Located in the heart of Manchester’s Gay village, you will find the classy yet trendy MAYA restaurant. Despite only opening in March of this year, MAYA has already found itself listed on the Michelin Guide.
We recently had the pleasure of trying their new Sunday roast dinner menu which has been launched, following the arrival of their new head chef, Shaun Moffat. Moffat’s previous work at the Edinburgh Castle in Ancoats and the Lamb of Tartary in the Northern Quarter has earned him the title of Manchester’s Chef of the Year.
Moffat’s goal is to bring innovation to traditional British classics, such as the sacred Sunday roast and he does this all while using seasonal, local produce. A Sunday roast is a dish that most Brits hold close to their hearts and have very specific expectations for. Therefore, we were intrigued to see what twists he would be adding to our plates.
MAYA’s sleek modern decor and dim gold lights helped to create a sophisticated yet inviting atmosphere. The restaurant area also maintained elements from the 20th century warehouse such as the red brick creating a warm and rustic feeling. The live piano and violin music played in the background complimented the energy of the restaurant and helped to elevate the dining experience.
You are offered snacks and larger starters at the beginning. We tried the ‘Salt baked beetroot, radicchio, dill and hazelnuts’ vegetarian starter, and then the ‘Cured steelhead sea trout and victoria plums’ option. Both starters were undoubtedly delicious, and because they were both so light they did not fill you up too much before the heavy roast. However, coming in at £9 and £10 respectively, the portion sizes were not reflective and they did not transform the experience. Therefore, the starters could be missed to save even more room for the main course. To drink, we both went for a glass of white wine.
The roasted Sirloin of beef was excellently cooked. Beef would not usually be my first choice in meat options so I was surprised by how tender it was. I thoroughly enjoyed the rich and intense flavour of the beef, which was paired with a Horseradish crème fraîche. This perfectly balanced the richness of the roast beef and truly elevated the taste of the meat. Whilst I am usually more inclined to prefer the trimmings on a roast dinner, the roast beef was definitely the star of this roast dinner.
The vegetarian option on this day was roasted celeriac, the earthy sweetness was a great addition to the plate. It was cooked and seasoned beautifully, making it tender and creamy on the inside with a charred outside.
Roast potatoes are a staple to anyone’s roast dinner and MAYA certainly delivered. They had a golden and crispy exterior with a fluffy and buttery centre. The rich flavour was enhanced by the light seasoning of salt and herbs. The roast potatoes certainly had depth and were the ideal accompaniment to the meal. The meal also came with a large yorkshire pudding. However, they were definitely outshined by other elements of the dish and looked slightly overcooked.
For the vegetables, there was a trio of purple cabbage, green cabbage, and puréed swede. The purple cabbage was very rich with the green cabbage being much lighter and sweeter in flavour. The swede had strong, smoky flavours which added a different dimension to the vegetable selection. Although, it was slightly overpowering. You are also given a side of baby carrots smothered in honey. These were amazing and were definitely the best out of all of the vegetable sides.
Cauliflower cheese is a must when it comes to roast dinners. It did not come as part of the included trimmings but was available to order as a side for £7. We ordered it and were both impressed but also intrigued by its spherical presentation. The creamy side came inside a ball of battered dough, and this crunch added a new and welcome texture to the dish. Despite the additional cost, you should definitely order the cauliflower cheese on top of your main.
The plates were polished clean, including the gravy, which is always the biggest indicator of a good meal. At this point we were both extremely full so decided to pass on the dessert.
The roast was undoubtedly delicious and there were definitely elements that elevated and differed greatly from your typical roast. Such as the presentation of the cauliflower cheese, the addition of the pureed swede, and the rich smoky flavours. However, especially as two students, we’re not sure if we would be running back. At £25 for the beef option and £19 for the vegetarian option, the prices are high and at most other restaurants you could get a lot more for a lot less money.
Although, that being said, the whole experience at MAYA was amazing. The staff were attentive, the atmosphere was great and of course the food was delicious, especially the beef and the potatoes. Therefore, MAYA is definitely one to consider if you want to really treat yourself or if your parents are around but if you’re looking for a standard, yet classic, Sunday roast maybe look elsewhere. Alberts Schloss offer two courses for £24, at 256 you can get a roast and soft drink for £10, and finally there is Toby Carvery, the self-proclaimed ‘Home of the Roast‘.
MAYA‘s kitchen is open Tuesdays-Thursdays 5pm-9.30pm, Fridays-Saturdays 12pm-9.30pm, and Sundays 12pm-8pm.
