Maia - Eat | Bake | Mom

Wednesday, June 20, 2018ruthdsouzap

I began to appreciate home food and the food my mother cooked when I first came back from staying in a hostel during my post grad days. The first weekend I came home, I quite literally ate everything that my mother put on the table, with second and third helpings. That was the time I found that I had favourites...something I did not realize before. And then years later, I went on to become a mother myself - I fretted over what my fussy little one would eat - always upset when she found food at a friend's house better. Till she started school, and shared lunch boxes with others and then came home asking for specific dishes which she suddenly realized she loved more than the versions she ate in other's boxes! By then, I too grew into the idea that my child will love food cooked by other mothers too. And why should I be happy about that? Well, its food by another mother... it will have that touch of love and that careful eye to ensure that all things good go into the dish.  

And who better to understand these thoughts than a mother herself. Sejal Shah, who along with her nephew Ishan Shah wanted to create a space where mothers would share the recipes of their signature dishes. A space where women, who often go as unsung culinary heroes in their own kitchen, would have a space to showcase their talent. And that space is today called Maia. We were invited, quite a while ago to experience the food at this all vegetarian restaurant and here is a round up of all that we had. 

Maia Signature Popcorn shake - blended popcorn with icecream and caramel sauce, Orange and Lemongrass juice,  Elderflower Iced Tea.


The menu is quite an extensive one and at the time we visited comprised of dishes that came from the repertoire of Sejal and Ishan. They have a lovely collection of beverages teas, coffees, mocktails and shakes. We started with the Maia Signature Popcorn Milkshake with ice cream and caramel sauce. A little sweet for the adults at the table, but A ensured the glass didn't need to be cleaned. Be warned, this is a heavy shake and can be quite tummy filling. Now when I see Elderflower and Ice tea in the same sentence, you know that I am going to order it. The brew was great and the touch of elderflower just nice. And also you see the Orange and Lemongrass juice. Who knew how a bit of lemongrass can elevate an orange juice. Great beginnings to the meal.

Roasted Pumpkin Soup and Shitake Tea and Glass Noodles soup


Little did we know how many dishes were going to hit the table. But it began with the Roasted Pumpkin Soup - a lovely velvety texture with a nice level of sweetness and creaminess from the finish. The Shitake Tea and Glass Noodle Soup - a clear soup, with a strong hint of pepper and finished off with scallions. Some nice crunch to a mild tasting soup, which I am guessing in winter, and if you are nursing a cold will be just what you want to order. 

 Green Pea Falafel with Hummus


My initial years of growing up were in the Gulf and the Universe knows how many falafels I have downed so far. Despite that, I have never been a fan and it is the sumac laden hummus that I dipped into multiple times here. That being said, this falafel has just the right texture of crispy exterior and steaming hot graininess on the inside. The green pea version is quite nice. 

 Vegetable spring rolls

 Patti Samosas

The Spring Rolls and the Patti Samosas were nice and the fact that both dishes were made from scratch being rather evident from the first bite. If you are looking for some hot starters that hit the spot, these two are definitely it. 

 Aromatic Kebab


Now here was something I was tasting for the first time. Aromatic kebab - take the first bite and some very familiar aromas and flavours will hit you. It took me a while to nail it but what you are going to taste is some sandalwood powder and edible camphor mixed into this vegetable kebab. If you are looking for something really unique to try here, let it be this dish. 

 Bisibele Arancini with basil pesto - there is some fusion going on for you. I love Bisi Bele Bath and so this idea excited me. Interesting to have it as an arancini, perhaps an acquired taste for some. 

 Maia Tandoori Mali Paneer - The Paneer may look like it has spent a little more time than needed in the tandoor, but for me this worked perfectly. The paneer when had along with the grilled green peppers, onion and tomato made for a very nice dish for me. 

 Mushroom Galouti on Khamiri Roti - for folks like me who are always on a quest for a good galouti in its meat version, this will come as a pleasant surprise. The texture of mushroom mimics that of meat quite well and this becomes one of these very few dishes that does full justice to being a vegetarian counterpart to a meat dish. 

 Tandoori Mustard Gobi - If you love gobi the way I do and also love that twang of mustard, then this is one dish for you. Done in the tandoor again, that touch of smokiness is super.

 Shakarkandi Chaat - my last tryst with Shakarkandi was at Janpath in Delhi last winter when I went shopping. Steaming hot, freshly peeled, mildly mashed and topped off with chaat powder. Here of course is a much prettier and wholesome version of the chaat, with the sweet potato being crisps and as a base, topped off with two different chutneys and some sev. Crunchy, sweet, sour, spicy all in one go. 

 Burrata Beet and Arugula - Don't be under the impression that the menu at Maia is all Indian. It covers a number of international dishes as well, with slight variations that all us mummies are famous for. This is the Burrata Beet and Arugula salad. Simple yet delicious. 

Pesto Gnocchi - And because A heard that they have gnocchi on the menu, the superlative pesto version hit the table and was polished off in no time. 

 Burmese Khow Suey - because we had to do at least one main course and we chose the Khow suey and were not disappointed. The menu does offer some desserts, but by this time we were stuffed to the brim. The restaurant also does nice Gujarathi thalis as well

Decor

There has to be something mentioned of the decor at Maia. Done up in a large bungalow there are numerous spaces you can choose to be in - the outdoor seating, the atrium segment, the indoors, upstairs at varying levels and more. The decor and the landscaping ensures you have several beautiful spaces to look at or take that selfie at. The entire space has been done by Sejal and Ishan. One super addition to the interiors is the inclusion of a lovely private nook for feeding mothers to nurse their children. How often do you see such thought going into a space. 



Click on the image for a pictorial tour of the property


Address: Siri Pristine, Plot No. 253, Opposite, Green Glen Layout, Bellandur, Bengaluru, Karnataka 560103
Phone: 095138 87771
Valet: Yes
Accepts Cards: Yes
Serves: Vegetarian, Indian, International

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