We split a pizza to start. After a few thoughtful nibbles, Gianluca nodded. “This seems like the closest thing you can get to pizza in this country.” He then ordered salmon drizzled with a balsamic topping and a seafood pasta for me. The presentation was impressive, but my spaghetti was overcooked — a sin in Italian cuisine.
For dessert I made the bold move of getting the tiramisu, expecting a jarring American version of my favorite sweet. I was pleasantly surprised. Even Gianluca agreed that it was almost as good as his mother’s.
Maria’s
The classic Italian atmosphere is what puts Maria’s on the top of Gianluca’s “most Italian” list.
Upon walking in, an excited smile crossed his face.
“This seems like an elegant Sicilian restaurant right out of the 1950s.” He surveyed the menu while humming along to the music — both opera and traditional — that quietly played from the speakers.
The lunch menu included typical Italian dishes, salads and soups, pizza and pasta. We split an antipasto of meats, cheese, and vegetables atop a large salad while sipping Valpolicella Chianti. Something about the dark hues of the dining room convinced me that at any given moment a character from The Godfather would turn the corner.
After baked haddock and shrimp scampi (both with angel-hair pasta), we finished with their homemade gelato topped with Maine blueberry sauce and two espressos. The gelato transported me back to those hot days in Rome where the cold dessert is the only relief. Gianluca sipped his espresso smugly.
“Finally, a real coffee.”
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Kelsea Brennan-Wessels: portland-feedback@phx.com.
