ABOUT US
M. A TIMELESS DESTINATION FOR WOOD FIRED, MEDITERRANEAN CUISINE
It might have been five years since the venue first opened in Canggu, but the Mediterranean-inspired restaurant that dedicates itself to making everything from scratch, by hand, is just as popular and creative as ever.
Inspired by the ancient craft of masonry itself, everything from the food to the interiors of this 100-seat restaurant remains squarely focused on creations built from the ground up: only the finest materials are sourced – locally and sustainably, where possible – and a pared-back approach is taken from start to finish.
THE FOOD
Bringing the hands-on approach to the kitchen, Group Chef Benjamin Cross employs ageless cooking techniques like smoking and wood fire grilling to coax maximum flavour from minimal ingredients.
Exploring the ancient processes of pickling, curing and fermenting, and perfecting traditional techniques such as cheese making, the menu opens a variety of Mediterranean-inspired snacks ranging from a goats curd with pear jam and a honey-mint halloumi, to meats cured in house like the chilli and fennel salami and wagyu beef pastrami. For something more substantial, choose from a thoughtfully-crafted selection of small plates such as the Wood Fired Flatbread with Burnt Chilli Hummus, a Smoked Tuna dip with Olive Oil and Lemon Zest and the Spiced Cauliflower with Pomegranate and Pine Nuts.
With a focus on high quality seafood and meat cuts, standout mains include the Barramundi Fillet with Smoked Tomato and Cardamom, a Wood Roasted Lamb Shoulder with Yoghurt, Cumin and Salsa Verde, and the 48 Hour Slow Cooked Short Rib with Chimichurri, Sherry Vinegar Glaze and Seasalt.
Simple sides like a salad of chopped broccoli with mint and almonds, or Creamed Corn complete the picture, while the desserts of seasonal tarts and sorbets make for a light, fitting finish.
THE DRINKS
On the drinks menu, guests will find a curated range of fine wines, local and imported beers, and Mason’s own takes on classic cocktails.
Created in-house, the Margarita A La Mason with tequila, lime and pomegranate strikes just the right note between inventive and crowd pleasing, along with the Mezcal Negroni and Crusta 360 – two ideal aperitifs to enjoy pre-dinner.
As balanced as it is extensive, wine aficionados will be pleased to discover that the venue’s wine list has also been curated by certified Court Master Sommelier and Mason GM, Marcus Boyle (CMS)(CSW).
Seeking both new and old world regions and varietals, Boyle has carefully listed the wines into stylistic profiles, with a focus on good value and uniqueness while sourcing the best wines available in Indonesia. Constantly evolving, each wine is carefully selected to serve a purpose, providing a balance and ensuring vintages are closely monitored.
Having recently implemented an innovative new wine preservation system, Mason is also now thrilled to offer a range of unique & fine wines by the glass which are regularly rotated to offer guests a new experience upon each visit.
THE DRINKS
On the drinks menu, guests will find a curated range of fine wines, local and imported beers, and Mason’s own takes on classic cocktails.
Created in-house, the Margarita A La Mason with tequila, lime and pomegranate strikes just the right note between inventive and crowd pleasing, along with the Mezcal Negroni and Crusta 360 – two ideal aperitifs to enjoy pre-dinner.
As balanced as it is extensive, wine aficionados will be pleased to discover that the venue’s wine list has also been curated by certified Court Master Sommelier and Mason GM, Marcus Boyle (CMS)(CSW).
Seeking both new and old world regions and varietals, Boyle has carefully listed the wines into stylistic profiles, with a focus on good value and uniqueness while sourcing the best wines available in Indonesia. Constantly evolving, each wine is carefully selected to serve a purpose, providing a balance and ensuring vintages are closely monitored.
Having recently implemented an innovative new wine preservation system, Mason is also now thrilled to offer a range of unique & fine wines by the glass which are regularly rotated to offer guests a new experience upon each visit.
THE SPACE
The handcrafted aesthetic applies as much to the mood of the 100-seat restaurant as it does to the menu. Designer Kelvin Ho has created a minimal, elegant space using concrete, stone, steel and wood – elements that convey relaxed sophistication and allow the open kitchen to be the centre of attention.
