Can I take a momentary break from my usual tone and talk about my personal life?

Yes, I know that's a rhetorical question, because this is my blog. So whatever, indulge me.

Two Fridays ago, I had to be away from the office because I was manning the booth at the Third Umami Culinary Challenge by Ajinomoto, all the way at the SMX Convention Center at the Mall of Asia. Let me just say that it wasn't one of my best days: I was not at the top of my game and a lot of technical difficulties turned up and spoiled my day. Add to that the fact that my boyfriend and I were going through a rough patch and were due to have one of those dreaded Talks That All Couples Go Through to make the relationship work.

He picked me up after the event and the plan was to go home and talk when I said, "No, screw that. Let's go to Ma Maison instead."

I had the pleasure of dining at Ma Maison when it first opened, and enjoyed my experience so much that my boyfriend and I have gone back twice. The food is really good, and the servers are attentive (albeit a little slow at times), and the environment is cozy enough for a nice date with your significant other - which was precisely why we decided to eat there that night.

Having somewhat patched up our differences in the car ride on the way there, we began our meal with a soup.

The Clam Chowder (P140) was served steaming hot, and was flavorful and creamy, unlike some other restaurants that seem to think it's okay not to mask the fact that the soup came from a can of Campbell's. There were generous amounts of clams, streaky bacon and potatoes to give it texture, and the soup was enough for the two of us.

Next up was the Caesar Salad (P255), which wasn't especially world-changing, aside perhaps from the fact that they served it with corn kernels. It served its purpose as a good filler, though. If I were you, I'd order other appetizers from their menu, such as the Chasoba Salad (P425), or the Camembert Cheese Fritters (P385) instead.

One thing that is non-negotiable whenever we eat at Ma Maison is the Tonkatsu (P375). Prior to eating this bad boy, I'd never been a fan of breaded pork cutlets before. The first time I sunk my teeth into that thick juicy slab of meat, I knew it was a love affair that would last. I love the fact that it's served alongside a bed of greens and a generous scoop of potato salad, to assuage a bit of the guilt I feel whenever I have the tonkatsu. It's also served with traditional brown sauce and spicy mustard, but I prefer to dip mine in sea salt, which they serve freshly ground at Ma Maison.

Usually, we have plain rice with our tonkatsu, but this time we decided to be adventurous and have the Omu Rice (P255), seeing as how it's one of the best sellers on the menu. I guess Omu Rice is a dish I will never really understand - it's basically plain rice smothered with scrambled egg and ketchup. I'm sure a lot of people would like it. As for me, I think I'll stick to my plain rice next time.

At some point in the meal, the boyfriend and I were finally talking without wanting to kill each other - and getting quite full. Thankfully, not full enough to skip dessert.

This is the reason I keep coming back to Ma Maison. Behold - the Green Tea Frozen  Brazo de Mercedes (P185)! It's big enough for two, and it's a combination of comforting Japanese flavors and a comforting Filipino dessert. What more can you ask for? In fact, I even talked about it in this month's issue of Appetite Magazine!

The meringue had a bit of lemony flavor to it. The layers of green tea ice cream, a mysterious matcha-infused layer and a crumbly graham crust at the bottom make the dessert come together in an amazing whole.

Seriously. Please take a look at that amazing yellow green layer in between the ice cream and the crust. What IS that mystery stuff made of? It's sticky! It's gritty! It's highly-concentrated with matcha! WHAT IS THAT?

Whatever it is, it must be the reason why this dessert is so good. I beg of you: Even if you're not going to have dinner, take your sweetie to Ma Maison for coffee and this dessert. I promise  you, it'll be an experience that leaves you raving.

At the end of the night, the boyfriend and I patched up our differences and left the restaurant happy, full, and back to our loving selves once more. So if you're wondering where to take your significant other this Valentine's Day, I highly recommend Ma Maison!