Whatever you try, the food on each of my visits is consistently excellent. Cooked until creamy and topped with mild cheese, the beans complete most any meal.Īt Maya, you can play it safe with tacos or enchiladas - try the mole poblano sauce ($17.95) - or taste Mexican-influenced versions of classic American dishes, such as the mango molasses ribs served with a jicama slaw ($19.95). If your meal doesn’t come with the black beans, do yourself a favor and order a pot on the side. The chipotle bourbon tacos ($17.95) feature skirt steak with a sweet glaze, while one of the most traditional dishes in the Mexican repertoire, tacos de carne asada ($15.95), might be one of the best in town, with meltingly tender and perfectly seasoned steak. More widely available Mexican fare is elevated at Maya, with tacos featuring duck confit or tamarind shrimp. The accompanying tomatillo and red-pepper cream sauces bring the right balance of sweet and savory notes to the dish, with just a hint of heat. The tamale is the centerpiece of a beautiful plate, and arrives flanked by tender scallops and shrimp.
Other seafood options are worth trying too, especially the exquisite sweet corn tamale with shrimp and scallops ($25.95). The restaurant offers a daily special that highlights what’s available, and on one visit, I find it composed of octopus, salmon and scallops served in a bright citrus marinade, punctuated by oranges, onions and avocados. While so many Mexican and Tex-Mex places in town specialize in heavy, sauce-drenched enchiladas or overstuffed burritos, Maya focuses on fresh, seasonal ingredients, as well as options that go well beyond what’s familiar. Try the plate of crispy chicken flautas ($10.95/$5 happy hour) - small deep-fried tortillas rolled around shredded chicken - to hit all of the salty and crispy notes that you crave when drinking. It’s a hearty dish best shared to avoid ruining your appetite for the excellent entrees to come.
A bar tucked into the corner, away from the main dining room, offers a cozy space to try the happy-hour food and drink specials.Įxcellent, freshly made margaritas wash down appetizers such as queso fundido ($11.95/$5 happy hour), a skillet of a melted mélange of cheese studded with chorizo and black beans accompanied by a basket of tortilla chips. With high ceilings, wood floors and massive glass windows, the space is expansive, while the artful decor keeps it from feeling cavernous and impersonal. It initially opened as Lucca Enoteca Pizzeria and specialized in coal-fired pizzas, but the couple re-branded the spot in the fall and brought the popular Short Pump restaurant concept downtown. Owners Maria and Michael Oseguera expanded their holdings a year ago and leased the Berry-Burke building, conveniently opposite the Dominion Art Center on the burgeoning restaurant row of East Grace Street. Maya Mexican Grill and Tequila Lounge has made a name for itself in the far West End for its refined and creative take on Mexican cuisine since 2013, filling an obvious niche in the restaurant scene.