Joan Reminick - Newsday.com
Date: 6/16/09
Source: http://www.exploreli.com/restaurants/maize-cantina-1.1251889

Michael Merida has cooked in some of the world's top kitchens - places like Le Bernardin in New York and elBulli in Spain. Now, he's plying pupusas and arepas at an out-of-the-way Commack spot. Smart move.

His lure is an inventive repertoire of Latin-inspired dishes priced for current economic times. Service is as cheerful as the bright surroundings, the walls adorned with Mexican art. What's more, until a liquor license comes through, Merida is dispensing free Margaritas. Let the party begin.

A-MAIZED

Finally, a salad that's not a cliche. The remolacha (mixed greens, pickled beets, crumbled white Mexican cheese, red onion and chickpeas) is dressed with a sprightly lemon vinaigrette, an awakening for the palate. Corn on the cob is slathered with melted chipotle butter, cotija cheese and cilantro.

You can order the house-made pupusas plain or filled with beans and cheese, pork and cheese or spinach and cheese. The flat pupusas serve as bases for any number of toppings, the most compelling, to me, the smoky rich el puerco (roasted pork shoulder, stewed tomatoes and cilantro crema) and the succulent la carne (grilled skirt steak, sauteed peppers and onions, tomatillo salsa and Jack cheese).

Merida also makes areas (Venezuelan-style griddled corn cakes), which he scoops out and fills as sandwiches. Two favorites are the sunny Greek-inspired el Griego (lemon chicken, feta, spinach and chile-yogurt sauce) and the intense savory la lechon (roasted pork shoulder, pickled red onion, white Cheddar and mango mojo).

I'm sold on his soft corn tacos, in particular the el pastor (pulled pork tenderloin, glazed pineapple, pickled onion and cilantro crema) and the el pescado (fried tilapia, mango-corn salsa, watercress and cilantro).

Dessert highlights include a lush flan with citrus vanilla sauce, warm cinnamon sugar churros (fried doughnuts) with chocolate dipping sauce and chocolate ice cream, as well as buñuelos, banana-stuffed fritters with chocolate rum sauce.

BLASÈ

Arepas can be a trifle tough on the outside. And the la cluck variety, billed as having roasted chicken, is instead made with pan-roasted and grilled chicken breast, a letdown in terms of texture and flavor.

BOTTOM LINE

Find your way to this sideways-facing spot tucked into a corner of the Northgate Shopping Center in Commack. It's worth the hunt.

Luann, Margaret Ann & Rich - LongIslanderNews.com
Date: 8/20/09
Source: http://www.longislandernews.com/features/foodie172.html

"It's More Than Mexican"
There's a new Latin restaurant in Town, and it's one where arepas and pupusas take center stage.

Lost yet? So were we, but Commack's Maize Cantina was a refreshing change from a typical Mexican restaurant.

Lively, festive music beckons one inside the modest, 20-table restaurant, which opened about four months ago in a corner of the North Gate Shopping Center on Jericho Turnpike. Colorful murals on the walls are based on real murals found in Mexico, and the serapes that hang alongside them are authentic.

But don't be fooled by all the Mexican decorations; Maize Cantina is not, strictly, a Mexican restaurant. Rather, the gluten-free menu boasts foods from all over Latin America. There are three main items: arepas – flat, round and griddled homemade stuffed corncake sandwiches popular in Venezuela; pupusas – handmade thick corn tortillas of El Salvador; and tacos, traditionally Mexican. There are also salads and a variety of “otros” (other) things to choose from. What's more, all individual menu items are under $10.50.

Fresh chips and a chunky, mild, tomato-heavy salsa get your palate going. We started with El “Maize” de cantina, a new take on corn on the cob, with melted chipotle butter, cotija cheese and cilantro ($3.50). One of the most flavorful cobs out there, the corn practically pops right off. Chilaquiles are a traditional Mexican dish, and Maize Cantina's version ($7) comes with shredded chicken, black beans, tomatillo salsa, manchego and cotija cheeses, and avocado atop thick, crispy corn tortilla chips. It reminded us of a nachos platter, but heartier and with thicker chips.

The soup special ($5.95) was a standout appetizer, a roasted tomato base with baby peas, shrimp and truffle oil. The soup is sweeter than most and goes down easy, accented nicely and delicately flavored.

On the arepa front, we enjoyed La Mer, with plump grilled shrimp, avocado, marinated tomato and crispy plantains cut in long, thin slices ($7.50). El Pollo was a tasty choice as well, with tender grilled chicken, flavorful chorizo (sausage), avocado, and a jalapeño chimichurri that gives it just the slightest kick ($6.50). The arepa itself lets the inside flavors take center stage, crisp on the outside and hollowed out on the inside.

We then moved into the pupusas, which are flat and round, cornmeal-like discs filled with either beans and cheese, pork and cheese, spinach and cheese, or served plain, and topped with anything and everything. We preferred the spinach and cheese filling, made with fresh spinach, not a cheesy dip-like mixture. Our favorite was La Carne ($10.50), grilled skirt steak with sautéed peppers and onions, tomatillo salsa and melted jack cheese.

