By Roxanne Brown
Maison Q Brings Taste & Feel of Europe to Downtown Clermont
Maison Q’s owners want their new downtown Clermont restaurant to feel like an invitation into their home, right down to the plates on the table.
At 896 W. Minneola Ave., the recently opened Maison Q combines a restaurant, bakery and café with Mediterranean-inspired food, handmade breads, specialty drinks and European decor.
A pink flowering tree draws attention outside, while servers and other staff wear French-inspired uniforms. Chef Ronald Rondon works in his chef’s uniform, preparing food in an open kitchen where guests can watch and music one might hear playing in a French cafe plays overhead.
For Ronald and fellow owners Jaksson and Liscell Maldonado (father and daughter), the setting is personal.
Maison is French for house. In Jaksson’s explanation, the Q represents ideas including quality, tranquility, quaintness, sharing and peace.
Together, the name reflects their hope of creating a welcoming place where people can spend time together, have tea, eat some great food, relax and feel cared for.
Speaking in Spanish, Jaksson explains that the restaurant’s design draws from their own homes, especially Ronald’s, which served as the model for much of the restaurant’s feel and decor. Opening Maison Q gives them a way to extend that sense of hospitality to the community.
“We wanted to bring something different, something special,” Liscell says. “We dreamed about this little house.”
That dream required about three to four months of hands-on work. The owners say they handled the flooring, walls, layout, furnishings, garden and even the attention-getting tree. Made with concrete and fiberglass, the tree is what they see as a magical addition, complete with a mailbox next to it where people can leave wishes, memories or notes to loved ones. An electrician was the only person they hired for the transformation.
“We built everything ourselves from scratch,” Ronald says.
The personal touches continue at the tables, where Ronald’s collectible vintage plates give guests something to examine and discuss before their meals arrive. The plates have certificates, identifying numbers and stories attached to them.
“Behind every single one, there’s a story,” Ronald says.
As for the kitchen, Ronald describes a European influence on his food that includes Spain, Italy, France and Germany.
The menu includes Avocado Toast, Ricotta and Cherry Tomato Toast and Homemade Granola for breakfast. Lunch and beyond features Mortadella and Burrata, Italian Club and Caprese sandwiches, Ham and Burrata Focaccia, Salads, a Mediterranean Platter with Halal chicken breast, hummus, vegetables and pita bread, and Tomato, Melanzane Crouton with eggplant and more.
Hot dishes include Lasagna, Pizzoccheri, a buckwheat pasta dish with cheese, cabbage and potatoes; and Empanada Gallega, a Spanish pastry filled with tuna, sweet peppers and onion, to name a few.
The artisan bakery and patisserie showcases baguettes, sourdough, butter and almond croissants, pain au chocolat, cakes and other rotating desserts. Coffee, matcha, cappuccinos, specialty lattes and a broad hot or iced tea selection offer options for a morning stop or an afternoon visit.
Ronald also describes a variety of offerings he’d like to share, such as mushroom and pumpkin risottos for fall and Italian Christmas breads such as panettone and pandoro for the holidays.
“We will have very seasonal things on the menu for people to come in and try,” Ronald says.
According to Liscell, Italian hot chocolate has already drawn visitors since they shared the new addition on social media. She says people came in specifically for the hot chocolate, to the point that the staff had to make a whole other batch. She has also had customers return several times in a single week, bringing different friends or family members with them.
Family members are helping operate the restaurant and the owners want new employees to feel included in that closeness.
Their plans also include activities for different ages, such as afternoon teas, morning yoga and pilates classes, private gatherings and live entertainment in the garden.
“We want people to come to Maison Q, not just for the food, but for the whole experience,” Ronald says. “That is our dream.”
For menus, hours of operation and other information, visit themaisonq.com or call 352-449-0562. The website advises guests seeking indoor reservations to call ahead.
Originally from Nogales, Arizona, Roxanne worked in the customer service industry while practicing freelance writing for years. She came on board with Akers Media in July 2020 as a full-time staff writer for Lake & Sumter Style Magazine and was promoted to Managing Editor in October 2023—her dream job come true. Prior to that and after just having moved to Florida in 1999, Roxanne had re-directed her prior career path to focus more on journalism and went on to become a reporter for The Daily Commercial/South Lake Press newspapers for 16 years. Additionally, Roxanne—now an award-winning journalist recognized by the Florida Press Club and the Florida chapter of The Society of Professional Journalism—continues working toward her secondary goal of becoming a published author of children’s books.
