Just who is this Maynard, anyway?
The namesake of Maynards Market & Kitchen, which has settled in at the historic train depot Downtown, may be artist Maynard Dixon (there is a Dixon mural in the train depot). Or Maynard Flood, a one-time train engineer from here. Or maybe it's author Joyce Maynard, one of the few people alive who has ever seen J.D. Salinger (OK, we kinda doubt it's named after her).
It all depends on whom you speak with at the restaurant — on two visits, we were given two versions of the name origin — on a third visit, we were told it's both the artist and the engineer — hence the plural Maynards.
We plan to head back to Maynards as often as the pocketbook allows. We want to see what other Maynards the staff comes up with.
But the main reason to return is the food, which is very good. Chef Addam L. Buzzalini, who was the opening chef at the tasty Jax Kitchen, is doing his magic in the Maynards kitchen now. (He, by the way, says the painter and the engineer inspired the name.)
A recent meal started on a high note with the grilled apple bruschetta ($8). The appetizer — large enough to share but good enough that you don't want to — had soft, warm brie cozied up to a sliver of sweet, crisp Pink Lady apple and a curl of thin, salty prosciutto. Nutty arugula, and a dash of honey and olive oil, punctuated the dish. A wonderland of tastes and textures unfolded with each bite through the bread to its toppings.
On a return visit to the restaurant, which places a heavy accent on locally grown food, a small stone-baked pizza ($12) proved to be another appetizer that you don't really want to share.
A thin, crackery crust played host to sweet roma tomatoes, fresh licoricey basil and mild mozzarella. It brought to mind what Longfellow once said: "The supreme excellence is simplicity."
We fell in love with the beef short rib ($19), a hunk of meat so tender it fell apart with just a whisper. The complex process involved a 24-hour marinating in wine with the alcohol cooked out of it, a searing to give it color and a crispy coat, and a slow braising in a red wine-based sauce. It all added to the meat's tenderness and gave it a deep, satisfying flavor. The rib sat on top of a mound of mashed potatoes that soaked up the veal-stock-based sauce on the plate . Chunks of meaty bacon and Brussels sprouts rounded out a dish that was at once rich and sophisticated and serious comfort food.
The vegetarian in you will swoon over the crispy gnocchi ($14), cloud-light fingers of potato gnocchi tossed with sweet figs, fresh butternut squash, chunky hazelnuts and a brown butter mixed with a squeeze of fresh orange juice and a shake of balsamic vinegar. It's a grown-up and thoughtful dish, and a nice change from the throw-together "chef's choice of grilled veggies" many restaurants offer to their non-meat-eating customers.
The only real disappointments were in side events. The wonderful La Brea Bakery bread offered before the meal was stale one night.
And the macaroni and cheese ($5 for small; $8 for large) was surprisingly bland, in spite of being made with four cheeses — smoked mozzarella, goat cheese, cheddar and Parmigiano-Reggiano — and topped with garlicky bread crumbs.
Desserts are made by Bill Roberts, the pastry chef at the Cup Cafe over at the Hotel Congress (Maynards is owned by Richard Oseran, who also owns the Congress). That's a good thing; Bill the Baker, as he is known, tempts us on a regular basis. Especially with the chocolate mousse cake ($5). Dark, moist, with thick layers of ganache on top. Oh my.
The wonderful touches at Maynards go beyond the menu. It's long and narrow, like a train car. Notice the iron gate separating the lower dining area from the bar — a cool train-wheel motif. Notice, too, the railroad spikes that hold the drink menu at each table. And the expansive patio that gives you an in-your-face view of the trains whistling through. And our favorite, in the market section, where you pick up sandwiches and some groceries: a long, sturdy table, made from a ponderosa pine tree that was burned in the last Mount Lemmon fire. This restaurant revels in our part of the country.
We may not have nailed down the inspiration for the eatery's name. But we know this: A fine restaurant by any other name would still be as fine.
Review
Maynards Market & Kitchen
400 N. Toole St. in the train depot building, 545-0577
• Hours: 7 a.m.-10 p.m. Sundays through Wednesdays; 7 a.m. to midnight Thursdays through Saturdays.
• Family call: Leave the kids at home; this is far too hip to show up with kids. On the other hand, we're willing to bet kids will love it.
• Noise level: Conversations are possible.
• Vegetarian choices: Limited, but out of the ordinary.
• Dress: Casual.
• Reservations: Recommended, especially on weekends.
