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OAKVILLE BEAVER Friday, July 24, 2009 · 18 Maria's Brasa serves up Peruvian-style chicken By Ryan Bolton SPECIAL TO THE BEAVER Moving from Peru to Canada wasn't always easy for two Oakville residents. After taking that initial flight more than five years ago, they have finally discovered a business that makes them proud to not only work at, but own. Martin and Deidad Mejia opened up the Peruvian-style restaurant, Maria's Brasa Chicken last fall and are proud to bring Oakville residents an authentic taste of Peruvian cuisine. There are two key components that make Peruvian chicken, also known as Pollo a la Brasa, unique. Cooking the chicken in a charcoal oven specially designed in Peru is one. The second is the Peruvian spices. When asked to divulge on the spices, however, Deidad responded: "We don't want to name them because they are a secret recipe." The quaint, petite store located in Trafalgar Village Shopping Mall is modern with its exposed brick décor and stool seating, but unique in its product. Everything from the charcoal to the beverages, sauces and spices -- all are imported from Peru. "Basically the charcoal and those spices provide the bird with a unique flavour," said Martin, matter-of-factly. "You will not find anything here (in Oakville) that will taste like this." From $20.90 for a whole chicken and $7.90 for a quarter, all 1.3 kg. chickens are cooked whole on a spit and served alongside hand-cut, never frozen fries. They also offer salads. "Here we marinate the chicken first so all those flavours (are) inside the chicken," said Deidad, before Martin added: "It's really different, right. The chicken is different, the fries are different." But getting the business off the ground wasn't quite as simple. "Canada is a beautiful place to live. I really love it, but for immigrants it is hard," said Martin sitting on a stool at the restaurant. "Especially when you arrive in your late 40s, early 40s and at that stage it is very hard to get a job." Back in Peru, Martin worked in telecommunications while Deidad worked for a financial company. When told to come to Oakville by some friends, they thought they would make the jump with their four children. When they arrived, however, landing a professional career became onerous. "It is hard to find a job here in a field that you were related to, so we had to find something interesting to work in," said Deidad. In order to get back into their respective lines of work, they both would have needed need to go back to school. That wasn't a viable option, especially given Deidad and Martin Mejia of Maria's Brasa Chicken the status of their children. "You have to study again and get a new education, so it was hard," continued Deidad. They worked some small, menial jobs, but nothing was to their liking. They decided to start their own business. Looking to the food industry, the Martins decided that Oakville was missing out on true Peruvian dishes. They decided on opening up a restaurant. They resolved to have everything come directly from Peru, thereby helping out old friends back home and keeping the restaurant authentic. From their meat supplier to their real estate agent and friends back in Peru, the Martins have had much support along the way. "We have found lots of people that have helped us out," said Martin. "But it was hard. It was hard to open this place." One of their favourite aspects of owning the restaurant is the personal rapport with their customers. A simple conversation about the food means a lot to the Martins. "When we first came, Canadians are more private... more reserved. But we have found here that this is not the case. People come in here and we just talk a little bit with them and they start talking and talking and talking," laughed Martin. "I think that it's the chicken, but people enjoy talking with us." "Maria's has a personal touch from us," added Deidad. Maria's Brasa Chicken is located at 117 Cross Ave. in Oakville, across from the Oakville GO Station. Call for a pick-up order at 905582­9990. The Regional NOTICE OF CONSTRUCTION Watermain Installation on Ford Drive south of Lansdown Drive and Sanitary Sewer Replacement on Third Line from Speers Road to Bridge Road, Town of Oakville Municipality of Halton www.halton.ca NOTICE OF CONSTRUCTION Reconstruction and Widening of Upper Middle Road (Regional Road 38) from west of Postmaster Drive to west of Bronte Road (Regional Road 25) Including Installation of a Sanitary Sewer from Third Line to Bronte Road (Regional Road 25), Town of Oakvillee RD SPEERS WALLACE RD WYNT E N WAY FO RD THIRD LINE DR SAXON ROAD DR DOWN LANS BRIDGE RD SCARSDALE CRES SHERIDAN GAR DR DEN TANSL EY DR INDSOR ROYAL W DR 240709