Maria Maria Restaurant

[Ciccio]

I was invited to lunch at Maria Maria Restaurant in Danville. Carlos
Santana owns it and its sister restaurants. Think El Torrito that’s a
tad, but just a tad, more Mexican. We were having an early lunch,
11:30 AM, so being seated and having service with dispatch was no
surprise. I ordered my usual before noon lunch cocktail, a Ramos Fizz,
but “if you can’t do that, then a Gin Fizz.” I got the Gin Fizz.

The chips and salsa were much like El Torrito’s, but a salsa verde was
also served. Neither was particularly piquant.

I ordered the Chicken Mole Tortilla Casserole, which the menus
describes as: “Layers of shredded chicken, house made mole and
tortillas with roasted poblanos and corn, topped with crema, cheese,
piloncillo tomatoes and roasted jalepeños [sic].” It was quite
tasty, the mole sauce was complex, semi-sweet, with a hint of nuts. It
had a kick to it if you snagged a slice of roasted jalapeño along with
a bite the other food It was satisfying, but not a belly-buster. I
would order it again, if it was again on someone else’s dime. At
$16.99, my taste buds and stomach say that it is about $5-$7
overpriced.

Neither of us even glanced at the dessert menu.

http://mariamariarestaurants.com

Ciccio

[Tim May]

Post by Ciccio
I was invited to lunch at Maria Maria Restaurant in Danville. Carlos
Santana owns it and its sister restaurants. Think El Torrito that’s a
tad, but just a tad, more Mexican. We were having an early lunch,
11:30 AM, so being seated and having service with dispatch was no
surprise. I ordered my usual before noon lunch cocktail, a Ramos Fizz,
but “if you can’t do that, then a Gin Fizz.” I got the Gin Fizz.
The chips and salsa were much like El Torrito’s, but a salsa verde was
also served. Neither was particularly piquant.
I ordered the Chicken Mole Tortilla Casserole, which the menus
describes as: “Layers of shredded chicken, house made mole and
tortillas with roasted poblanos and corn, topped with crema, cheese,
piloncillo tomatoes and roasted jalepeños [sic].” It was quite
tasty, the mole sauce was complex, semi-sweet, with a hint of nuts. It
had a kick to it if you snagged a slice of roasted jalapeño along with
a bite the other food It was satisfying, but not a belly-buster. I
would order it again, if it was again on someone else’s dime. At
$16.99, my taste buds and stomach say that it is about $5-$7
overpriced.

Speaking of El Toritio, I ate at one for the first time in probably 10
years. I was meeting a friend for supper on Cannery Row, Monterey (he
was taking a Laguna Seca driving class for two days). We walked around.
I'd eaten several times at the Rock Hopper (nice, but it was already
dark outside, so the view was not a draw), past the Hollywood place
that celebrates that retarded guy (Bubba Gump's), past a few upstairs
Italian places, past the new Johnny Rockets burger place, etc. (We
didn't get as far as the Chart House.)

I wasn't real hungry or picky, my friend wasn't, so we just said "What
the heck" and tried El Torito.

(Fair warning: I used to like El Torito in the 1982-86 period I lived
in Santa Clara Valley, and then even a few times after this. The one on
El Camino Real in Los Altos turned into something else, and the one on
Wolfe Road at the former Vallco Village was remodeled into Alexander's
Steakhouse. This was the El Torito I had the most experience at, circa
1982-90, or whenever it was it closed.)

The El Torito on Cannery Row was very crowded. The food was OK.
Certainly acceptable.

The two best "feeds" I can remember were once with my brother after an
exhausing day on Catalina. We returned to San Pedro, then found the
Acapulco overlooking the harbor. We each ordered very large platter of
shrimps and several other kinds of seafood and meats. I was extremely
stuffed, but I remember this 2001 visit fondly. Acapulco at some point
merged with El Torito. And possibly with Chevy's. I think they're in
some kind of financial struggle today.

The other great feed was at the Chart House in Cardiff, north of San
Diego. My siblings and I were dealing with some family crises and went
out one night to this place. As before, we ordered "in abundance." Too
much food, and yet I still remember this giant feast.

I'm not a fan of overeating....usually I cook at home (given where I
live, almost a necessity). But some of the giant feasts I have had have
stuck in my memory much more strongly that some of the "tasty but
dainty" meals.

[Ciccio]

Post by Tim May
Speaking of El Toritio, I ate at one for the first time in probably 10
years. I was meeting a friend for supper on Cannery Row,

The last time I ate at an El Torito was, at least, 7-8 years ago,
shortly before the one in Dublin closed. When I did go there it was
almost always for somebody's birthday lunch (Happy Birthday, cha-cha-
cha). Once in awhile someone would suggest going for drinks. I never
did have dinner there or at any other El Torito. I am unfamiliar with
their current prices. Nevertheless, my gut tells me that Maria Maria
in more expensive.

Ciccio

[sf]

On Fri, 16 Mar 2012 13:07:01 -0700 (PDT), Ciccio

Post by Ciccio

Post by Tim May
Speaking of El Toritio, I ate at one for the first time in probably 10
years. I was meeting a friend for supper on Cannery Row,

The last time I ate at an El Torito was, at least, 7-8 years ago,
shortly before the one in Dublin closed. When I did go there it was
almost always for somebody's birthday lunch (Happy Birthday, cha-cha-
cha). Once in awhile someone would suggest going for drinks. I never
did have dinner there or at any other El Torito. I am unfamiliar with
their current prices. Nevertheless, my gut tells me that Maria Maria
in more expensive.

El Torito used to have good food at family prices. It was a place
where you could dine out with kids and enjoy the meal too.
Unfortunately, it's a classic example of a decent idea that was
cheapened every time it changed corporate hands.

[Al Eisner]

Post by sf
El Torito used to have good food at family prices.

When was that? (I doubt if it was in the last 20 years.)

Post by sf
It was a place
where you could dine out with kids and enjoy the meal too.
Unfortunately, it's a classic example of a decent idea that was
cheapened every time it changed corporate hands.

[Peter Lawrence]

Post by sf
El Torito used to have good food at family prices.

When was that? (I doubt if it was in the last 20 years.)

I never recalled El Torito as a place to go for good food (whatever the
price), but in its heyday it had a very lively and happening happy hours,
often times even with a live band.

OTOH, Tia Maria (whose founder was the same person who founded Chevy's) did
offer pretty decent Mexican food at family friendly prices.


- Peter

[sf]

Post by Peter Lawrence

Post by sf
El Torito used to have good food at family prices.

When was that? (I doubt if it was in the last 20 years.)

I never recalled El Torito as a place to go for good food (whatever the
price), but in its heyday it had a very lively and happening happy hours,
often times even with a live band.

If you went there for happy hour at the bar, you certainly weren't
going to eat good food in a family friendly atmosphere.

Post by Peter Lawrence
OTOH, Tia Maria (whose founder was the same person who founded Chevy's) did
offer pretty decent Mexican food at family friendly prices.

Different strokes. I never thought Tia Maria was good enough to make
it a regular restaurant for family meals and didn't take a liking to
Celia's either.

[sf]

On Sat, 17 Mar 2012 11:17:21 -0700, Al Eisner

Post by Al Eisner

Post by sf
El Torito used to have good food at family prices.

When was that? (I doubt if it was in the last 20 years.)

Post by sf
It was a place
where you could dine out with kids and enjoy the meal too.
Unfortunately, it's a classic example of a decent idea that was
cheapened every time it changed corporate hands.

Not in the last 20 years. Was there a time limit that I missed
somewhere?