On a rainy Sunday evening, I convinced Mike to go out to the Maya Grill for dinner. Hes always pretty easy to convince: Can we go here for dinner? Sure, whatever. And off we went. It started to storm pretty heavily as we were leaving, and so he asked me approximately 20 times whether I was sure that I wanted to go, and each time I replied yes. The storms were only isolated, so by the time we arrived at Coronado Springs, it was only lightly drizzling. As we had been to the Pepper Market in the past, we knew how to get to the restaurant area, and quickly walked up to the check in podium. I wasnt worried about needing a priority seating, because it never seems to be very popular. I was right this time, and we were seated immediately. As you walk in, the entrees are behind a chilled counter, to give you an idea of what youll receive. Also, the desserts are arranged on a table they look great!
The dining room actually has a lot of character, and we were seated against a stone wall with gold flecks. There were fake fires in pots on top of columns, and fake torches around the room. The windows had a lovely view of the lagoon that the resort sits on, and if I had wanted, we could have easily been seated there. I was happy with our seat, though, as it was in a quiet part of the restaurant, and we were isolated from other tables. Our server was a friendly, helpful, and soft-spoken man named Abdel who was happy to help us select from the menu. I first asked which margarita he recommended, and he said that the best was the classico margarita ($7.95), which is served martini-style. A martini glass was brought out along with an ice bucket, and a small metal cup with the drink inside. He poured the drink into the martini glass, and there was approximately a drink and a half worth. It was an excellent margarita actually the best Ive had anywhere. It was tart, strong, and tasted of the tequila. I believe it was made with lime juice and no sweet and sour mix. Our server let us know that the recipe came from Mexico. I should have asked for it! This is what should be served at Epcot in the Mexico pavilion, not the sweet and sour mix heavy drink that they have there. Mike, of course, ordered a diet Coke ($2.00). He can be so predictable sometimes.
We were first brought a bread basket with chimichurri dipping oil. This contained green peppers, parsley, cilantro, garlic, and chilis, among other things. Both the bread and the oil were excellent. There were vegetable-chili rolls that were soft, savory, and well flavored, and a crisp flatbread. I enjoyed the flatbread immensely, while Mike liked the rolls better. The oil was delicious, and we only wish there was more of it. If we return, well ask for another bowl next time!
I was familiar with the menu, as it was exactly the same as the one online. Mike and I had decided to share two appetizers and split an entrée, as the entrees werent as inventive as the appetizers. He left it up to me to choose, so I selected the pulled pork empanada ($6.95) and the Caribbean style chicken roll ($6.95), which was an egg roll. It would have been nice if that was clarified on the menu, as I ordered that without being sure what we would receive. Both appetizers were garnished with cilantro as opposed to parsley, which I really appreciated its a nice touch. The empanadas were small versions of the real thing, which are fried pillows of dough containing meat. Traditionally they contain ground or shredded beef, but I liked this version better. The pork was spiced just right, and the dough wasnt greasy at all. There was a small amount of Napa slaw as a garnish, and I believe the same mango ketchup that the egg rolls came with. According to the menu, the sauce on the side was a chipotle cream, and it wasnt spicy at all, but went very well with the empanadas. The egg rolls contained ground chicken, black beans, green peppers, and spices in an egg roll wrapper. This came with a larger amount of the Napa slaw, which was fresh, vinegary, and contained cilantro. These werent greasy either, which is always appreciated when the appetizers are fried. I liked the empanadas better, while Mike loved the egg rolls and the mango ketchup. The ketchup wasnt an American ketchup, really, but rather a sweet, fruity sauce.
I had finished my classic margarita, and asked about the frozen margarita. Abdel said that he didnt like it much, but that he enjoyed the margarita on the rocks. I agreed to try it ($7.95), because it was a large size, and of course I had to try it for the spirit of the review! This one was more up Mikes alley, as I guess he likes them slightly less tart than I do. It was a bit sweeter than the classic one, and slightly less strong. If you like your margaritas a little sweeter, have the one on the rocks. If you like them strong and tart, have the classic margarita. Both are much, much better than what you can find at Epcot.
