Bare walls √ Unfinished Flooring √ Camping Plates √ Bearded Hipsters √ Snooty Vibes X. Whilst Maray may appear to be just another hangout for Liverpool trendsetters as soon as you walk inside it is clear that it welcomes all. I visited for lunch recently with my daughter and there was certainly no hesitation in the greeting of a toddler that was sure to be running around the table and spilling hummus all over the floor. Similar in layout and design to it's Bold Street neighbours Nolita Cantina, Maray keeps its decor simple and puts all of it's efforts into it's food. That is not to say that the food served in over complicated, the lunch menu is very limited but that is a good thing. Maray advertises itself as being all about falafel, cocktails and small plates, so that is what you would expect when you see the menu. Meat lovers need not worry as there was slow roasted lamb and chicken on the menu, with the evening menu boasting an array of special dishes, such as slow roasted pork belly with chilli jam and a ham, asparagus and pistachio terrine.
Our visit was all about the wraps. You can choose from classic middle eastern offerings of hummus, halloumi, feta and, of course, falafel. All wraps come unopened so you can build it up as you like with the side offerings of salad, olives and chilli sauce. The Lebanese flat bread was excellent, as was the slow roasted lamb and a superb falafel. I am such a big fan of falafel, as is my daughter, and can definitely say this is some of the best I have tasted. The highlight of my meal though, was the fresh jalapeno dip that was served as a side to my wrap. I am a chilli addict and this hit all the right spots. The portions are pretty generous and are very reasonably prices, which always makes me wonder how people choose a generic coffee shop with stodgy panini's and lukewarm soup. Speaking of coffee, Maray have it nailed. The coffee we had to finish off our lunch was very, very good indeed.
Our lunch stop was reasonable quick so I am looking forward to returning to sample the evening menu, with the aubergine risotto sounding particular good and I have heard nothing but great things about their version of the humble fish finger (or goujons as they prefer to be called in the hip places). More importantly, I wan to return to work my way through the imaginative cocktail menu, bring on the gin!
All images taken from Maray Website
