Maison restaurant sets end-of-May opening

A new French restaurant may finally be ready to open its doors in Milwaukee’s Washington Heights neighborhood.

But that will only happen if all final permits are issued, the liquor license is secured and the restaurant passes its final Health Department inspection, according to Maison chef/owner Michael Quinn.

Fingers are crossed for a May opening.

“Well, I’m hoping, anyway,” says Quinn, 26, the former sous chef at Coquette Café who began laying plans for his own restaurant after Meritage — the former tenant in the space at 5921 W. Vliet St. — closed its doors last August.

“I saw that Meritage was for sale and I jumped at it,” says Quinn, who spent six years at Coquette after graduating from the culinary arts program at Milwaukee Area Technical College. “The opportunity presented itself and was doable, so I figured I might as well do it now rather than later.”

Quinn’s goal is to bring affordable French cuisine to Milwaukee’s west side, served in a homey atmosphere. Customers can “wear a $500 dress or a $20 pair of jeans” and feel comfortable in the restaurant’s dining room, he says.

“We’re really trying to get the idea around that French food is accessible and not expensive,” Quinn says. “‘Maison’ is French for ‘home’ and we’d like people to come in, feel comfortable and not have to break the bank to eat here.”

The restaurant’s dining room will seat about 70 people, Quinn estimates. The restaurant’s kitchen is small, but that’s something he and Joey Roethel — a former colleague at Coquette who will serve as Maison’s sous chef — are both comfortable with.

As the weather warms, Quinn plans to open a secluded patio behind the restaurant to serve additional diners.

The restaurant’s inaugural menu will be brief, with about 15 to 20 items, to enable Quinn to change them on a regular basis. Entrées will be priced $18–$27 with a focus on classic French dishes.

Starters include Burgundy snails in their shells, and house-smoked trout and mussels. The entrée list is topped with a French fish stew, coq au vin and smoked and braised lamb shanks.

“Just about every cuisine is based on French technique,” Quinn says. “The French produce so many compounded flavors and sauces, and when you travel from northern to southern France the cuisine completely changes.”

Maison’s cocktail profile is the work of bartending consultant Daniel Beres, who has created a house cocktail. It’s a Sazerac, the New Orleans favorite, but made with cognac instead of the more traditional rye whiskey. The wine list will be exclusively French, with the idea of creating the best possible culinary matches, Quinn says.

Quinn had hoped to open Maison as early as January, but remodeling issues and permit requirements slowed the process. However, at press time, the chef was optimistic he is just about there.

“We support a staff of about 15 and right now we’re hiring for all positions,” he says. “I’d appreciate it if you could put that in your article, too.”

Done.

Small bites

What: Maison, a French restaurant.

Where: 5921 W. Vliet St., Milwaukee.

On the menu: Traditional French, including Burgundy snails in their shells, smoked trout and mussels, French fish stew, coq au vin and smoked and braised lamb shanks.

Contact: 414-343-4030, maisonmke.com

Hours: TBD