“Thanks Papa,” Rhea says, snatching another receipt and dropping his fist on the counter. “Spoons!” Rhea calls, they arrive within seconds. Rhea laughs and heads back into the kitchen. When the dishes are clean and all questions have been answered, Rhea asks for feedback, quietly, “too much heat?” In surprising rambunctiousness, chairs scoot back, and several slaps on his back and a few happy mutters of profanity portray: negative. The rajas (peppers) are seasoned with garlic and pasilla, the heat contrasting the richness of the cheese. The octopus is tender with an unexpectedly smoky flavor that compliments the chorizo. Our forks push through the melted cheese and into the dish. The mix is coated in chihuahua cheese, browned in the salamander, and served with crispy pita. Today, the appetizer special is queso fundito: octopus confit, tossed with poblano rajas, chorizo, and spinach. Everyone follows along as Rhea explains the preparation of each special, each description punctuated with a slight nod of his head. It is instantly clear that this group knows their vino, a trait any gastro-geek loves in their wait staff.Įxecutive Chef Rhea Brown enters the room and stands at the head of the table, humble and transfixing. The flavor profile is of dark fruit: cherries, currant, and plum notes. Mike: “Dark fruit.” Melissa: “Plums, currants.” Everyone flips over the menu. “Well done, palate?” The pour is thrown back, slurping sounds and whistles fill the room. Adjectives, fruits, and spices fly across the table, and the noses go back down. “Nose?” Everyone dips forward to smell the wine. Carafes of garnet red wine are passed around, the legs sliding down the sides of our glasses. Kevin Grace, Assistant General Manager & Wine Director, stands to introduce the wine of the week. The team has gathered to taste the specials menu, a ritual I am more than happy to participate in. Meeting Maya: “The salesman’s got to drive the car.” In what I now know as the Maya tradition, Paul offered me a figurative and literal seat at the family table, so that I could see for myself what it is that makes them worth the visit. I wanted to get an inside look at the inner workings of the restaurant, what it is that has given Maya such instant and sustained success. As the weeks went on, the modest interview soon became a relationship with the restaurant a family history, Chicago gastro-biography, back of house demonstration, front of house tasting, full-blown Rolling Stone exclusive. I contacted Maya’s General Manager, Paul Abu-Taleb, for an interview about the restaurant. The ambience is warm with the reassuring populated feel of a bar in the city, while maintaining a seated section in which you can still hear.Īs a personal (and local) fan of the restaurant, I was interested in learning more about Maya and what I interpreted as a gourmet, Latin-fusion concept. After 9, the bar swarms with friends and after-work groups in dire need of a well-mixed cocktail, and on warm days, the patio offers the luxurious feel of a much-needed vacation. With a menu that balances authentic Latin cuisine with gastronomical, foodie pleasing adventures into “fusion” territory, Maya caters to both those who crave comfort food, and those who desire an adventurous dining experience. When restaurant owners Anan and Margi Abu-Taleb opened the doors in 2007, Maya was immediately unique in its ability to offer the trendy, urban restaurant and bar experience that many believe they can only find downtown. A phenomenal restaurant, however, requires a few more ingredients.Įnter Maya del Sol, a Latin-fusion restaurant located in the Hemingway District of Oak Park, a historical suburb just west of Chicago. When it comes to high-end Latin cuisine, attention to the basics – an exquisite and authentic chili verde, fresh and thoughtfully prepared seafood – is essential.

Maya del sol