Maya Norte — Restaurant in Ladysmith

First, great atmosphere. They have a backyard patio that is mostly insulated from the road noise, inside dining is simple and well put together. Staff was friendly if green.

Granted I only had Bravas, but that is my go-to when trying out a tapas place. It is ubiquitous in Spain and comes in a million varieties from fries to fingerling Hasselback potatoes.

Maya Norte's are the standard home fry cut, seasoned, fried, then seasoned again served with a bravas sauce in a bowl and a garlic aioli which is perfectly fine.

However, like any just about every tapas place outside of Spain, the point of tapas is missed here: unless the tapas are quite high end, they are just snacks to enjoy while drinking. At $12 for homefries and $8 for beer, enjoying tapas in Canada feels more like dining that hanging out. With tax and tip, this combo comes to $25. In much of Spain, simple tapas like warmed olives are free with a drink. A bravas tapa would be $4, as would the beer. They don't tip in Spain.

So, in short, this is a perfectly fine place, and certainly nicer than many restaurants that I have experienced in my short time on the island, but ultimately I don't think it is possible to have a tapas experience in Canada given the food and operating costs, and outrageous...

I stumbled upon this place while on a trip to the island with my wife and son, early on a Sunday evening in July. I had recognized the name from a shortlist in our hotel of suggested places to eat in Ladysmith, but it had been something of a “plan B” option since the first place we had decided to try was closed.

Upon arriving, we were told by some locals that it was unlikely we’d get in without a reservation, but that if we did, we wouldn’t regret it. Well not only were we offered a table, but we were lucky enough to be given a spot on their fantastic patio. And everything from that moment until we left was outstanding. The service was pleasant and attentive, and it was clear that the restaurant was clean and well managed. The menu offered plenty to choose from. The ambience of the outdoor patio was wonderful. And the food… was amazing. By the end of the night we’d seemingly tried almost everything on the menu.

Cudos the the owner(s), staff and chef(s) at Maya Norte. The next time we find ourselves out that way, you’ll definitely be our...

Absolutely a local gem. Each tapa dish came packed with so much flavor. The ribs were phenomenal. Bay scallops and ajillo prawns were cooked to perfection. Prawns and clams paella were flavorful. For a party of two, four tapas were plentiful in addition to two house breads.

Cozy seating inside with a vibrant backyard patio seatings. Staff is wonderful and warm but lacked prompt service. A bit chaotic with multiple servers serving us. The first round of tapas and cocktails came in at a moderate pace then our second round of cocktails were lost in the order until we had to remind two different servers. We were waiting for another round of dipping bread and that too was lost in the order for some time. Again, everyone who came by to check on us was super nice but would've been more efficient with one assigned server. It was a busy Friday night out on the patio and we were the only party sitting inside so perhaps we got lost in the shuffle. After all, we decided to have a nightcap in their...