Romance/Getaway Series - Maya Restaurant

ABOUT MAYA:   

 "Located in the center of Charlottesville Virginia’s Midtown, MAYA serves dinner 7 days a week and Sunday Brunch. Our “made from scratch” menu is prepared daily in honor of the Old Southern Kitchen. Whether it is free range chicken from across the mountain, stream raised trout from the Shenandoah Valley, fresh fruits and vegetables from our many nearby farms, or stone ground grits from just down the road, we strive to support local food and spirit producers. Charlottesville and the surrounding area is rich with farms, wineries and craft breweries offering a wide range of produce from which to work. MAYA offers three separate dining spaces for private functions and offers both on and off premise catering. Our outdoor patio doubles as a live music venue at night and the bar, offering full service wine, beer and liquor, is open 7 nights a week. Please join us in our efforts to bring back the simple and wonderful flavors of freshly prepared, local foods." ~ straight from their website

My Thoughts: 

We visited on a Saturday night, expecting parking to be a challenge, however we were wrong. We found parking very close to the restaurant very easily and were greeted by the hostess and informed that there were tables available inside and outside. Everyone loves having options! Since it was a nice day we opted for outside. One of the things that I enjoy about Maya is that they try to use as many local ingredients as possible: fish, vegetables, range chicken, etc. So many ingredients come from other states and countries, that I really appreciate when restaurant owners make the decision to go local. Another thing that I enjoyed about Maya was the warm and inviting ambiance. Although we sat outside which is fun and casual, inside the restaurant are exposed brick walls, exposed wood beams and all these elements make for a cozy and inviting environment which I enjoy.

Now on to the food!!! While we ordered specific items the chef had other plans in mind. We ordered 2 main courses: Ribs and Salmon, but the chef sent out beet soup, pimento cheese fritters, and the Cod special with fresh mushrooms. At that point we knew that this was a serious meal, and we accepted the challenge! I'll be the first person to say that I don't enjoy beets, so I was a bit unsure about beet soup, but it was made with a vegetable stock, so it had a rich flavor and a smooth silky texture which made it all the more enjoyable and palatable. I am very fond of soups with unique flavors and velvety consistencies, so this got an A+ from me, and coming from someone who is not a fan of beets, this speaks volumes.

Next were the cheese fritters, which my husband seemed to really enjoy. I was not able to enjoy them due to a food allergy, but he didn't seem to mind tackling them himself.  Next came the entrees - salmon, ribs and cod.  Being a seafood enthusiast I hoped that these would be delicious, and I was not disappointed. The salmon was blackened on one side giving it the perfect crunch when paired with the tender salmon. Topping the salmon was minted pea mash and carrot ginger sauce. Not only did this make for a colorful plate, but the combination of flavors was spot on.  The cod entree was topped with fresh mushrooms and this was also a delicious combination. The ribs fell right off the bone and my husband didn't appear to have any complaints as they were quickly consumed.

Following our entrees we surprisingly still had room to try some desserts. One of the unique dessert options they offered was a s'more so I couldn't pass up the chance to try this. The other option was a chocolate cake special. Don't they look delicious? They were!

Advantages:

1. Indoor/outdoor seating, weather permitting

2. Friendly and accommodating staff - they'll leave out certain items, if needed

3. Live Music on select evenings, and no cover charge!

4. Warm and inviting atmosphere with exposed brick and exposed beams

5. Can accommodate parties/events such as rehearsals and receptions

For information regarding private parties, please call 434.979.6292
or Email maya.cville.restaurant@gmail.com

Disadvantages:

1. On-street parking, so it could be a challenge if other events in town are taking place

2. Too many delicious options to decide between, but this isn't really a disadvantage 

For more information, or to make reservations, you can find their contact information here: http://www.maya-restaurant.com/

Maya Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/home.php?#/profile.php?id=1540191572

disclaimer: compensation provided for review