Maaya

31 January 2020

MAAYA

168 Loop Street, Cape Town

When my exquisitely presented Mount Fuji bagel dish (R85) was put down in front of me, my first thought was “Well, I’ll never eat a breakfast bagel from Max Bagel again.” To be pedantic about it, this dish isn’t truly bagel and lox. There ain’t no bagel. The salmon, cream cheese, courgette slivers and greens rest on a lovely, crisp-crust brioche bun. Despite this cruel disappointment, it’s not only lovely to look at but on the super yummy side of the tasty spectrum.

Maaya, a Japanese inspired eatery, if my quick squizz at the lunch menu left me with the correct impression, took over the space where Homage 1862 once traded.

The younger goddaughter and I ate lunch here in 2018 and this is how I described the interior then:

“The open kitchen with its woodfire cooking grate is on the left as one enters, and there is counter seating at the windows and some banquette seating across from the kitchen, but the real deal is at the back in a high-walled, covered backyard with more banquette seating around the rear wall and semi-rough-hewn tables, and lots of greenery on and against the walls. The décor style of the contrasts between bare brick walls, plaster and wood, add to the beguiling ambience of old-fashioned-meets-trendy, being, in a manner of speaking, artless yet slick.

It really is a comfort zone that simply invites one to sit down and rest your weary psyche.

But wait, there is more upstairs, with a mezzanine lounge with comfy seating, low tables and a bar.”

This description mostly applies to Maaya too, which seems to sit comfortably on the basic structure of the previous iteration of the space. The artwork on the walls may differ, and there’s a roof high wall of greenery at the rear, and the mezzanine floor is more restaurant than lounge, but the general feel and ambience is as comforting and welcoming as Homage 1852 was. That double volume, covered, former backyard has the best seats in the house.

There is nothing Japanese about the breakfast menu, except for the token reference to Mount Fuji and, unless one counts the avo on toast, nothing vegan.

What you do get are these options: eggs Royal, eggs Benedict, full English, croissant with scrambled eggs, a sweet pancake, avo on toast, the “bagel,” and if you want a smoothie, you can make your own. Well, that’s what it says on the menu. I’d be surprised if the waiter brings the NutriBullet and ingredients to your table, though.

The menu isn’t massively inspiring but if the quality of the food is as good as the Mount Fuji dish was, the other dishes should be of good quality and you could do worse than eating your eggs Benny in these lovely surroundings. Better yet, no breakfast is more expensive than R85,00.

The coffee is excellent.

Between 08h30 and roughly 09h30 there were no other patrons either, so you can probably count on breaking your fast in contemplative peacefulness if you prefer solo dining.