March 25, 2025 - Restaurant | No comment
MA-SHI-TA, Natural Wine & Korean Cuisine
Over three years ago, Sook-Hyun and her husband Gi-Beom opened MA-SHI-TA, a Korean restaurant nestled in the 14th arrondissement of Paris. "Ma-Shi-Ta" means "it’s delicious" in Korean... and it definitely lives up to its name!
From Seoul to Paris
Sook-Hyun is originally from Seoul and moved to Paris over twenty years ago. While Chinese and Japanese cuisines were already well-known at the time, Korean food was not. “Twenty years ago, not many people knew about Korean culture. The French thought all Asian food was basically the same,” she recalls.
This realization sparked a desire to introduce curious diners to the richness of Korean gastronomy. “My husband and I wanted to share our culture. Even though I’m not a professional chef, so I didn’t initially feel capable of opening a restaurant.”
It was a bold project, especially since Sook-Hyun had no formal training in cooking. However, they met several Korean chefs who guided them in taking on this challenge. “I met a number of Korean chefs who advised me to cook as if I were at home, for my children. And even though it’s not exactly the same, the key is to maintain that homemade touch.”
The Menu: Korean Flavors
The menu features a lunch option called "baikban" for under 20 euros, and in the evening, you can enjoy bibimbap, homemade kimchi, and other specialties, refreshed every week, all accompanied by natural wines!
In Korean cuisine, rice, or “bap,” is a central part of the meal. It can be served plain or incorporated into dishes like bibimbap, where it is served with vegetables, meat, and a spicy sauce. Kimchi, a fermented dish made with napa cabbage, stands out due to its seasoning with chili, garlic, and ginger, offering a combination of tangy, spicy, and umami flavors that define Korean cuisine. Sauces like gochujang (fermented chili paste) and doenjang (fermented soybean paste) are ubiquitous, adding depth and complexity to dishes. Dried seaweed (“gim”), whether eaten in rice rolls or as a snack, is also a common ingredient.
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The couple’s goal is clear: to share the cuisine that has accompanied them since childhood. To do so, Sook-Hyun relies on the help of her family: “The food I serve is like home cooking. I’ve been greatly helped by my family—my aunts and grandmothers—in developing my recipes.” Sook-Hyun also has to get creative by finding alternatives to ingredients she can’t easily source in France.
The result is a cuisine that truly lives up to Sook-Hyun’s high standards: hyper-flavorful, joyful, and even comforting. The dishes are perfectly balanced in seasoning, but never bland. You’ll be both surprised and delighted. The desserts are equally impressive, offering a variety of flavors and textures. Sook-Hyun’s creativity works wonders.
What to Drink? Natural Wines!
What also sets Ma-Shi-Ta apart is its selection of natural wines. While there are now many Korean restaurants in Paris, this is the only one, as far as we know, that offers a solid wine list that pairs perfectly with the cuisine, including white and orange wines available by the glass. There's also a selection of rice-based drinks, which offer a surprising and unusual experience.
We highly recommend trying two things: Natural Makoli (Korean rice alcohol, organic) and Takju, often referred to as "cloudy rice wine," a traditional Korean alcoholic beverage. One of its unique features is its tropical flavors developed during fermentation, with notes of exotic fruits and a creamy texture—surprising and delightful! During our meal, we opted for a bottle of Preciado by Caroline Gimenez, an orange wine that complemented the dishes perfectly.
In fact, this embodies the spirit of the restaurant: sincere cuisine, without pretension, that prioritizes high-quality ingredients. “Natural wine aligns with our cooking philosophy—uncompromising and respectful of nature,” says Gi-Beom. The wine prices are more than reasonable (starting at 30 euros), allowing you to indulge without breaking the bank.
For customers, the combination of Korean food and natural wine may be surprising at first, but it quickly wins you over. “People who come because of Raisin are often curious to try this pairing. And many of them are pleasantly surprised by how well it works.”
The clientele is diverse: local residents, foreign food enthusiasts, and increasingly, young French people curious to explore authentic Korean cuisine.
As you can see, it’s fresh, delicious, and sincere—and we highly recommend the experience. We’d also like to add that Sook-Hyun and Gi-Beom are warm hosts, and the service is excellent. We believe Korean gastronomy remains somewhat underappreciated in France, considering its richness and diversity.
In short, Ma-Shi-Ta is absolutely delicious!
Practical Information
Address: 9 rue Poirier de Narçay, 75014 PARIS
Phone: 01 40 52 11 65
Website : https://www.ma-shi-ta.com/
Instagram: paris_mashita
Hours: Tuesday to Saturday, 12:00 - 14:30 / 19:00 - 22:00
