Southwestern spirit
Maize offers excellent dishes in a warm atmosphere
When a friend and I arrived at Maize at 6 on a weeknight, I surveyed the many empty tables and commented that we probably hadn’t needed the reservation.
Oh, yes we did, the hostess answered, promising that the place would fill up soon. Sure enough, it did. Only three weeks after opening, the latest restaurant by the Georgia O’Keeffe Museum appeared to be a hit. It certainly was with us.
The warm-toned decor with hints of the Southwest and the comfy padded chairs offered congenial surroundings, along with the piped music I’d characterize as soft jazz. Our friendly — but not overly so — and knowledgeable waitress completed the picture, making us feel that every question would be answered and every whim accommodated. Not that we had many whims. We were happy with what the menu had to offer, without putting in any special requests.
Our waitress quickly delivered a complimentary warm-up, sort of a parallel to the basket of bread that is often presented to the table. This alternative, though, consisted of squash crackers with pepitas and blue corn muffins, accompanied by a red chile butter. Yum!
Diners have the option of making a meal from a combination of smaller plates — the menu includes larger “shareable” and smaller-sized appetizers — or going the route of a full entree.
That’s the avenue we chose, although I’d like to head back someday and put together some of the many intriguing openers, such as the forest mushroom quesadilla, bison sliders or the elk tenderloin carpaccio.
I chose to start with the Field of Greens, with Corn Three Ways ($12). This was primarily a green salad — with a nice combination of very fresh greens — and, in a reference to the restaurant’s name, three styles of corn: tiny ears embedded in endive leaves, a pickled relish on the side, and long, thin strips of crisp tortilla over the top. A lovely lemon vinaigrette added brightness.
My guest chose the Chia-seared Tuna, Escabeche style, with roasted cherry tomatoes and grilled onions ($16). The tuna was sliced thin, rare and tender, with a barely-there crust (I assume of chia seeds) on its edges, balanced nicely by the veggie nibbles. Both appetizers were an excellent preview of the quality of the food to come.
For me, the entree was the Poblano Relleno ($21), cooked with a tasty cornmeal crust and stuffed with quinoa, a satisfying alternative to the usual cheese. It was served over a vegetable medley and topped with cauliflower romesco. The chile itself was of a justright thickness and full of fresh flavor.
My companion ordered the willow basket, whose fresh fish component can vary from day to day. This evening, it was sea bass ($32), steamed in a banana leaf with a variety of veggies, including fennel and carrots, seasoned with thyme, lemon, garlic and more. It was perfectly cooked, the fish moist and flaky, almost ready to melt in your mouth. I would return for this any day.
Chicken, pork, lamb and beef are also on the menu, which is relatively short, but that doesn’t matter when what is listed is so intriguing.
There was only one downside to the meal: The food was so good and the portions so restrained that we didn’t have any left over to take home!
But we did have room for dessert, and we chose the lavender flan ($8). The flowery herb flavoring was subtle but detectable, and the custard was rich and smooth, with a caramel syrup adding sweetness.
This is an excellent spot for a special splurge. A full bar is separate from the dining area — patrons may head there for a drink and a nibble. Off-street parking is limited, so you may need to plan on a short walk through the neighborhood to get to Maize’s doors.