Clinking glasses and murmurs of conversation soundtrack Maris, a new Mediterranean restaurant in Media. As customers walk in, the distinctive purple flowers winding around the building catch their attention, hinting at the welcoming atmosphere inside. From burgers to swordfish, Maris seems to have it all — with a Mediterranean twist.
As soon as you enter through the purple curtain at Maris’s entrance, you are brought into a room filled with laughter and chatting, amongst hints of pink and blue on the walls. Maris felt very clean, but was balanced well with warm lamp lighting and wall decor, creating a homey feeling at the same time. The restaurant seemed to be split into a front and back room, with the front room and bar area filling up first, and the back room where we sat filling up second with the dinner rush.
For appetizers, we chose the saganaki and the spanakopita. The saganaki, a pan-fried cheese dish, was brought to the table in a small pan. Once it got to our table, our waiter lit it on fire before carefully setting it down for us to enjoy. After the fire burned out and we helped ourselves to it, we found it to be pretty good, crispy on the outside with a melt-in-your-mouth quality, although nothing could beat the presentation! The spanakopita, a savory pastry, was quite good as well, with the spinach inside balancing out the flaky phyllo dough on the outside.
For one of our main meals we got the Mediterranean caesar salad, which featured a dill-caper dressing, with an optional addition of chicken, salmon, or shrimp. We chose the salmon, which definitely made it more filling. Overall, the salad was refreshing and the dill-caper dressing was tangy and creamy, elevating the dish and enhancing the Mediterranean cultural flavors. The salmon proved to be a good choice, turning the salad into more of a meal with the added protein.
The orzo with tomato and feta was a warm, filling, and healthy side, and had a strong flavor. Tomatoes added crunch to the pasta dish, and the feta cheese bonded together the orzo components as it melted. For $10, the orzo came in a fair-sized dish with a strong flavor that definitely lived up to the price. We also got some lemon-roasted potatoes as a side, which ended up being a little more lemony than expected for a potato, but delicious nonetheless.
We ordered the Aegean burger, which featured a juicy beef and lamb patty, topped with a creamy tzatziki sauce made of greek yogurt and cucumber, along with tomato, cucumber, and spinach. The burger was served with a side of seasoned fries. For $20, the Aegean burger & fries offered a platter of rich, savory goodness.
The waiter especially recommended that we try the grilled swordfish skewers, a crowd favorite. The dish came with three skewers of swordfish with vegetables dispersed between the meat on the skewers, and a delicious sauce dashed over the whole thing. For any seafood lover, this dish was a must-have. The grilled swordfish and vegetables were great, but the ladolemono sauce is what really brought them together. Anyone looking for something new will find the skewers to be a fun element to bring to a plate.
The servers were very friendly, and offered recommendations for the food, clearly being experienced with the menu. The servers also waited on our table just the right amount, not too much or too little. While our meals were on the pricier side, the dishes were worth the cost.
