Maize is the mother of masa, and masa is the foundation of Mexican cooking, all of which adds resonance to the name Maiz Mama, a new fast-casual Mexican restaurant opening Aug. 10 on West Tropicana Avenue near South Decatur Boulevard.
Maize is the term for corn, of course; masa is the essential dough made from ground nixtamalized corn. At Maiz (stylistically rendered without an “e”), the kitchen draws on masa for tortillas prepared fresh daily. The tortillas join with meats roasted on a traditional trompo, a vertical spit, in dishes like chicken, birria and steak tacos or tacos with asada mushrooms, quesadillas with house salsa, or burritos calling on spinach jalapeño tortillas.
The menu also runs to salads and bowls furnished with lightly charred trompo proteins — chicken, birria, steak and pork, plus grilled vegetables — along with street corn massaged with sour cream-mayonnaise blend and cross-cultural bowls of birria amid a snarl of ramen.
“Maiz Mama is built around the idea that great food starts with great ingredients and time-honored techniques,” Jesus Chavez, partner in the restaurant, said in a Friday announcement. “We’re making tortillas by hand, preparing our proteins in-house and bringing the energy of the kitchen to where guests can see it.”
Free food
Beginning at 11 a.m. Aug. 10, Maiz Mama is celebrating its opening by offering a free burrito, bowl or taco plate and choice of fountain drink or agua fresca to the first 100 customers.
Maiz Mama, 5045 W. Tropicana Ave., Suite 115, seats about 40 at wooden booths and black-and-white marbled tables, with a standing bar and a terrace for up to 15 more. A hand-painted mural depicting traditional Mexican motifs enlivens the space.
Maiz Mama will be open from 11 a.m. to 11 p.m. Sundays through Thursdays and 11 a.m. to midnight Fridays and Saturdays. For more information and updates, follow @MaizMamaLV on social media.
Contact Johnathan L. Wright at [email protected]. Follow @JLWTaste on Instagram.