At the dinner launch of Lartizan S Maison, a lifestyle columnist congratulated Johnlu Koa, founder of The French Baker Group, saying the food was better than what she’d found in Paris. Without flinching, Koa remarked that Paris is packed with tourist traps. Bistros bank on visitors who don’t know better. At Boulangerie Café, breads taste just above average, the coffee rarely memorable. Even L’Entrecote, he added, can mean a two- to three-hour line for a steak that’s more about the sauce and fries than the meat itself. Better to check YouTube before you go, whether you want a 20-Euro meal or a 60-Euro one.
Skeletal facade and the greenery create oasis effect right in the chic S Maison mall.
An influencer had her own observation. The inverted wine glasses lining Lartizan’s shelves reminded her of Parisian bars. Lartizan is simply following French restaurant practice. Hanging glasses upside down saves space and keeps dust out, a small bit of efficiency that also happens to look good on camera. Very few mall restaurants bother with those details, Koa said.
Lartizan abides by the art of the French table, where a meal is meant to unfold slowly and sociably, and always with a certain polish. The formal place settings, the careful choice of cutlery and glassware, the way each piece is laid out to signal what’s to come, underscore the restaurant’s belief that good food deserves the best table to land on.
‘San Juan Symphony’–salmon fillet with a salsa of tomatoes and mangoes
At the opening dinner, the seven-course meal with wine pairing was explained by French sommelier Brian Devaux. There was supposed to be glass tasting, a process where the same drink is sampled in different-shaped glasses to show how the vessel changes aroma and flavor. This side-by-side method highlights the essential role that specific glassware plays in heightening the sensory qualities of drinks. Koa hopes to include it next time.
Salmon Mousse, Chicken Liver Paté, Foie Gras, Apple Compite
The dinner began with French oysters, typically paired with a crisp, dry white wine whose sharp acidity and mineral essence cut through the oyster’s briny flavor. The pairing cleanses the palate and brings out the seafood’s subtle sweetness. Koa said he learned something new that evening. The sommelier suggested serving creamy salmon mousse as a softer textural contrast to the oysters. The mousse was velvety, with milder, oil-rich flavor, turning the opening course into something both decadent and comforting.
Seafood Bisque
At Lartizan, Koa, a Francophile, is intent on bringing the best. Oysters are flown in from France every Thursday for regular customers. Koa favors 3+ Angus beef because the marbling threshold guarantees quality comparable to top-tier US-graded beef. If available, he would gladly serve 4+ and 5+ Angus beef for diners willing to splurge, since the higher numbers signal finer marbling and steaks with more tenderness, juiciness, and flavor. Although those higher-grade cuts are expensive, Koa says the bakery sales allow him to keep them on the menu.
Tenderloin Roast, Roasted Vegetable Sides, Peppercorn Sauce
Shaved truffles matter in a French meal because their earthy aroma and complex flavor elevate any dish and signal a degree of culinary luxury. The eggs at Lartizan are free range.
Turbot, Garlic Cream, Vegetable Risoni
Lartizan is getting known for its sourdough, a bread Koa had been thinking about since 1998. To set the brand apart, its sourdough is fermented for up to 40 hours and made with wheat, very little salt, and three-stage filtered water to activate the yeast. While most sourdoughs ferment for 24 hours, Lartizan extends the process by an additional 12 hours to achieve a specific crust and crumb and a more reddish-brown crust. The longer fermentation develops a deeper and more subtle sour flavor. Every pastry at Lartizan is made with this same sourdough base.
The restaurant uses French butter, ranging from everyday President and Elle & Vire to Beurre d’Isigny handcrafted artisan butter and the rarefied Échiré. With bread and that butter, Koa says, it becomes a full meal.
Crepe Suzette
The crépes contain buckwheat, otherwise they would be too ordinary, he says. Soon the restaurant will introduce the classic flambé prepared in front of the guest, the French way of making crépe suzette with orange butter sauce infused with cognac and brandy.
Lartizan is known for its pain au chocolat, baguette burgundy, panettone, and brioche, and French delicacies such as caviar parfait with blini, raclette, and chicken liver pâté with foie gras and apple compote.
The coffee is Piacetto Sicilian roast, and Mariage Frères, the French gourmet tea company, lends heritage and prestige. The tableware complements the curated menu, from the sparkle of Schott Zwiesel stemware to the luxury of Bernardaud china and the elegance of Christofle cutlery.
The ambiance is part of the fine dining experience, and Koa has a clear sense of how the setting should work with the food
The ambiance is part of the fine dining experience, and Koa has a clear sense of how the setting should work with the food. He wanted the restaurant to be noticed even by people who were simply passing through. His idea, he said, was that even if they did not dine, they would remember the place nonetheless and talk about it.
Lartizan with classic French touches, Italian chandeliers and modern pastel palette
The design draws from the glass and steel structure of Paris’ transformed La Samaritaine department store. That heritage site was once envisioned as a confidential jewel box, a concept that interior designer Anna Marcelo brought into Lartizan. She said the restaurant itself feels like a jewel because of its transparent glass enclosure, which makes it gleam in the middle of S Maison.
Koa recalled that the abundant greens at La Samaritaine offered a calming, restorative atmosphere. He likened the effect to entering a greenhouse filled with leather goods, a feeling he wanted in his restaurant. To evoke an outdoor feeling, the dining area includes a plant-ringed gazebo.
