Maya’s Tapas and Wine, next to Coffee Gallery in the North Shore Marketplace, offers an array of Mediterranean tapas, small savory Spanish-style dishes and wines from around the world. An attractive, quaint restaurant, it’s relatively new, having opened in July.
I enjoyed this comfy spot as a happy-hour destination.
THE EXPERIENCE
This restaurant and bar makes you feel as though you’re on vacation — or at least on a break from the day-to-day grind. The surroundings are colorful, with chic Spanish decor. There’s a full bar, and tables both inside and outside on the deck.
THE FOOD
We tried the papatas bravas — flavorful fingerling potatoes with chorizo, honey and Sweet Land Farm goat feta cheese. I’ve been eating potatoes my entire life but never imagined this combination.
MAYA’S TAPAS AND WINE BAR
North Shore Marketplace, Haleiwa
200-2964,
mayastapasandwine.com
Happy hour: 5 to 6 p.m. and 9 ot 10:30 p.m. daily
>> Wine and beer, $5
>> Select cocktails, $5
>> Patatas bravas, $5
>> Vegetable medley flatbread, $5
The roasted red-pepper hummus was made with chili oil, fresh herbs, chorizo and goat cheese and served with crostini and lettuce. It was tasty, but what you’d typically expect of hummus, and it didn’t come with much bread.
Our favorite was the flatbread, loaded with a seasonal vegetable medley. The hand-tossed flatbread was topped with mac-nut pesto and mozzarella cheese. Our toppings included cauliflower, various greens and microgreens, Brussels sprouts and tomatoes. Toppings vary, depending on the fresh vegetables available.
All the dishes on the menu are prepared with meats and produce from local farms.
Other happy-hour options include pulpito and patatas (grilled baby octopus and potato), pan con tamate (tomato, white anchovy and goat cheese) and shishito peppers with Hawaiian rock salt.
All happy-hour tapas are $5, and beautifully presented.
THE DRINKS
Sommelier and maitre d’ Joe Kuka informed us that Maya’s tries to acquire wines that can’t be found anywhere else. They may only get a case or two of some bottles, so the wine menu is always changing, with new bottles being added.
I ordered the house white, that day the Pinot Grigio delle Venezie, and was pleasantly surprised at how good it was. The $5 wine was above average — flavorful. During happy hour, bottles of house wine can also be purchased for $25.
If you’re not interested in wine, cocktails are also available. My friend enjoyed the cocktail of the day for $5, a refreshing mixture of tequila and guava juice.
THE VERDICT
Happy hour provides an opportunity to try some of Maya’s dishes for a mere $5, making it worth a trip to the North Shore.
Not every plate is exceptional, but all are presented well, in a charming environment. The varying wines also provide an incentive for a visit, and the customer service was top-notch.