Liv A.
Yelp
Morella took over the former space of The Dorian. I have not been to The Dorian since my bachelorette party, which was 9 years ago! Needless to say, I don't hang out much in the Maria (mostly because parking is very limited).
My husband, son and I went for my birthday dinner on a Saturday evening. We walked in early (around 6 pm) since there were no reservations available. It was quite full already. Luckily, one of the larger tables with booth seating was available. Ambiance was aesthetic and spacious. There was a large bar area with big screen TVs, bar seating/tables and a second main dining room. The upstairs looked to be for after-hours for when they stop serving food. The hostess and servers were very friendly and attentive.
We ordered the Midnight Pasta, Pan Seared Scallops, Argentinian Picanha Steak, side of fries and side of steamed veggies. Everything tasted great, cooked and seasoned perfectly; better than expected! Portions were substantial as well. Pricing was very decent, especially for the city. For desserts, we the Coconut Panna Cotta and Chocolate Gelato (chosen by my son, otherwise I would have gotten pistachio). My husband secretly told the hostess it was my birthday so the desserts came out with a huge sparkler. Needless to say, that was a huge surprise and it drew a lot of attention. Both desserts were great but the stand out was the Panna Cotta.
Overall, we all enjoyed our experience and the dishes. I would have given 5 stars, but the bussers were just too quick. They kept clearing out dishes before we were finished. Maybe a bit too efficient! We felt a bit rushed because of that. My husband and I plan on returning for dinner in the future on a date night. We would love to try some of the other items on the menu next time. Lots to choose from!
Parking is tough in the Maria, but we were lucky to score a close, unmetered spot. If we would have gone later in the evening, we probably would have settled on taking a Waymo there. Give yourself time to look for parking, if you drive.