"At this sly encouragement, I order the Spirit Bomb, an Instagram-friendly coup glass filled with sake, rosemary vodka, elderflower, and lychee, and topped with a giant rosemary smoke bubble. Etiquette says: Don't you dare pop that bubble before everyone has their ring lights ready. The sweet cocktail tastes like I expect a pastel Labubu would if it were edible, but it lubricates the shift into going-out mode in this trendy neighborhood."
"Designed in-house, the restaurant is strategically photogenic. An electric purple neon squiggle on the ceiling provides lavender mood lighting, and a shimmering silver mirror in a side hallway makes for fun selfies. Otherwise, the space is low-key. Deep green and gold wallpaper adds a dash of elegance, and a wall of half-windows into the kitchen brings a more casual feel. Mai doesn't take reservations, so you're likely to see crowds of curious, waitlisted diners peeking in the windows, planning their orders."
"Currently, Boston is full of restaurants that are beautifully designed and cater to a curated social media feed, but serve forgettable food. Mai isn't one of them. Despite the high production value (there are caviar-smothered chicken tempura nuggets), the kitchen doesn't take itself too seriously, which keeps the experience from teetering into the absurd. The team is in on the joke."
Mai opened in September in the Seaport District as a French-Japanese fusion restaurant with a full liquor license from NoToro Hospitality Group. The dining room features chubby pastel Labubus figures, electric purple neon lighting, shimmering mirrors, deep green and gold wallpaper, and a wall of half-windows into the kitchen. Signature cocktails like the Spirit Bomb combine sake, rosemary vodka, elderflower, and lychee and are topped with theatrical rosemary smoke bubbles. The menu includes high-production dishes such as caviar-smothered chicken tempura nuggets while maintaining a playful, unpretentious kitchen approach. Mai does not take reservations, attracting crowds and waitlisted diners.
Read at Eater Boston
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