Maya Mexican: where Brisbane’s rich and beautiful crowd go to eat, with $250 shots of tequila on the menu
Forget corn chips and cheese, this is a Mexican restaurant where the crowd’s all about their looks and the tequila’s $250 a shot. So what’s on the menu?
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There are more fake eyelashes than backstage at RuPaul’s Drag Race, enough hair extensions to start a wig shop and so much fake tan you could almost get high fr om the smell.
No, this isn’t a catwalk show or sports model competition, this is Maya Mexican in Fortitude Valley.
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Taking over the space formerly home to the glitzy rooftop bar, Eleven, Maya is a new sleek and sophisticated six-month pop-up restaurant from the same owners, The Coats Group.
Created during the COVID-19 lockdown, it’s designed as a stylish alternative to the sombrero swathed, slushy-slinging Mexican eateries around town.
While the venue may have changed identities and design, with a handsome new white and navy, coastal scheme dotted with cactuses to reinforce the Mexican theme, the previous Eleven crowd has returned. This is where Brisbane’s most glamorous come to chill out, party and pick up.
Donning dresses shorter than the odds the Broncos won’t win, and heels higher than Willie Nelson, the women are model material and the men are prepared to drop $900 on a 1.75 litre bottle of Grey Goose to impress them.
It makes for fabulous people-watching as you contemplate the share-style menu which combines popular street fare like tacos and quesadillas with familiar proteins given a modern Mexican spin. Expect everything from flame grilled tequila prawns or squid with jalapeño and lime aioli to chicken with an achiote rub.
The pumping soundtrack of bass-heavy house music spun by the resident DJ will also have you reaching for the drinks list, which offers Mexican beers and plenty of chardonnay, sauvignon blanc, rosé and champagne, perfectly targeted to the crowd. There’s also an array of margaritas with a twist, sangria, and interesting Mexican-inspired cocktails. But the real star is the expansive tequila collection, which even includes a single nip of Clase Azul Anejo for $250.
Guacamole that kicks with jalapeño, and a roasted cauliflower and cheese dip with sweet notes of caramelisation, served with corn chips and pico de gallo for $14 each, make good drinking buddies, as do battered and fried jalapeños ($12) stuffed with silky refried beans swiped through paprika-sprinkled aioli.
For something more substantial there’s the short rib ($28) – a big hunk of beef that gently slides off the bone delivering gentle heat from a chipotle and mezcal glaze, refreshed by a crowning of the bright herb sauce chimichurri.
Or if you’re after a more traditional-type main, there’s the market fish ($38), this time barramundi, its skin rendered so crisp it crunches like cellophane, with the flesh softly yielding. The dish is, however, too salty and there’s asparagus on the plate, which isn’t currently in season.
Tacos will be a big drawcard and there are four to choose from: zucchini, fish, chicken and pork ($14-$16), the latter as vibrant as a Cinco de Mayo festival, yet well-balanced with the fatty pulled meat matched by sweet pineapple, pickled red onion and coriander.
Eleven was always a hit because of its stunning city views and cool vibe, with the food taking a back seat. But now with tables turned and the cuisine elevated, the rooftop escape promises to attract a whole new audience of serious foodies.