Finally, tacos come in threes, in handmade soft corn torillas. We opted for El Pastor ($9.50), with tender pulled pork, glazed pineapple, pickled onion and cilantro crema. A great combination of sweet and sour, the mixture complemented the pork well.

We finished with a light Arroz con leche ($5), rice pudding over caramelized pound cake with dulce de leche sauce.

The man behind the curtain at Maize Cantina is chef and owner Michael Merida. Formerly a chef at Huntington's Panama Hatties, various country clubs, high-end restaurants overseas and the Grand Floridian at Disney World, Merida has now embarked on his first venture into restaurant ownership. He said he picked a Latin fusion theme with families in mind.

“I think, with this economy, this is the type of food that works for families,” he said. And what's a bigger draw to families than a $5 “niños” menu for children 12 and under? The kids' menu features chicken fingers, cheese quesadillas, mini slider burgers, mac and cheese, all served with French fries or rice, and a drink. Get there early, because when they're busy, they're busy.

Joanne Starkey - NewYorkTimes.com
Date: 8/28/09
Source: http://events.nytimes.com/2009/08/30/nyregion/30dineli.html

"Latin Flavors That Fuse Tradition and Innovation"
WHAT is a chef who has worked in the kitchens of culinary landmarks like Le Bernardin in New York and El Bulli in Spain doing at a casual cafe in Commack? Being the boss, that’s what. Michael Merida, 37, is living the dream of many young chefs: He has a place of his own.

Mr. Merida opened Maize Cantina in April in the corner spot in the Northgate Shopping Center that was formerly home to Elmer’s, a New American restaurant. The chef, whose lineage includes Cuban, Puerto Rican, Guatemalan and Polish ancestors, calls his food Latin fusion. Not only a showcase for Venezuelan arepas, Salvadoran pupusas and Mexican tacos, it also includes North American and European touches.

One deviation from tradition is the pupusas, thick tortillas with varied fillings. In addition to those fillings, here they also have toppings like grilled shrimp and skirt steak. Some of the arepas (flat, round griddled corn cakes filled like a sandwich) also stray from the classic ingredients; El Gringo, for instance, contains two slider burgers, cheddar cheese, caramelized onions and plum tomatoes.

Until the restaurant gets its liquor license, guests are offered a complimentary frozen margarita. (Patrons may also bring their own wine or beer.) The drinks fuel a festive atmosphere, as does the arrival of warm chips in a paper cone and a bowl of outstanding thick and chunky salsa with just the right kick.

This is a laid-back, happy place, with pictures, plates and serapes on the terra-cotta-painted walls, as well as murals depicting a lizard and the sun. Even the windows are painted brightly with pictures of corn and other foods.

The namesake maize de cantina, one of the starters, is a big, sweet ear of local corn dripping with chipotle butter and glazed with melted cotija cheese. Another favorite is the juicy, tender fiesta wings, with a spicy-sweet chipotle-honey glaze and a peppery ranch-style dipping sauce.

One evening a special appetizer of a thin, flat arepa was topped with three cheeses (white cheddar, mozzarella and queso fresco), chicken and chorizo. The crust was a little soggy, but the toppings had us reaching for another slice. The Santa Fe salad, with shredded romaine, avocado, corn, black beans and grape tomatoes, was a winner, too. But the huge plate of nachos — corn, yuca and plantain chips weighed down with salsa, guacamole and melted Jack cheese — was a mess.

Those plantain chips — the thinnest and crispest I’ve ever tasted — were a hit, however, when they arrived alongside the Gringo arepa. We also gave high marks to two different arepas, one filled with roasted pork shoulder and the other with marinated adobo chicken. The leaden pupusas were less successful, though they were nearly saved by their innovative toppings. The grilled shrimp with sautéed peppers and onions was a favorite.

The tacos here are the soft ones; I liked El Pescado, filled with crispy tilapia, mango-corn salsa, watercress and cilantro.

Desserts, like everything else here, are made on the premises. The flan was silken and topped with a dab of citrus mousse, a tangy fillip. Rice pudding was crowned with fingers of pound cake caramelized with dulce de leche sauce. The cinnamon sugar churros, crunchy treats, arrived with chocolate ice cream and chocolate sauce.

On a Saturday night, servers were numerous and attentive. At a midweek meal, though, we counted only two, and one told us he was new. We had to ask more than once for a refill on a soft drink or for the check.

But these minor quibbles should not detract from the pleasures of visiting Maize Cantina. It is a fun, casual, inexpensive place that delights with its innovative Latin fusion dishes.

THE SPACE Large storefront in a strip mall with windows and walls painted with Mexican art & wheelchair access.

THE CROWD Very casual, with lots of groups, including children. (There is a children’s menu with meals for $5.)

THE BAR Small bar in the rear of the restaurant. While the liquor license is pending, complimentary frozen margaritas are served, and diners may bring their own wine or beer.

THE BILL Entrees: $5.95 to $10.50. American Express, MasterCard, Visa and Discover are accepted.

WHAT WE LIKE All arepas, fish tacos, Santa Fe salad, corn on the cob, wings, all desserts.

IF YOU GO Open 11:30 a.m. to 9:30 p.m. Sundays to Thursdays, till 10 p.m. Fridays and Saturdays. (Until Labor Day, Sunday hours are 4 to 9:30 p.m.)

RATING Very Good

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