They take "farm to table" very seriously here. Almost everything on the menu lists the origin farm…read moreor other source of the main ingredients. This includes the waitstaff. My waitress Rebecca included this info in every one of her answers to questions about menu items, without fail and from memory.
I was feeling salad-deprived and this one definitely appealed. The name "Summer Salad" gives nothing away but it was the description that got to me: watermelon, jicama, chayote, oranges, mint, feta cheese, currants, pepitas, cashews, mint-coconut-ginger vinaigrette. A fantastic riot of flavors, crunchy vegetables, perfectly and lightly dressed with the unique vinaigrette. Everything was at the peak of freshness, full of flavor. Radishes and jicama sweet and juicy, the mandarin orange segments obviously hand cut from a fruit, not dumped from a can. I wasn't familiar with chayote, sliced into shoestrings. It reminded me of unripe pear or maybe a firmer cucumber. A truly memorable salad; I don't say that often.
As an authentic Mayan restaurant you won't find Tex-Mex here. The closest thing would be the Tacos De Lengua (that's beef tongue) Grass-fed and from a local farm of course. For a vegetarian maybe Mushroom Enchiladas would appeal: housemade corn tortillas, mushrooms, black beans, chihuahua cheese, tomato casera sauce, queso fresco, kale & frisée.
I was more intrigued by the Mole Of The Day which as the name suggests, changes daily. Described as "locally sourced, sustainably raised meat, Veracruz chocolate mole, roasted broccoli." That day it was a ribeye from Berry Farms. I've only had mole with chicken before but I gave it a try. Glad I did. The steak, though thin, was seared a perfect medium-rare, almost fork-cut tender and juicy. It was served atop the mole and they didn't skimp. There was plenty of this thick, aromatic sauce hinting of so many flavors I couldn't quite identify. The chocolate was surprisingly subtle and didn't become obvious until later. A perfect balance of flavors, fairly mild yet just assertive enough to stand up to the steak.
I ended up getting too many vegetables. I already mentioned the delicious salad. And the steak also came with roasted broccoli and carrots. They were perfectly cooked and would have been sufficient. But I forgot the steak came with the vegetable side so I also ordered a Summer Veggie Mix (broccoli, carrots, green beans, squash). Each vegetable trimmed and cooked to its own peak of perfection then the whole thing lightly dressed in a sweet glaze. Very good.
I also forgot that I had asked about the lima beans which sounded interesting and Rebecca said that because it was my first time they were on the house. These arrived with my steak as well. So many vegetables! I took some home and about 1/3 of the steak. Listed on the menu simply as "Tok Sel Lima Beans" they were the highlight of the meal, vegetable-wise. I Googled it and only Mayan Cafe web pages came up. It's apparently their invention and they list the recipe! I'll have to try making it; so good. The ground, roasted pumpkin seeds, coarsely torn parsley leaves, green onions, and fresh lime completed this dish.
Drinks menu included many intriguing specialty cocktails featuring smaller, eclectic brands of spirits. Many tequilas and whiskies. One of the offerings was "Black-Owned Bourbons," a flight of 4 from black-owned companies. Local beers only. As for sodas, you won't find Coke or Pepsi on this menu, just some small craft brands I haven't heard of. Kudos! I tried the Blackberry Smoke: "Mal Bien zacate limòn mezcal, Narano bitter orange liqueur, epazote syrup, blackberry." Wonderful smokiness from the mezcal, cool and refreshing with crushed ice, a riotous crimson-fuchsia color from the crushed, partially pureed blackberries. Alcohol strength seemed about right for this kind of drink.
For dessert I had Dark Chocolate Torte: cayenne, pecan & cashew crust, fresh fruit. The torte was chocolatey with an unexpected light texture almost like a mousse. The cayenne and cinnamon gave it a slight kick. The fruit sauce drizzled on top and on the plate was tangy and aromatic. The fruit was a generous bunch of blueberries, large like the New Jersey farmed kind but sweet and tangy like the wild Maine kind. Nothing, not even fruit on the torte, is an afterthought here.
Other positives include the ambience and service. The outside covered space had widely spaced tables and comfortable chairs, individual table lamps, many plants and patio lights, attractive blue-lit bar, and fans (noisy but needed to manage the heat and the flies; not their fault). Vocal music in Spanish was quiet and chill. My waitress Rebecca knew the menu completely, and checked on me frequently. She even noticed as I was battling the flies and hurried over to finish boxing my leftovers ahead of schedule. Also the maître d came by as I was finishing up to inquire. I truthfully answered that it was one one of the best meals I've had in some time.