Mai

Boston Restaurant Mai Is a Fun Silly Dining Time Full of Labubus | Eater Boston

"Under rows of chubby, pastel Labubus glaring down from the rafters, this new French-Japanese fusion spot in the Seaport leans into going-out energy with a full liquor license and a strategically photogenic design—an electric purple neon squiggle casting lavender mood lighting, a shimmering silver selfie mirror, deep green and gold wallpaper, and half-windows into the kitchen. It doesn’t take reservations, so crowds of waitlisted diners often peer in, but the food backs up the hype: the kitchen has fun (think caviar-smothered chicken tempura nuggets) without tipping into absurdity, and the hand rolls are the star—French and Japanese flavors mingling in a duck foie gras roll with cucumber and strawberry yuzu koshi, and uni that can take a hefty optional dollop of caviar. There’s a low barrier to entry (no chopsticks necessary) and even a visual folding-and-dipping guide; Liu and partners in the New York-based group Chubby own wagyu and caviar farms in Japan and China, which keeps prices feeling accessible for the Seaport—hand rolls around $8 to $19 with $9 caviar add-ons, plus a surprisingly affordable A5 wagyu filet mignon at $35. Larger tables welcome pre- or post-club groups, and wagyu fat fries are the perfect pick-me-up after a night out. I leaned into the Labubus’ devilish nudge and ordered the Spirit Bomb—sake, rosemary vodka, elderflower, and lychee topped with a giant rosemary smoke bubble (don’t pop it before everyone’s ring lights are ready)—then the viral-on-TikTok Matchatini, a thick dessert answer to an espresso martini made with matcha, vodka, creme de cacao, and cheese foam (they’ll even add a Lactaid pill for $1); as an excellent dessert substitute, it was a little too sweet for me to finish. The tight six-drink cocktail list ranges from the earthy Road Less Traveled (sake, fir liqueur gin, lemon, white port) to the party-ready Kanpai Time (“if you’re turning up,” like a Green Tea shot but more fun) with white peach vodka and yuzu sake. For all the high production value, the team is in on the joke, the kitchen doesn’t take itself too seriously, and there’s more here than meets the camera lens—even if you’ll have to wait in a line of influencers to get to it." - Celina Colby