mariaskitchen
From a big-picture local culinary view, Maria’s Kitchen is a little-known, but deeply loved, North Lexington eatery serving authentic Mexican food to a loyal lunch and dinner crowd on a daily basis. A small, stand-alone brick building on North Broadway, with a walk-up window and covered porch, Maria’s is almost a hybrid of the food truck and brick-and-mortar concepts, combining the best of both worlds. It’s quick, easy and doesn’t break the bank – some of the most appealing aspects of the food trucks that have become so popular (and controversial) in Lexington as of late – but Maria’s has something going for it that most food trucks don’t: a reliable and consistent geographic location.
Frequenters of the taqueria are primarily drawn to three aspects of Maria’s: its authenticity, its deliciousness and its affordability. To clarify, Maria’s is primarily a take-out destination, unless diners want to park at one of a few picnic tables under a metal awning that faces the heavy traffic at the intersection near North Broadway and Loudon. Two large menus are printed on poster boards that hang near the window where you place your order (one in English, one in Spanish), featuring a healthy smattering of options that include several varieties of gorditas, burritos, tacos and platters.
I recently stopped in to pick up dinner for two; an intense storm with heavy winds was brewing, so I was worried that the eatery, which more resembles a taco stand than a restaurant, might not be open. Fortunately the neon open sign was on, so I placed my order with the woman behind the window (whom I always associate in my head as “Maria,” although I have no real evidence to support the theory).
My order included a cactus gordita ($2.50), a pork (barbacoa) platter with red sauce ($8), a poblano pepper stuffed with cheese ($3.25), a chicken quesadilla ($4.25) and an extra order of rice and beans ($2.50). Of all of these (my guest and I shared all of the items), the tender, flavorful, slow-cooked pork was the real standout to me, while my dining partner couldn’t stop talking about the poblano pepper, which was lightly fried and stuffed with melty white cheese – not rubbery at all, as Mexican stuffed peppers can be at other restaurants. On the topic of cheese, Maria’s doesn’t skimp – the quesadilla was brimming with shredded chicken and white cheese. Otherwise, the quesadilla was fairly plain, but we easily dressed it up with some of the side sauce that Maria’s included in our to-go bag. The gordita – a small, round corn cake resembling a tortilla pocket – was stuffed with small, bite-sized cactus, red peppers and cheese; while it didn’t steal the show, it was a great snack-sized compliment to the rest of the meal.
Most of the items at Maria’s are easily folded up in aluminum foil and served with two plastic ramekins of salsa (the green is mild; the red packs some heat), making it a quick and easy option for lunch or dinner on the go.
My total ticket, which also included two Mexican sodas (grapefruit- and mandarin-flavored Jarritos), came to $23.50 – an astonishingly affordable ticket for a meal that provided dinner and ample leftovers for two.
Maria’s Kitchen
895 N. Broadway
(859) 294-9537
11 a.m. - 7 p.m. Mon. - Sat.
11 a.m. - 5 p.m. Sun.