Name of reviewer: Madeleine Chu Restaurant: Maya Café Rating: 4.5/5 Don’t be put off by vegetarian! Maya Café welcomes anyone with a passion for healthy food. Owner and head chef, Tina Barrat, has created something completely out of the ordinary with food that leaves you feeling energized and totally refreshed. This cozy eatery seats 25, with a simple white interior that oozes a relaxed European vibe. Nestled in the up and coming area ‘Star Street’ behind Wanchai’s bustling streets, Maya Café is a popular hangout for the vegetarian-loving business crowd. The ‘WOW’ factor begins with RAW food, accompanied by an enticing choice of freshly blended fruit juices, hearty soups, and fantastic chocolate desserts. Tina’s love for raw food stems from her mother, who would often take her to visit organic health shops in France. Her passion for home cooking and entertaining inspired her to create Maya Café and she claims the enzyme-rich food on offer helps boost energy levels and has proven anti-ageing benefits. The first dish to the table was a homemade mushroom soup; a warming and filling consommé that came perfectly salted and nicely textured with a chunky fluency. The downside was the heavy-handed dose of pepper – heat haters be warned! Less pepper and it would have been divine. A platter of creamy cauliflower hummus provided cooling relief; quaintly presented in a hollowed out cucumber, accompanied by colourful vegetable batons and toasted pita bread. Cold, fresh, thick and grainy, it was devoured to the very last bite. Next came beautifully made falafel with a cumin-infused tahini sauce. The dish was served too early and went cold before we got started, but if anything, it only improved the textures. The moist, fragrant morsels were enveloped in a wholly crunchy crust and left behind a tangy aftertaste of spices and herbs. Our last starters were two raw, chilled soups – one, a velvety green concoction of raw vegetables, sweet basil and apple, followed by a deep red blend of red pepper, tomato and to our surprise – sweet, nutty dates. While the green soup was mouth-watering, the bitter undertone of the red soup wasn’t to our taste. On to the mains! Tina’s take on tagine, fragrant with cumin, chilli and earthy black pepper dusted over puffy potatoes and layers of eggplant circulated around brown rice, and finely chopped mushrooms. A warming and delightful dish with a fiery kick and is perfectly balanced with the soft textured rice to soak up the delicious seasoning. Next up - raw cannelloni; an inventive combination of cashew suffused cheese, pesto, lemon, tomato, crushed dates and bell pepper, wrapped beautifully in a wafer thin layer of zucchini to lock in all the flavours. It’s a delicious little parcel bursting with goodness, in which the distinct flavour of organic lemon takes centre-stage. The ‘stand-out’ main of all… The raw zucchini ‘pasta’! It looks like the real deal, albeit a vibrant shade of green, but closer inspection reveals generously peeled strands of fresh, crunchy zucchini instead. The remarkable creation is drizzled with a heavenly cashew nut sauce, infused with basil and truffle oil. To round up this feast, we sampled three mouthwatering desserts, starting with a raw chocolate brownie. It appears dry and pale on the outside, but the first bite reveals a rich, gooey centre, riddled with moreish chunks of dates and cashews, delivering a satisfying chocolate fix. Next, we choose Baklava - the famous Middle Eastern favourite made of fine, flaky layers of filo pastry and nuts, drenched in sugar syrup. Maya Café offers an impressive baklava creation of crushed pistachios and delicate sheets of pastry coated in honey delivering a yummy crunchiness and melt-in-the-mouth touch. The best home-made version we’ve ever tasted. Perhaps the most memorable dish of all was the Peach Melba. We fell in love with this zesty, thirst quenching dessert. A cloud of silky yogurt laced with tart bursts of lemon sat atop a nutty, citrusy base layered with cashew cream and coconut milk. The exotic confection was covered in a glossy berry coulis. Bursting with flavour, this is one sweet treat not to be missed! Maya Café is a rare raw food find in Hong Kong, serving simple, well thought out food prepared with originality. While portions aren’t generous, an average meal would leave you feeling comfortable and light. It has a warm homely vibe in which to relax, but to really enjoy it, go with the intention of sampling utterly unique dishes you may not have tried before. Those who are daring will be tempted to devour every item on the menu, and no doubt, we will also be back for more. Maya Café, 5 Moon Street, Wan Chai, Hong Kong, 2529 3319 Opening hours: Mon-Fri 9-11pm / Sat & Sun 9-9.30pm (Closed on Tuesdays) Website: https://facebook/MayaCafeMediterraneanLifestyle/info Average dinner price for two: $350
Posted on: Fri, 26 Jul 2013 06:18:40 +0000
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