Mayta Peruvian Kitchen & Pisco Bar

When they said Hong Kong is a potpourri of dining options, they weren’t kidding. Want to try out Peruvian food other than ceviche although the ceviche here is baller? Mayta’s got you. I only discovered Mayta this year but I’m already a fan. For those wanting to visit Mayta this July, heads up; Peru’s National Day is on the 28^th.
Mayta’s interior has a very homey feel; wooden furnishings with intricate designs and dark wood maroon tables and chairs while the house music pumps out funky Latin American jams. One thing I noticed off the bat is the dedicated ceviche station, for those who can’t get enough of it. Piscos (pomade brandy) are also a big hit here and undoubtedly serves an extensive menu of pisco. The a la carte menu is divided into Peruvian tapas, skewers, ceviche, wok and salads, specials and desserts.
Because ceviche is a specialty here, we decided to order the clasico, made with sea bass and marinated in leche de tigre (which translates to tiger’s milk — didn’t need a dictionary for that one). It tasted sweet and salty at the same time — a fantastic combination. For the tapas, we chose the pan con chicharron which tasted like a steamed pandesal but with crunchy pork belly and a spicy and garlicky aoili sauce. I’m not saying it wasn’t good but it didn’t taste that great either.
Dessert fared better due to the suspiro de limena, a sumptuous offering of dulce de leche at the bottom, a creamy meringue with port wine at the top, and the surprisingly good taste of olive oil ice cream.
Some of the staff were Latin American, which was a pleasant surprise, and I could bust out the little Spanish I knew. They were truly friendly and obviously knowledgeable about the different dishes. My dining experience in Mayta wasn’t what I expected but it certainly wasn’t bad to deter another visit. Should I look for Peruvian food next time, I know where to go.

If you ask me on any given evening, what I would like to eat there and then, I would very rarely (if ever) say Peruvian food. It’s just not the sort of thing that we eat is it (unless you are in Peru)?
Well, Mayta in LKF is fast changing my mind about that. It opened up in what use to be the BBQ pork restaurant, which irked me as I love BBQ pork. However, Mayta is actually a very welcome replacement.
Let’s start at the top; the first thing you will want to do is get a round os Pisco Sours in. They have a great variety of flavours and mixes of this traditional alcoholic beverage, and they make them well. Just the right amount of sour, just the right amount of kick. Forget the wine and beer, just stick to these bad boys all night.
Now, the food. If you are not familiar with Peruvian food, Google it. However, my recommendations are as follows… Start with the cerviches, this is essentially Peruvian sushi, with big chunks of raw salmon, tuna and/​or mackerel, steeped in lime and indigenous spices. These are great for sharing, so get the «platter» and sample all of them. I always follow this with the suckling pork «stew», sooooo good!
The restaurant is large and spacious, so you don’t feel to hemmed in, but the décor and ambience make for a nice intimate setting. The staff are great, super friendly and really efficient. The manager is particularly nice, and always greets with a smile and few pleasantries. Book if you are coming at the weekend or on Super Monday, as it can get busy. During mid week, it is often completely dead, so you will have more luck with a walk-​in then.