I asked how the St Louis ribs were, and Abdel let us know that they are marinated for days, and slow cooked. Slow cooked always gets me when Im thinking about ordering ribs, because it gives the meat time to tenderize and the collagen dissolve. Mike was happy with this choice, so we asked to split the ribs ($19.99). We were given a choice between mashed potatoes and a baked potato, and we thought about it a second before deciding on mashed. I had forgotten to ask for plantains on the side ($4.95), so I asked the next time our server came by. He said that because we were hesitating on the potato choice, he could bring it instead of the potato. That was great! We didnt really want a potato anyway. Id recommend asking for this option if you like plantains. The ribs were brought out on one platter, with a second plate for splitting. It was a large rack of ribs, about 9-10 meaty ribs worth. They cut easily with a knife, and I split the meal between the two of us. The ribs were melt-in-your-mouth tender. Definitely the best ribs Ive had at Disney, with Bomas being a close second. They were rich and meaty, with a delicious sauce. There was also very little fat on them, which I find too often, unfortunately. Mike seemed to enjoy them as well the bones on his plate were clean! There were eight plantains, plenty to split, and they were sweet and soft. Plantains are a banana-like vegetable, which has to be cooked in order to make it edible. These were fried, and like the rest of the fried foods, were not greasy at all. The vegetable that came on the side were fresh but slightly overcooked. They consisted of broccoli, zucchini, yellow squash, red onion, and red pepper. Even though they were just a little overcooked, they were delicious as well.
On a side note, there was what appeared to be a small whole roasted tomato on the plate. I offered it to Mike as I dont like tomatoes. He put the whole thing in his mouth, bit down, and had a weird look on his face. It ended up being a hot pepper! When the server found out what Mike did, he laughed, as did I. Unfortunately it gave Mike a stomachache and he claimed not to be able to have dessert. He wanted me to warn people not to eat the tomato among the vegetables.
Having heard about the churros here, I had to order them ($6.99). They were presented as three small churros in a thick, cinnamon-y sauce, with sautéed bananas and coconut ice cream. The sauce was the best part sweet, cinnamon-y, rich, and just perfect with the rest of the dessert. The churros were dense and delicious, the bananas caramelized and soft, and the coconut ice cream tasted as if it were homemade. I wouldnt be surprised if they did make it in the restaurant because of how complex and fruity the taste was. Mike apparently recovered enough to split the dessert with me. Abdel said that he loved the churros, and he said that he had just had one before work and that he wanted to drink the sauce. I dont blame him! The other desserts look delicious as well, and I would recommend splitting a couple if you have the opportunity.
The service we had that night was just perfect. I would definitely ask for Abdel if you have the chance to, as he was very pleasant and happy to help us. Seating was ample, though I always recommend a priority seating just to be safe. Any area of the restaurant would be nice to sit in, though ask for a window seat if youd like a nice view.
We had an excellent meal here, and I would definitely recommend it as a quiet, less expensive dinner (even romantic), around the resort. We feel its even worth a special trip there, with the interesting appetizers and desserts, and the tender St Louis ribs. I think that the chef may be making up for the lack of invention in the entrees through the appetizers, desserts, and bread bowl. I believe that any entrée you try, though, would be good. Definitely give this restaurant a try if you like Latin American food that isnt Tex Mex.
Photo gallery
The dining room actually has a lot of character, and we were seated against a stone wall with gold flecks. There were fake fires in pots on top of columns, and fake torches around the room. The windows had a lovely view of the lagoon that the resort sits on, and if I had wanted, we could have easily been seated there. I was happy with our seat, though, as it was in a quiet part of the restaurant, and we were isolated from other tables. Our server was a friendly, helpful, and soft-spoken man named Abdel who was happy to help us select from the menu. I first asked which margarita he recommended, and he said that the best was the classico margarita ($7.95), which is served martini-style. A martini glass was brought out along with an ice bucket, and a small metal cup with the drink inside. He poured the drink into the martini glass, and there was approximately a drink and a half worth. It was an excellent margarita actually the best Ive had anywhere. It was tart, strong, and tasted of the tequila. I believe it was made with lime juice and no sweet and sour mix. Our server let us know that the recipe came from Mexico. I should have asked for it! This is what should be served at Epcot in the Mexico pavilion, not the sweet and sour mix heavy drink that they have there. Mike, of course, ordered a diet Coke ($2.00). He can be so predictable sometimes.
We were first brought a bread basket with chimichurri dipping oil. This contained green peppers, parsley, cilantro, garlic, and chilis, among other things. Both the bread and the oil were excellent. There were vegetable-chili rolls that were soft, savory, and well flavored, and a crisp flatbread. I enjoyed the flatbread immensely, while Mike liked the rolls better. The oil was delicious, and we only wish there was more of it. If we return, well ask for another bowl next time!
