flavor.Fiend: Critic's Log: Maya Taqueria and Tequila Lounge

Word Count: 1265

One enters Maya expecting to tread on the presumably familiar ground of Mexican cuisine, expecting the usual nachos melting all over with commercial cheddar. They have a tequila bar and you think, Oh yeah, that one I know very well; referencing doggone collegiate inebriety and the ubiquitous Cuervo.

The world of microwave burritos and cheddar-morphed nachos is what we familiarly call Mexican food around these parts. Sombreros, ponchos, loud music and all things garish usually make for stereotypical backdrops but Maya is proving to be quite the opposite of these pre-conceived notions.

A pair of massive hand-carved wooden doors makes a statement entrance into Maya Taqueria and Tequila Lounge, making one feel as if stepping unto hallowed ground. The religious theme carries on through intricately decorated antique plaques of Catholic deities adorning the wall adjacent to the restrooms. Why Catholic? Because they too were colonized by the cross-bearing Spanish, eventually linking Mexico and Manila in their transatlantic trade route. The floor tiles are cinnabar-red, as in the Mayan practice and where one expects to find white stucco carved with the faces of ancients and glyphs, are gray slate on walls. Various masks liven up the ground floor bar, all from Mexico, says PR Kaye Luym, as were the ancient candle holders in recessed shelves decorating the lounge upstairs and the gigantic mardi gras mask on the stairway wall. Pops of color emanate from the blown glass lighting ornaments from the ground floor window sills, turning up the wooden glow of the simply clad tables.

Seating is a tactile experience as the chairs are upholstered in smooth cozy mocha-brown suede, a bonus for sure after a margarita or two when all senses are heightened. It makes for an elegant and sexy ambience at the lounge. In keeping with the rustic unfinished style so commonly associated with Mexico, Mactan-made wrought iron grillwork painted black make low-profile embellishments to just about everything from the hanging chandeliers flanking the carved entrance door to a divider between the bar and the cozy lounge, to ceiling ventilation grills. It not only echoes the mildly religious undertone of the interiors (the candle holders, the plaques) but also stresses the historical fact that Mexico shares a politico-religious affiliation with the Philippines---and Cebu, being the first city of the conquistadores. From this standpoint, the Hyatts make their rationale behind creating a restaurant like Maya in a slower-paced city like Cebu.

Mood lighting adds to the luxurious feel of the lounge---no need to expound on what they do to our pupils and how that equates to romance---while framing the ninety plus bottles of amber tequila at the second-floor bar. A whiff of any of those potions of 100-percent de agave proved almost opium-like: complex, woody yet heady, with promises of smooth ingestion and the grand possibility of uninhibited interpersonal behavior. A bottle will set you back several thousands and the bottles alone make quite the centrepiece as well since each came with distinct styling, from modern crystalline to colored glass to glazed ceramic.

Maya's getting snaps from the smart set for its margaritas and mojitos both of which they thankfully didn't overdo with sugar syrup. A portion of the glass lips were covered in crushed salt and the organically grown mint leaves were sufficiently muddled that they clouded the mellow yellow of the mojito. 45 mL of tequila per glass will scarcely make any lady lose her inhibitions, so this one gets my recommendation for best post-workday tipple. Stick to 2 glasses and you're still good to drive back home. For more SJP (and Sex and the City) appeal, there's the margarita, the most popular of which is the regular concoction sans the curaçao-induced colors. The men can be more macho about it and maybe knock back tequila shots although dates can be sure their boys won't get serious with the guzzling as it's going to cost them a few grand. A few San Mig lights should do just as fine.

We Filipinos just can't do without our pica-pica while drinking and this is where the nachos and burritos come in. One thing to understand about Maya Taqueria: it's gourmet-prepared plebeian fare in a luxe dining setting. There's no other way to enjoy a hand-ground soft-shell taco with REAL tomato salsa and slow-roasted organic pork than to roll it all up with your fingers and bite off a piece. To eat this reverently prepared food with a knife and fork, I daresay, is disrespecting the gustatory experience. Part of its appeal is the feel of the grain on your fingertips as you roll the taco, the commotion of aromas wafting up your nose as you prepare them, the puckering of your lips as you bite; all integral to the enjoyment of the dish which you'll never experience were you to eat it with kubiertos.

SALSA ROJA

Tomato salsa with coriander, kalamansi, and chilis served with homemade masa chips

For a commoner's dish like the salsa roja (PhP150), there was a remarkable attention to detail, what with chips made from organic sources and the salsa a heavenly macedoine mix of diced tomato, cilantro, and chilis. And no, they didn't scoop this out of a can, which would be a shame to do when the masa chips are homemade and made fresh daily.

The menu opens to a full-page introduction:

"Mexican cuisine that is actually eaten and enjoyed regionally in Mexico, albeit filtered through our whimsical lens. By embracing both Mexican tradition and local sensibility, we offer a creatively classic cuisine that marries well-known Mexican street food from the street stalls of Mexico City and family dishes from the coast of the Mayan Riviera and the inventiveness of the Hispanic community of Los Angeles; we aim to showcase the passion of utilizing the freshest of the fresh to create an original mix of rich flavor in each signature dish."

CEVICHE DE CAMARON

Shrimp ceviche in lime and coriander with horseradish gazpacho and masa chips (PhP235). Mexican fare isn't strange to the Cebuano palate as ingredients are all available locally and were in fact farmed in the outskirts of the city. The seafood we can relate to like in this ceviche preparation. Corn is a historical staple as well. We often hear our elders tell stories about polenta-like staples accompanying their viands. In fact, some of us still have elders who prefer corn to rice! The camaron livens up with the tang of tomato sauce and the cilantro---a combination prevalent in the dishes served us that day.

TACOS/CARNITAS

Six-hour roasted organic pork shoulder with cumin, coriander, and chilis served with fresh tortillas (PhP 455).

COSTILLAS EN SALSA CHIPOTLE

Slow-cooked baby back ribs with smoky chipotle bbq and escabeche (PhP 395). A winner hands down: Perfect for the hungry Jack with carnivorous leanings. You won't have to struggle to get the meat off as it slides of the bone with light twist of the fork and is mouthwatering with a spritz of lemoncito (calamansi).