Restaurant Review: Maido

Restaurant: !
Address: 36 N. Narberth Ave., Narberth, PA 19072
Rating: (out of 5 stars): ★★★ 1/2
Style: Japanese market and lunch counter
Food: Japanese
Atmosphere: Casual eatery
Parking: Metered lot out back
Service: Very friendly and accommodating
Price Range: Inexpensive
Unique Features: Beverage is included in entrée price and you can peruse the shelves of the market while you wait for your food.

I love coming across “new” businesses. I use quotes because many times the businesses have been around for years and are only new to me. in Narberth is one such place. Operating in the borough of Narberth for the past eight years, Maido brings authentic Japanese goods and menus to the public. My friends in Narberth were surprised that I didn’t know about the Japanese market and lunch counter.

I set out for lunch one day with a hungry cohort and we ordered one of everything (there are only three entrees). We chose a shrimp, pork and vegetable okonomiyaki (Japanese pancake), shrimp yakisoba (fried noodles with fresh vegetables) and chicken curry with rice. Included in the $8 entrée price is an iced barley tea which we both enjoyed but some might find bitter.

While we waited for our food to come out we walked around the market and picked up some Hi-Chews (Japan’s much better version of Starburst), coconut soda (tasted exactly like you thought it would, not preferable to plain coconut water), canned green tea (too strong, said my companion) and I grabbed some red wine face masks that apparently “remove harmful oxygen from your skin”. Other noteworthy items that we saw but didn’t buy include charcoal soap (absorbs surface toxins), a sesame seed grinder (just like freshly ground black pepper, freshly ground sesame seeds also have much stronger flavor), gluten-free soy sauce, squid crackers, rice crackers (also ideal for gluten-free dieters) and the trendy pepper of the moment, shishito peppers. It was the best time I ever had waiting for food to come out.

The chicken curry with rice had big chunks of potato, tender shreds of chicken, carrots and a rich curry sauce. The steamed rice was well cooked and provided a nice neutral foil to the flavorful curry. This dish was hearty and satisfying and would be ideal in the winter. Japanese curry is very different from Indian curry. Japanese curry sauce is glossier and more savory than its Indian counterpart, with peppery undertones. It is made with more starch and no butter or cream. We loved the chicken curry dish.

The shrimp yakisoba was abundant in quantity and featured long round noodles, small shrimp and plenty of vegetables. The sauce coated all elements of the dish nicely and was quite savory. A deep soy flavor combined with ginger and some sesame resonated throughout the dish. The side of red pickled ginger provided a nice refreshing burst of acid.

The okonomiyaki with everything was an unexpected surprise. Though described as a Japanese pizza I felt it was closer to a thick pancake. We were presented with a plate covered with a hefty pancake brimming with cabbage, scallions and shrimp and dotted with a thin pork cutlet. The pancake was made with flour, eggs and water and cooked to order. It was drizzled with what tasted like eel sauce, some Kewpie mayonnaise and shaved bonito flakes which were so delicate they fluttered under the overhead fan. This dish was a wonderful combination of flavors and textures. Each bite had some meat, vegetables, starch, sweet, salty, fishy and creamy flavors. It was one of the most distinctly different dishes I have tried in a long time.

The service is prompt, friendly and quite efficient. The store and counter are spotless and the ladies that take care of you do so with a smile. Maido is a jewel bako (jewel box in Japanese) in the heart of Narberth.   

Click here for the website.

Click here for the menu.