Masan Asian Grill — Restaurant in Weston

Masan has a fine Chef, and I like him. And Masan is as close as you can get to a Chinese restaurant in Weston. (I won’t acknowledge wok to go.) But Masan is NOT a Chinese restaurant. So you have to go either to Sunset Strip or Pines Boulevard for Chinese, or even Tamarac. Masan is perhaps best described as trendy, Asian fusion. Not Chinese. Masan features things like poke, and “create your own stir fry” items. But I don’t WANT to have to figure out my meal, I simply want to order it. Nor am I interested in poke. And if I want a wok-fried meal, I want one I can simply order up, I don’t need to INVENT it! Perhaps clams with black bean sauce, cashew chicken, yang chow fried rice, walnut shrimp, wedding shrimp, beef or those little green clams with black bean sauce, maybe some variety of mu-shu, etc. is, all this does not mean their food is bad! It is not bad at all. But to me, it is just mostly wrong. (Their bang bang shrimp used to be delicious. But the last time I had it, it was way overly battered, for my taste anyway. They do make one Chinese dish that I can happily recommend, their general chicken.) The crime of it all to me, is that their chef-owner is entirely capable of producing actual, first-class Chinese food. But that is NOT what he chooses to do. It kind of breaks my heart a bit. And it makes me angry. I just wish he would stop hiding his light...

Before you wonder why this isn't a 5 star review I want to point out that Masan Asian Grill is a fine place to eat. For me, a good restaurant gets 3 stars. I only award 4 stars to restaurants that have really gone out of the way to earn that additional star.

Masan Asian Grill offers a unique orientation on the Asian food we all take for granted. I am a frequently returning customer of this restaurant.

The food is affordable and tasty. The staff is friendly and helpful. But what really makes Masan stand out beyond most food joints in the Weston area is their "secret" menu. Though the normal menu has many good choices, the items from their "secret" menu are made to order and elevate this restaurant to the next level.

My fellow frequents will probably shun me for revealing the fact that there is a "secret" menu, so I'll stop while I'm ahead.

My advice is not to ask about the secret menu. Instead order items that you know of directly from it until you see someone order another mystery. A good starting point is the...

Brand new just opened former Kosher joint turned Asian fusion fast casual. Simple menu with a Chipotle style feel but with Asian fusion fare. You do have your typical Chinese dishes but with a twist, such as lo mein with miso soy sauce and fried rices (with chorizo!) but you also have fusions like grilled Mongolian chicken wings in Hoisen BBQ sauce and avocado spring rolls. It's like Chipotle because their theme is, "Make your own, create your own, stir-fry" so you essentially pick rice or noodle, meats and veggies (or tofu), and then choose from a variety of sauces such as Thai Curry, Sriracha Butter, Spicy Korean, Pad Thai and others. I'm going to go back to try the Chicken lettuce wraps and Chicken Samosa.

Oh yes, the place may be small but they more than make up for it with concept, service (Chef Ma is the sweetest!), variety and taste.

Oh and I recently had their Tuna pizza and it was very tasty, yummy goodness! Their Vietnamese stuffed grape leaves were unique and the lettuce wraps...