood applications.
