Restaurants

Think Global, Eat Local

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An order of empanadas comprised four flaky pastries stuffed with shredded brisket, caramelized on-ions and Chihuahua cheese. (You can also order a vegetarian version, stuffed with black beans, jicama and corn.) Tasty, but not as good as the pincho de camarones: eight large shrimp marinated in olive oil and "Maya spice" (Sorby's own blend), then skewered and grilled. Served on a bed of saffron rice, the shrimp were accompanied by a red mole sauce and grilled asparagus. Lunch at Maya Café is a quiet affair, perfectly suited to reading the paper and sipping sangria. And, of course, eating. "El Sandwich Cubano" is an excellent choice, thanks mostly to meaty, moist and flavorful slices of roasted pork loin. Also present and accounted for: ham and Swiss cheese, plus stone-ground mustard and a roasted red pepper aioli. Everything gets stuffed into a traditional Cuban roll.

Two desserts are always on the menu, and both are worth sampling. The flan is dense but not cloyingly sweet, and the sauce of burnt raw sugar, orange and rum provides enough contrast to keep things interesting. The sopapilla takes the form of a tortilla fried to a puffy crispness, topped with a scoop of vanilla ice cream and then drizzled with a sauce of honey, raw sugar and cinnamon. Another treat: an empanada with a homemade mocha-coffee cheesecake filling.

Maya Café's sui generis approach to food and atmosphere does have its quirks. Fortunately, they are all good ones.

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