Maya Azteca

Flavors from south of the border

by Johnette Rodriguez

311 Plainfield St., Providence, (401) 942-5441
Open Mon & Wed-Fri, 11 a.m.-10 p.m.
Sat-Sun, 10 a.m.-10 p.m.
No credit cards
No handicapped access

It was a dark and stormy night in deepest Olneyville, and the Guatemalan restaurant we were seeking was nowhere to be found. But, aha, what's that ahead? Maya Azteca. That might fill the bill. And me, too.

We were familiar with the location, since we first discovered Don José's here, and both of us were immediately drawn to our favorite item at the previous incarnation of this eatery: ceviche, that wonderful citrus-marinated seafood cocktail. Alas, they didn't have it that evening, so we tried the sopa de mariscos ($8.50), a heaping terrine of seafood soup, with two or three large mussels, baby and medium shrimp, squid rings, and lots of tentacles.

The latter were not particularly enticing to me, though the dark broth was dense with flavor. Bill polished it off with the accompanying warm, soft corn tortillas. And I used one of them to scoop up some rice and chopped onion with cilantro. These accompaniments made it a kind of do-it-yourself soup, along with the requisite bottle of hot sauce on the table (not Frank's).

The decor at Maya Azteca is low key: serapes as table cloths, under glass or plastic; carved wooden napkin holders in the shape of eggplants or peppers; a mural of Mayan ruins on one wall, south of the border artifacts, such as hats and dolls on another. Right behind us was a Spanish-language jukebox. High on the corner across from me, the TV was tuned to a Spanish-language soap opera, in which a nun's soulful eyes were rejecting the words of the handsome doctor . . . until she fainted.

Other dramas played out around us: a young couple on a date; two tables of guys exchanging immigrant experiences and travel stories -- two were from Mexico, one from Italy, another from Colorado. But at our table, the biggest suspense was whether we'd be able to decipher the rest of the menu and end up with suitable entrees. Going for the restaurant's cultural pride, I ordered camarones a la mexicana ($7.50) and Bill got carnitas aztecas ($7.50).

My dish was shrimp, five fat grilled ones, served over rice with a sauce that seemed a mixture of cream and fresh salsa. It was spicy with onions, tomatoes, and hot peppers, but that was balanced by the creaminess of the sauce. It was quite delicious, and the shrimp were just right. Both entrees came with pinto beans, tortillas, and salad.

Bill fared less well with his choice, pork chunks and pork skin, which had been marinated in brine and were too salty even for Mr. Saltmeister himself. "I'm sure it's authentic, but I'm going to be drinking water for days," he quipped. Actually, our thirst was slaked by our favorite horchata ($1.50), an iced almond syrup-flavored milk drink we've grown to love at Latin American eateries. And the salty meat was countered by sharing my shrimp and loading up on tortillas.

We were disappointed that flan wasn't available, but we took home a burrito vegetariano ($3.50), a chicken quesadilla ($2.50), a pork tamale ($2), and enjoyed two of the three. The pork in the tamale was roasted and flavorful with a red chile sauce, according to Bill, and the steamed masa inside was a nice contrast in texture and taste. The quesadilla was yummy, with roasted chicken chunks and melted white cheese, garnished with lettuce and tomato.

The vegetarian burrito didn't deliver, however. Though huge and almost overfilled with rice, I would have liked more pintos and fewer of the canned vegetables (potatoes, peas, corn, and carrots) that seem to sometimes crop up in local Mexican cooking. The guacamole was fresh, and the lettuce and tomato lent some crunch, but there was none of the promised cheese, and very little spice.

There are a total of 25 main dishes to order from Maya Azteca's menu, including four preparations of grilled shrimp, two each of chicken, fish, pork and steak, plus the tacos, burritos, gorditas, flautas, and tamales with a choice of ingredients. The one that piques my curiosity for another time, enchiladas guatemaltecas, lists sliced beets, cabbage, hard-boiled eggs, and ground beef on fried corn tortillas. Who brought borscht to the Aztecs?

I'd also bet that Saturday and Sunday breakfasts would be good, with eggs offered rancheros or a la mexicana, and with grilled steak and plantains for $5. The complimentary corn chips and salsa were terrific, and therefore I'd also vote for their nachos, in two variations. If only the ceviche and flan reappear, Maya Azteca will have the corner on Mexican food in this small corner of the city.