EATSXM REVIEW: Maya Indian Restaurant & Bar

Chicken Kolhapuri

Garlic Naan

Basmati Rice

Maya Indian Restaurant and Bar specializes in traditional Northwestern Indian cuisine. Now I love Indian food, I love the spice, I love the flavors, I love all the colors and the smells. Love it! So now that you know I’m ridiculously biased towards the cuisine let’s talk about Maya.
Located in Simpson bay, right on the main road close to the end of the runway of the Princess Juliana International Airport, the restaurant is easy to find and usually it’s easy to find parking right in front of the eatery. The Simpson bay area is popular and features many excellent venues for a great meal, and Maya is no exception. The interior is well kept and attractive, and features a beautiful well stocked bar. The seating is comfortable, cloth tablecloths adorn the tables and the service is friendly and helpful. After being seated, and ordering a Heineken, I started off with the Samosa Chaat, this unique appetizer is one of my favorites and I have to say I’ve had Samosa Chaat in many, many restaurants and this one was not a let down. Savory, sweet, crunchy, soft, salty, sour, everything you want in an appetizer, or dare I say a light lunch, because it is a substantial starter. Not that hungry? Get the Punjabi Samosas, they’re also delicious.
For my main course, I chose Chicken Kolhapuri from the extensive menu that offered not only a good selection of chicken, fish, shrimp, lamb, and mutton, they, like most Indian restaurants I’ve frequented, offer a large selection of delicious vegetarian dishes.
I indulged in Garlic Naan, a flat bread made in a Tandoor oven flavored with garlic butter, Raita, a yogurt and cucumber based cold condiment that cools the spiciness of the meal and plain rice to accompany my Kolhapuri.
Everything came quickly and was delicious, the Kolhapuri itself is similar to Tikka Masala in appearance, but spicier and smokier and in my opinion, better. The rice was perfectly cooked, the Garlic naan was crispy, yet soft and the Raita tangy and refreshing.
The price of a main course is relatively inexpensive between us$8 and us$15, but keep in mind that rice, naan and any other accompaniments are not included with the main and must be ordered separately.

Samosa Chaat

Bar @ Maya

Tikka Masala

Pros:
Really delicious traditional Northwestern Indian Cuisine, good prices, friendly service, easy parking, well lit, popular area and a clean attractive interior.
Cons:
Exterior surroundings could be nicer, this is not the fault of the restaurant itself, but I would be remiss with my review if I did not mention it. When the restaurant is busy, service is a bit slow, and there is sometimes quite a wait for both eat-in and take-away, but this may be because the food is freshly made. Also I would prefer if it was fully air-conditioned and the front doors closed, but I understand that high power costs in St. Maarten could make this cost-prohibitive.
Haydee Says:
Do it! I enjoy the food there, I like the staff and location and since my first visit, I’ve returned often. Try Maya, send me photos and let me know what you think about it!
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I rated Maya Indian Restaurant & Bar 3.5 out of 5 approval badges.

F.A.Q.'s:
Can two people can eat well here for $20? Yes
Can two people eat well here for $50? Yes
Are their vegetarian offerings on the menu? Yes
Do they serve Alcoholic Beverages? Yes
Do they take Credit Cards? 
​Do they take Debit Cards?
Do they have free WiFi? Yes
Is take out available? Yes
Do they deliver? No