OTR’s Maize bridges a Latin US food space by having a imaginative fusion menu

The eatery honors recipes that are traditional across Latin America, with an emphasis on Venezuelan food

The outside of Maize Picture: Hailey Bollinger

Maize, a unique Over-the-Rhine eatery which launched in very early July, focuses on an unique fusion menu that honors conventional dishes from across Latin America, having an emphasis on Venezuelan cuisine.

“It’s difficult to find genuine meals that really originated in (Latin America) consequently they are being served the way in which it is said to be and honored just how it must be, ” says Maize co-owner Louisa Reckman. She’s held it’s place in the restaurant company for longer than 14 years, lately whilst the owner of Queen City broadcast. “I don’t think you will find many restaurants that accomplish that in Cincinnati, and I also believe was lacking — specially Venezuelan and Puerto Rican (offerings). ”

Fellow co-owner Angel Batista is just an indigenous of Puerto Rico and, in the very first foray in to the restaurant company, is adamant about keeping tradition. He was raised surrounded by various cooking impacts, including Venezuelan fare. (Puerto Rico is due north of Venezuela, divided by the Caribbean Sea. )

“We do this by actually maintaining these meals, the actual authenticity brought down through the use of a base of tradition, ” he says. “The plating and means we’re bringing items to the dining table, all things are extremely old-fashioned, perhaps maybe not prepared. ”

The restaurant took its title from maize, a corn flour dating back to some 10,000 years and very first employed by indigenous Mexicans. The flour functions as the cornerstone for the arepas, cachapas and empanadas served at Maize, and even, Batista discusses the material due to the fact starting place for the restaurant’s whole concept. He calls it Maize’s “delivery system, ” acting being an access point when it comes to rich realm of Latin American food. Reina pepiada arepa Picture: Hailey Bollinger

The menu is colorful and varied, with dishes from across the region that complement one another while retaining their traditional roots to that end. Batista rattles from the geographically-assorted origins of these meals due to the fact ceviche that is peruvian Mexican road corn and Venezuelan cachapas and asado negro.

“There’s plenty of work that went into this notion, ” he says. “How do we bridge what to make somebody when it comes to first-time attempting things comfortable, and just how do we additionally keep carefully the old-fashioned aspect that after a Peruvian walks in, they feel just like we did justice with their meals and their traditions? ”

In addition to sticking with tried-and-true dishes (“From the beans towards the pork into the chicken to your chicharrones, plenty of that material is directly from my mom, ” Batista claims), Maize makes use of top-quality components. They source their meat from Eckerlin in Findlay marketplace and their produce arises from Lasita Joe & Sons, Inc. On Fourth Street. Maize’s professional cook, Curtis McGlone, brings his or her own understanding too, after stints during the Italian-Argentinian Alfio’s Buon Cibo and modern Southern Hotel Covington.

We stopped by on a Tuesday evening having an 8 p.m. Booking, that we at very first idea had been only a formality, nevertheless when We stepped within the restaurant that is buzzing Race and 14th roads, I became happy We had called ahead.

The bright blue accents associated with the restaurant lend into the vibe that is tropical because do the great number of rum options from the beverage menu. With additional than 30 rums in household, Batista and Reckman think the character would be the next bourbon with regards to popularity and w The Tembleque cocktail — an homage to a normal Puerto Rican pudding dessert. Picture: Hailey Bollinger

We ordered the Tembleque cocktail to start out, an homage to a conventional puerto rican pudding dessert. Bacardi black colored rum, Don Q, coconut milk, vanilla, egg, cinnamon and bitters make a completely sweet sipping cocktail that reminded me personally of eggnog, within the easiest way feasible.

For appetizers, my buddy ordered the ceviche ($9) and, on our server’s recommendation, http://brightbrides.net/review/mylol we attempted the guasacaca gruesa ($8), which will be a chunky Venezuelan avocado plunge, much like guacamole, but prepared with olive brine for ac Ceviche and mariquitas, or plantain chips picture: Hailey Bollinger

We munched on airy yuca fries ($4), too — yuca is a potato-like tuber, with an increase of inherent taste much less guilt.

Enable me, shortly, to exalt the ceviche: it absolutely was perfect. Sharp, bright, tangy, fresh; it tasted just like the ocean — as Batista claims it must. The mahi, snapper and shrimp had been plump and plentiful and also the mango that is diced serrano pepper (tossed in following the acidity of this lime cures the seafood) were complementary pops of taste.

At the end associated with the cup lingered the leche de tigre, or “tiger milk, ” which you yourself can drink appropriate from the container. Batista and Reckman both say the tiger milk is recognized as an aphrodisiac. (we refrained from consuming it, therefore I can’t attest for this, but inform us. )

For my primary meal, I ordered the reina pepiada arepa ($9), full of avocado chicken salad, red onion slivers, queso de mano (think mozzarella but saltier) and cilantro. It absolutely was filling and extremely, great. Empanadas and conventional cachapas that is venezuelan a sweet corn pancake, can also be found.

In addition tried the jardinera — romaine that is ensalada with grape tomatoes, fire-roasted corn, queso fresco, carrots and serrano peppers — which was good, but surely needed the kick through the crema de cilantro dressing offered in the s Asado negro de costilla de res picture: Hailey Bollinger

My mate ordered the asado negro de costilla de res ($22), that was just beautiful. A fusion that is true, it is a conventional Venezuelan braised short rib with a panela base (raw sugar that whenever caramelized has a normal barbecue taste), served together with Puerto Rican mofongo (plantains, sofritos and veggie broth, mashed and seasoned) with treasure carrots and a sorghum foam.

The original meals hitched to presentation that is authentic well-received by this diner, and Batista hopes everybody comes away with this feeling. Other restaurants within the town have actually exposed the entranceway to attempting brand brand brand new cuisine they want to open it even further— he and Reckman mention Salazar, Abigail Street and Please, among others — and.

“We aren’t available to you making modifications to meals and recipe to help that it is okay and accepted by somebody, ” says Batista. “We’re wanting to make sure there’s a bridge. It’s more info on providing that meals the respect it deserves. ”

The group at Maize comes with intends to roll down brunch and meal soon.