Lartizan’s signature rough brick walls add texture and cleverly hide the structural posts. The grainy marble flooring, patterned with navy accents, creates a strong visual base that contrasts with the soft gray and coral tones of the furniture. The palette is a warm mix of copper, taupe, and white, with crisp gold details.
Classic silver samovar before the textured brick wall and modern photo of Paris
Gold-trimmed grillwork serves as partition and marks the bar, the focal point where glasses and liquor bottles hang in the open, its tower shelf framed in metal and inspired by classic Parisian bars. The shelves display rows of wines and spirits, including the coveted Macallan 12, where a shot is about P600. A miniature chandelier adds a final sparkle to the display. Copper cladding and textured stone on the bar façade complete the look. The dropped ceiling above the bar and island is accented with gold.
Lighting plays a key role, with underlighting and open metal shelving that preserves sightlines. Italian wrought-iron chandeliers with black shades mix with pendant lights for a balanced glow. There are buffet cabinets and a butler counter.
There are touches of Paris in the photographs, including a worm’s-eye view of Eiffel Tower and the Seine, captured by Koa’s son, Jonard. The ceremonial tea service is given pride of place in a framed niche displaying Mariage Frères teas and gleaming silver samovars.
Even the powder room is meant to leave an impression. It has a high, vaulted ceiling painted in gold, lit by a pendant light. The door, with its grill work and heavy curtain, adds a sense of theater.
Dining at Lartizan is meant to be a full 360-degree experience, Koa said. Every angle offers something different. He spared no expense, from the European upholstery to the classic round back chairs and the bar stools customized in Pampanga, to the plush Jim Thompson silk cushions priced at P15,000 pesos each. Imported lighting casts a warm glow over the fine table linens and invites diners to linger.
Koa explained that he added these touches because the neighboring establishments are mostly casual dining places. He hopes that when diners eventually want a formal experience, they would think of Lartizan. For him, the restaurant is both an invitation and a destination, almost like a living billboard.
The road to S Maison was a long one for Koa.
In 2005, taipan Henry Sy told Koa that his French Baker bakery-restaurant needed to be part of the upcoming Mall of Asia, the anchor of the 320-ha mixed-use development rising on reclaimed land in Pasay City. At the time, the site held only temporary SM offices. Koa struggled to picture a new business district emerging from what looked like empty coastline.
His mother urged him to open the 30th French Baker branch in the future mall. How could he pass up space in what was set to become the country’s largest shopping center?
Koa had always avoided debt for capital expenses, so he approached the idea cautiously. Still, he listened to his mother and went to the bank for help. When SM Mall of Asia was inaugurated by then President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo in 2006, the crowds came. Within 18 months of opening, the French Baker branch at MOA was running a full house every day. That success, with the expansion to 88 French Baker stores nationwide today, gave him the financial strength to consider future ventures.
When SM Mall of Asia was inaugurated in 2006, the crowds came. Within 18 months of opening, the French Baker branch there was running a full house every day
During the pandemic, Teresita Sy Coson, vice chairperson of SM Investments Corporation, encouraged him to bring Lartizan to S Maison. One of the reasons was simple convenience. Her driver had to travel from the MOA complex to Makati or BGC just to buy his artisanal breads. Koa hesitated. He tended to move carefully when investing. Coson kept trying to persuade him for a while, then eventually stepped back.
Meanwhile, every time he returned from a provincial business trip, he’d notice more reclaimed land rising behind the MOA complex. The additional area, called the SM Smart City, covered 360 ha and was a partnership between SM Prime Holdings and the city government, with the latter as major stakeholder. Koa began thinking about how foot traffic would shift once another business district grew next to MOA.
Seeing the potential, he eventually decided to secure a spot at S Maison. The advantages were clear. Aside from the future development, S Maison is next to the luxury Conrad Manila, in the same area as East Ocean, where diners are willing to pay Hong Kong prices without hesitation. The market was there, and his clientele was steadily growing.
The original Lartizan boulangerie opened in 2007, specializing in artisanal breads made with levain. The full dining experience followed at Serendra in 2014, well ahead of other French bakery-restaurants.
From left, Johnip Koa, Gerald Uygongco, Cristina Go Koa, Johnlu Koa
Johnlu Koa, Teresita Sy Coson, Jonard Koa
Johnlu Koa, Trade Secretary Cristina Roque
Johnlu Koa and son Jonard who took the Paris photographs mounted on the walls (Photo by Thelma San Juan)
Marilou Koa, herself a trailblazer in local fashion retail, supports husband Johnlu at Lartizan. (Photo by Thelma San Juan)
“We brought back the art of fine dining,” Koa said. Guests in the pioneer restaurant were so enthusiastic about the cuisine that some even tried to take home the Christofle silverware. At Century City Mall, management offered him a larger space, but customers preferred the original cozy corner in the basement for its quiet, direct access to the parking lot. The Ayala Malls the 30th restaurant saw strong sales until nearby malls drew away foot traffic. While other retailers shifted, Koa stayed. “We became the place to go when you don’t want to see people,” he said. “It’s a quaint mall.”
Koa views his business with a long-term perspective. “The market segment for high-end dining is not yet fully developed,” he said.
Lartizan’s customer demographic is made up mainly of professionals with good disposable income, and its flagship at S Maison makes a statement. Passersby will be drawn in, the brand will leave an impression, and the restaurant will support the larger French Baker Group. Even if business on weekdays is slow but full on weekends, Lartizan serves a purpose.
“It will be the banner,” Koa says, a showcase of what the group can offer at its very best.
