Maison Close: Serving Elevated French Cuisine and Much More in Soho

Nestled on the corner of Watts Street, you’ll find Maison Close, a recent addition to Soho’s finest restaurants that won’t disappoint. Inside this chic venue, you’ll enter an uber-stylish space with bold colors and sleek accents that make for a modern ambiance with a hint of old-school glamour. 

While checking out Maison Close on a Saturday evening, the space was packed as patrons parked themselves in wraparound booths, cozy two-tops, or along the bustling bar. Speaking of, if you’re looking for a good drink, this place has you covered with a wide range of signature sips (some riffs on classics) that include anything from La Turlutte crafted of Beefeater 24 Gin, fresh rhubarb, St Germain, and topped with Champagne to the Mademoiselle Seguin mixed with Vida del Maguey Mezcal, Marie Brizard Anisette, raw honey thyme infusion and goat cheese.

The food is incredible, which makes sense given it is crafted under the direction of Executive Chef Geoffrey Lechantoux who has trained and worked in some of the best restaurants, including Alain Ducasse’s three Michelin-star Le Louis XV at the Hotel de Paris in Monaco and the Michelin-star Jules Verne restaurant at the Eiffel Tower among others. 

For dinner, we had the Salade de Homard made of huge chunks of whole Maine lobster topped over romaine lettuce, croutons, and all tossed in a lobster jus and Caesar dressing. We also couldn’t leave here without trying the Escargot à la Bourguignonne smothered perfectly in a garlic and tomato parsley butter sauce.

Our entrees included the Saint-Jacques & Fondue de Poireaux seared scallops made with a leeks fondue and jus Parmentier alongside the Côtelettes d’Agneau Grillées & Ratatouille - grilled lamb chops served with ratatouille and in a honey lamb jus. Pure perfection.

It was hard to save room for dessert after the decadent plates we had but glad we were able to squeeze in the Fondant au Chocolat Noir & Coeur au Chocolat Blanc made of warm dark chocolate fondant drizzled in white chocolate. 

The website explains the concept behind the restaurant that opened back in 2022 was to highlight France’s dining atmosphere with not only traditional cuisine but with “a celebratory atmosphere.” The latter refers to this after-dinner party of sorts that occurs later in the evening around 11:30 pm where a French singer and burlesque dancer take the stage to entertain before a full-on dance party occurs among the customers. If you’re looking for a swanky and intimate dining experience, you may want to keep dinner on the earlier side. 

Maison Close is located at 15 Watts St, New York, NY 10013. For menus, hours of operation, and contact, please visit https://maisoncloserestaurant.com/.

(Photos courtesy of Carissa Chesanek and Maison Close)

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