CHICKEN MAISON
EVANS
1-1-1
HEALTHY, AFFORDABLE, AND DELICIOUS FARE AT CHICKEN MAISON
I looked numbly at the four word directive at the end of my wife’s message. It was those four words that must fill every guy with dread.
Sure, they weren’t of the “Take a hike, buddy” or even the “We need to talk” variety (though who could blame her), but they were equally as daunting.
“Make sure it’s healthy.”
Working late, my wife had asked me to pick up dinner for the kids. And in the process, had just sent my cheesy, deep-fried, junk food plans into a tailspin.
And as quickly as my heart had sunk, her next text brought me back up again.
“How about that chicken place you like so much?”
Chicken Maison is no ordinary “place”. Using only the freshest and highest quality ingredients, this restaurant boasts “five star meals at an affordable price”, and they aren’t kidding.
Behind it all is Mario Karame, who has used his many years in the food business to create healthy, quality Euro-Mediterranean fare. And on this night, when I was charged with the task of picking up dinner for the family, I was glad it was affordable as well.
With two commute-friendly locations in Torrance (on Pacific Coast Highway and Ocean Avenue) and in Redondo Beach (on Manhattan Beach Blvd. near the 405 freeway), the majority of Chicken Maison’s orders are called in and picked up by weary diners picking up healthy and tasty meals for their families.
The Whole Rotisserie Chicken ($13.95) comes complete with two large side orders, pita bread, and garlic sauce. The chickens were perfectly browned with that fall-off-the-bone tenderness. The skin had that perfectly glazed brown look. And dipped in the garlic sauce, the flavors were marvelous. And from the steamed vegetables to the Greek Coleslaw, the side orders were just as appetizing.
Some items that were especially impressive were the Maison Rice, light and fluffy rice pilaf with golden raisins that gave the dish a delicious sweetness; the Hummus, freshly made with wondrous pools of extra virgin olive oil; and the tangy Potato Salad a la Maison, made with chunks of potatoes and freshly squeezed lemon juice and extra virgin olive oil.
And these sides paired well with the Kabob meals. The Chicken and Vegetable Kabob ($7.75) was cooked perfectly. And the top sirloin used for the Steak and Vegetable Kabob ($7.95) was prepared a perfect medium well, perfectly seasoned, and especially tasty.
“It’s like a ‘back to basics’ style of cooking here,” said Karame. “We don’t use any preservatives or citric acid in our ingredients. And there are no microwaves or freezers in our kitchen.”
And on a quick visit to his kitchen, I discovered it was true. What was remarkable was the freshness of the ingredients – the vibrant colors of the vegetables and the meats.
Take for example, the Tabbouleh Salad ($7.95). Each bite I took was full of freshly chopped parsley, mint, and tomatoes, green onions, and bulgar, with freshly squeezed lemon juice and extra virgin olive oil.
“The ingredients in our tabbouleh are all healthy – it’s medicine for the body,” laughed Karame.
Other salads of note include the Chinese Chicken Salad ($7.75), with chopped romaine lettuce, mixed shredded cabbage, green onions, cucumbers, tossed with crunchy pita strips and freshly made sesame dressing – definitely one of the tastier Chinese Chicken Salads I’ve had. The Maison Salad includes chopped romaine, tomatoes, parsley, green onions, cucumber, radish, and pita croutons topped with freshly squeezed lemon juice and extra virgin olive oil.
Chicken Maison is a family affair. Mario’s sons, Sami and Ramsey help operate the Redondo Beach and Torrance locations.
“ We use only fresh ingredients in all of our cooking,” said Mario’s son, Sami, who helps run the Redondo Beach location. We go through at least two cases of fresh lemons every day just to make our marinades and salad dressings.”
“We’re not corporate – so we will never cut corners or expenses that sacrifice the quality of our food,” Sami explained. “We are a close family business and have made a commitment to keeping it that way with a father who’s worked hard all his life so his sons could have a great opportunity.”
And every dish that I’ve tried here reflects that hard work. Both Grandma’s Chicken Soup ($4.50 for a small bowl; $7.50 for a large bowl), and Grandpa’s Lentil Soup ($4.50 for a small bowl; $7.50 for a large bowl) are made from scratch the old fashioned way.
Chicken Maison even brews their own tea, a Mint Iced Tea, made from fresh mint leaves. The flavor took a little getting used to, but the ice cold concoction was incredibly refreshing, and soon I couldn’t stop getting refills.
Chicken Maison posts a variety of weekly specials including Spinach Chicken Salad ($7.95), but one caught my eye. The Garlic French Fries are some of the best I’ve ever had. Freshly cut potatoes are lightly fried and then tossed with fresh crushed garlic and fresh lemon juice with a touch of extra virgin olive oil. Served with the delicious garlic sauce, this one is as scrumptious (as it is aromatic) – and I couldn’t stop eating them.
Chicken Maison offers catering and remote grilling services. They will also be serving food during the upcoming Las Amigas de las Lomas horse show which will be held at the Ernie Howlett Park in Rolling Hills Estates from July 11th – July 13th.
Chicken Maison was voted among the South Bay’s Best for 2007-2008 in the Daily Breeze Reader’s Poll. The restaurant is located at 3901 Pacific Coast Highway #D, Torrance, 90505, and at 2709 Manhattan Beach Blvd., Redondo Beach, 90278. The restaurant is open Monday through Saturday from 11:00 a.m. to 9:00 p.m. For more information, call (310) 465-1050 (Torrance) and (310) 725-0035 (Redondo Beach) or visit www.ChickenMaison.com.
Gene Evans specializes in reviews of hotels, restaurants and vacation resorts and selects subjects for this column from among Daily Breeze advertisers.
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