New on the Manayank scene, Maya.J is the product of Chef Craig Wilson’s vision of locally sourced and sustainable farm-to-table ingredients — which he uses to make an interesting range of internationally themed small plates.
The adventurous menu is split into three categories — land, sea and earth (for the vegetarian-leaning diners) — that bring together Thai, Japanese, Spanish, Mediterranean, Italian and modern-American influences.
Wilson’s travels in Thailand really shine on Far-Eastern dishes like the hot green curry seitan ($12) off the earth menu and the Thai red curry, which was on special. The latter was creamy and spicy, overflowing with shrimp, scallops, fresh vegetables and lovely thick rice noodles. The green curry seitan, while not as spicy, was equally vibrant with a hint of coconut sweetness that will appeal to all the vegans.
Other Pacific-influenced dishes, and a counterbalance to the hot spicy curries, included the excellent chilled shrimp gazpacho ($5), which was hearty and refreshing, and the tuna poke ($13), which had a lot of authentic raw Hawaiian charm. Another treat from that region was the spiced duck lumpia ($10), a long Philippine/Indonesian style egg roll that had an added level of decadent richness thanks to the savory and juicy duck-meat stuffing. The grilled beef bulgogi ($12) was smoky, meaty nirvana with an exceptional house-made kim-chi.
The Mediterranean- and Indian-influenced dishes include the falafel and grilled naan ($11), which was colorful and texturally complex, and the fire-roasted chicken tandoori ($11), which was cooked perfectly with a great garlic yogurt sauce.
If all that globetrotting is too much for your palette, there are some American comfort dishes to be found on the menu. It’s easy to see why the Maine lobster mac and cheese ($15) is a house favorite — served hot and crusted with breadcrumbs and caramelized cheeses. But what really elevates the dish is a healthy splash of truffle oil, which in less capable hands would be overkill and a turn-off, but Wilson makes the complex swirl of creamy and crunchy better than the sum of its parts.
It takes a lot to stand out on the main drag in Manayunk, but Maya.J definitely has what it takes, visually and flavor-wise, to turn heads and have tongues wagging.