Photo: Michael Derr
While some cuisines explode in popularity and then recede until they’re no longer in fashion, Mexican food — especially authentic Mexican made with love and care — has been a favorite for decades.
The owners of Maiz, Julio Mendoza and Iliana Borisova, have been in a unique position to prepare and serve Mexican food with love and care all around South County, including Block Island, at their restaurant called Calaveras.
Calaveras, in addition to its location on Block Island, operated a store first at 1202 Kingstown Road, the current home of Jayd Bun, and then in Narragansett, before rebranding as Maiz at 58 High Street in Peace Dale.
Maiz — which is the Spanish word for corn — offers a diverse menu of Mexican favorites for takeout and limited outdoor seating. Though the restaurant is small, its authentic flavors resound in the community.
The couple explained they excel in the preparation of meats for their patrons.
“I have to say that Julio has developed fantastic recipes for carnitas, birria, and basically all the meats we prepare in-house,” said Iliana.
“You can have it any way you want, so it’s very accommodating. We started with the Build Your Own menu on Block Island, and we have carried it through. It has been our inspiration to be able to accommodate people’s tastes,” Julio added.
The restaurant currently features cod, shrimp, veggie, carnitas, birria, and chicken tinga, or pulled chicken, as the stars of its dishes.
“Customers of ours describe it like it’s very old school/new school because the way we prepare our food is very home-based, traditional, and time-consuming, but we wrap it in a burrito that you can have on the go,” Iliana explained.
The couple shared that social media and word of mouth are their largest drivers of business, and were careful to warn patrons that the demand for some meats sometimes exceeds their supply.
Because the birria and carnitas take so long to prepare (it is prepared the prior day for the next day’s service), the amount of meat available for each day is finite.
“My favorite taco is the carnitas taco. When I work at the register, I like to say I’m a carnitas girl,” Iliana said.
Originally from Bulgaria, Iliana explained she prefers the carnitas because it reminds her of her Bulgarian heritage.
“It has the porky flavor together with the pickled jalapeno, so it’s a little bit sour and spicy, and it has sour cream, and then you throw in the cilantro, and it’s like a complete mixture of the worlds we live in.”
Maiz’s carnitas features well-developed spices and a depth of flavor that complements any dish in which it is served.
Julio explained the deep family roots that inform his food.
“I grew up around my mom and grandma in the kitchen,” he explained. “I cook out of instinct. I don’t really have recipes.”
Because he cooks by instinct, his food businesses have always been a family affair. The couple has enlisted extended family members to work with them on cooking and preparing the food.
Though they don’t rule out bringing in outside help, the integrity of Julio’s meats remains intact as he and his family are the only ones who prepare the menu.
“My favorite is tostadas,” Julio said. “It’s basically an open-faced crispy taco with beans, lettuce, pulled chicken, sour cream, and cotija cheese. And then I love pouring the green salsa on top.”
“One of the reasons why this is my favorite dish,” he continued, “is because it reconnects me with my mom. That’s kind of where everything started for me. That’s her recipe for pulled chicken.”
Though the couple explained their current quarters can be tight, they have all the equipment and space they need to accommodate their menu.
Iliana emphasized how important the support of neighbors is to the business.
“The community has been so fantastic. I can’t emphasize enough,” she said. “We love being part of a community, and we’re very, very, very happy and grateful for being here.”
Iliana explained that Julio has plans to develop a mole, a rich, flavorful, spicy sauce made with chiles, chocolate, spices, and tomatoes, to complement the menu.
In addition to burritos, tacos, and bowls, the restaurant also offers breakfast on Sundays, soups including chicken tortilla and black bean, and three different types of ceviches.
Another highlight of Maiz’s menu is the tamales, whose flavors vary by day.
The restaurant is open Monday through Saturday from 11 a.m.-8 p.m. or until they run out of food. Sundays, it is open from 11 a.m.-3 p.m.