A hand-chiselled concrete bar makes a handsome addition, as does the terracotta strip that leads the eye across the dining room floor and into an open-air, string-lit courtyard, the perfect spot for a cold beer, glass of wine or cocktail from the concise list of no-nonsense takes on classics like sours, Martinis and M. notorious Negronis.
Dominique Brett - Chief Executive Officer
After finishing her Business and Law studies, Dom trained as a chef in Brisbane and Sydney before switching to the other side of the pass into a restaurant operations role. She worked for the Keystone Group / Pacific Restaurant Group, opening 10+ venues around Australia. Dom then relocated to Bali to launch The Lawn Beach Club in Canggu, from concept to opening.
After seeing the potential in the Bali hospitality industry, she decided to launch the Brett Hospitality Group. She is the owner and operator of several restaurants, including M. Canggu, The Back Room, Mason Uluwatu and The Bench Sports Bar, with a new restaurant concept launching in Pererenan in early 2023. She has also recently completed a large commercial development in Uluwatu, consisting of retail, lifestyle and F&B. Her clothing store Parker and the Flow & Form Pilates Studio are due to open late 2022.
Ben Cross - Head Chef
Hailing from Melbourne’s small village of Eltham, Chef Benjamin Cross began his career at the award-winning Rae’s on Watego’s Byron Bay. Since then he has travelled around the world and worked for a number of prestigious restaurants to feed his love for different kinds of cuisine. Most notably, Ben honed his skills in the kitchens of household names such as Janni Kyritsis from former MG Garage and Neil Perry, as part of the re-opening team of XO and as Sous Chef of Rockpool.
Ben also did small stints at Tom Colicchio’s Craft in New York, Tertullia New York and Santi Santamaria’s three-Michelin star restaurant, Can Fabes in Sant Celoni. In May 2008 he joined Bali’s renowned KU DE TA & in 2013 opened Kudeta’s fine dining concept, Mejeakwi.
Brant Bauer - Director of Development & Construction
He began his career in Los Angeles, USA in the private sector of development, focusing both on commercial and large scale residential projects. Then he relocated to Bali, after being offered a role involved in the expansion of the Icebergs/Mexicola Group for their new beach club and restaurants. Following the completion of these projects, he joined BHG to begin their own roll out, including M. Canggu, The Back Room, Fishbone Local, M. Uluwatu and is currently preparing for a new restaurant opening in Pererenan.
Marcus Boyle - General Manager
Having graced the world’s hospitality scene for over 25 years, Marcus Boyle now finds himself as the Group General Manager and Head Sommelier at Mason. Originally from Melbourne, Boyle earned his stripes managing and working at some of Australia’s best restaurants including MoMo, Ezards, and Pearl. Captivated by the then up and coming restaurant and bar scene in Singapore, Boyle travelled to the country in 2008 where he joined the renowned chef and owner Ryan Clift to helm the prestigious Tippling Club before opening, Open Door Policy, mod-Asian restaurant, Ding Dong, and Open Farm Community. Drawn to the multi-sensorial experience of wine, Boyle also became a certified specialist of wine (CSW) in 2009 and completed the coveted Certified Court of Master Sommelier (CMS) in Australia in 2012.
To mark his exceptional contribution to Singapore’s Champagne scene, Boyle was also inducted into the French ‘Odre Des Coteaux de Champagne’ in 2013, while being awarded as a French Wine Scholar (FWS) two years later. Boyle has since canvassed the globe from Europe to Australia in search of wines with the flare of new and old world charm to complement the unique, arts-and-craft attitude that defines the M. experience.
Zachary Connor de Git - Beverage Director
A multi award-winning bartender with an incredibly impressive list of accolades. Originally from Queensland, Australia, Zac relocated to Bali in 2022 becoming Mason’s latest import, and one we’re extremely proud of.
Cutting his teeth at some of Australia’s most esteemed bars, Melbourne’s Black Pearl and Der Raum to name a few, Zac built a name for himself as one of the best in the industry and landed himself the role of Head Bartender at the world renowned, Tippling Club, in Singapore.
During his four-years at the helm of one of Singapore’s highly revered bars, Zac became the winner of the Diageo World Class Singapore in 2013 and later took the crown of the Mediterranean Mastery in the Global Diageo World Class that same year.