The Casa Maya restaurant in Mentone is truly a unique find for Mexican food. It has been several years since I was in the Yucatan peninsula of Mexico but once my food came to the table, the smells brought back fond memories of that region.

This restaurant isn’t in Redlands but in the adjacent City of Mentone. But once you get to the restaurant and go through the bar/cashier area, they showcase their Yucatan artifacts and décor - the colors are vivid. It is a very homey, kid friendly place. You’ll first notice their extensive menu. But most unusual was their "Better for You" menu, which is the whole backside of the menu. In this section, each of the entries have their calories, fat, cholesterol and sodium listed as analyzed by the San Bernardino County Public Health Nutrition Program. For those watching their diet, this is a great aid for those who want to have their "taco" and eat it too.

The rest of the menu features traditional Yucatan faire such as: Salbutes which is baked turkey marinated onions and cabbage, served with fresh salsa on a special corn tortilla, Empanadas which is a tortilla pie filled with your choice of beef chicken or fish or Panuchos which is a special tortilla stuffed turkey, black beans, marinated onions and lettuce. These dinners, along with the other offerings, range in price from $3.95 to $10.95. The tortillas are freshly made daily, as are their three types of salsa. One of the distinctive flavors of the Yucatan region is Achiote, which is ground Annatto seed. You can taste this in many of their cooked meats. And when possible they used sea salt and olive oil to enhance the flavor and keep the food healthier. Another regional trait is using banana leaves to cook the food in. While this steams the food during the cooking process it also imparts some subtle additional flavors.

While we live in Southern California, we should appreciate that there is more than northern Mexican cuisine. Casa Maya serves specialties of the Yucatan region with its distinctive flavor of spices and ingredients in a friendly atmosphere.

By the way the Yucatan peninsula is the eastern most jetty of land in the southern portion of Mexico stretching into the Gulf of Mexico. Its famous tourist cities are Cancun and Cozumel, as well as many Mayan ruins.

ADDRESS: 1839 Mentone Blvd., Mentone
PHONE NUMBER: 794-7458
OPERATION HOURS: Sunday through Thursday 11:00 a.m. – 9:00 p.m.: Friday andSaturday 11:00 a.m. – 10:00 p.m.: Sunday 10:00 a.m. – 9:00 p.m.
RESERVATIONS: Not required
PRICE RANGE: Lunch $3.65 - $5.95 Dinner $3.95 - $10.95
TAKE OUT: Yes

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