I was familiar with the menu, as it was exactly the same as the one online. Mike and I had decided to share two appetizers and split an entrée, as the entrees werent as inventive as the appetizers. He left it up to me to choose, so I selected the pulled pork empanada ($6.95) and the Caribbean style chicken roll ($6.95), which was an egg roll. It would have been nice if that was clarified on the menu, as I ordered that without being sure what we would receive. Both appetizers were garnished with cilantro as opposed to parsley, which I really appreciated its a nice touch. The empanadas were small versions of the real thing, which are fried pillows of dough containing meat. Traditionally they contain ground or shredded beef, but I liked this version better. The pork was spiced just right, and the dough wasnt greasy at all. There was a small amount of Napa slaw as a garnish, and I believe the same mango ketchup that the egg rolls came with. According to the menu, the sauce on the side was a chipotle cream, and it wasnt spicy at all, but went very well with the empanadas. The egg rolls contained ground chicken, black beans, green peppers, and spices in an egg roll wrapper. This came with a larger amount of the Napa slaw, which was fresh, vinegary, and contained cilantro. These werent greasy either, which is always appreciated when the appetizers are fried. I liked the empanadas better, while Mike loved the egg rolls and the mango ketchup. The ketchup wasnt an American ketchup, really, but rather a sweet, fruity sauce.
I had finished my classic margarita, and asked about the frozen margarita. Abdel said that he didnt like it much, but that he enjoyed the margarita on the rocks. I agreed to try it ($7.95), because it was a large size, and of course I had to try it for the spirit of the review! This one was more up Mikes alley, as I guess he likes them slightly less tart than I do. It was a bit sweeter than the classic one, and slightly less strong. If you like your margaritas a little sweeter, have the one on the rocks. If you like them strong and tart, have the classic margarita. Both are much, much better than what you can find at Epcot.
I asked how the St Louis ribs were, and Abdel let us know that they are marinated for days, and slow cooked. Slow cooked always gets me when Im thinking about ordering ribs, because it gives the meat time to tenderize and the collagen dissolve. Mike was happy with this choice, so we asked to split the ribs ($19.99). We were given a choice between mashed potatoes and a baked potato, and we thought about it a second before deciding on mashed. I had forgotten to ask for plantains on the side ($4.95), so I asked the next time our server came by. He said that because we were hesitating on the potato choice, he could bring it instead of the potato. That was great! We didnt really want a potato anyway. Id recommend asking for this option if you like plantains. The ribs were brought out on one platter, with a second plate for splitting. It was a large rack of ribs, about 9-10 meaty ribs worth. They cut easily with a knife, and I split the meal between the two of us. The ribs were melt-in-your-mouth tender. Definitely the best ribs Ive had at Disney, with Bomas being a close second. They were rich and meaty, with a delicious sauce. There was also very little fat on them, which I find too often, unfortunately. Mike seemed to enjoy them as well the bones on his plate were clean! There were eight plantains, plenty to split, and they were sweet and soft. Plantains are a banana-like vegetable, which has to be cooked in order to make it edible. These were fried, and like the rest of the fried foods, were not greasy at all. The vegetable that came on the side were fresh but slightly overcooked. They consisted of broccoli, zucchini, yellow squash, red onion, and red pepper. Even though they were just a little overcooked, they were delicious as well.
On a side note, there was what appeared to be a small whole roasted tomato on the plate. I offered it to Mike as I dont like tomatoes. He put the whole thing in his mouth, bit down, and had a weird look on his face. It ended up being a hot pepper! When the server found out what Mike did, he laughed, as did I. Unfortunately it gave Mike a stomachache and he claimed not to be able to have dessert. He wanted me to warn people not to eat the tomato among the vegetables.
Having heard about the churros here, I had to order them ($6.99). They were presented as three small churros in a thick, cinnamon-y sauce, with sautéed bananas and coconut ice cream. The sauce was the best part sweet, cinnamon-y, rich, and just perfect with the rest of the dessert. The churros were dense and delicious, the bananas caramelized and soft, and the coconut ice cream tasted as if it were homemade. I wouldnt be surprised if they did make it in the restaurant because of how complex and fruity the taste was. Mike apparently recovered enough to split the dessert with me. Abdel said that he loved the churros, and he said that he had just had one before work and that he wanted to drink the sauce. I dont blame him! The other desserts look delicious as well, and I would recommend splitting a couple if you have the opportunity.
The service we had that night was just perfect. I would definitely ask for Abdel if you have the chance to, as he was very pleasant and happy to help us. Seating was ample, though I always recommend a priority seating just to be safe. Any area of the restaurant would be nice to sit in, though ask for a window seat if youd like a nice view.
We had an excellent meal here, and I would definitely recommend it as a quiet, less expensive dinner (even romantic), around the resort. We feel its even worth a special trip there, with the interesting appetizers and desserts, and the tender St Louis ribs. I think that the chef may be making up for the lack of invention in the entrees through the appetizers, desserts, and bread bowl. I believe that any entrée you try, though, would be good. Definitely give this restaurant a try if you like Latin American food that isnt Tex Mex.
Photo gallery
Biology test this afternoon. Then pictures. Many, many pictures.
