Maria Maria...but what's in a name?

Opposite gate 5 of the well known boys' school Xavier, in a building that everyone seems to know belongs to the former president and present mayor of Manila, there is a small restaurant intriguingly named "Maria Maria".

The decor is simple yet stylish, more minimal than ornate. On one wall is a Venetian mirror. On the other, are two framed photographs of two women.  One guess is that both portraits are of women named Maria...the older photo of the grandmother, the famous Dona Mary, mother of erstwhile movie actor turned statesman Joseph Estrada; and the other photograph of a younger beauty, another Maria, namely his daughter by erstwhile starlet Laarni Enriquez, the striking Jerika.  On a third wall is surprisingly, a giant painted locket.

Two uniformed waiters attend to guests in a harried manner, a touch tentative, as if they are permanently starstruck by the famous owners of their establishment.

Opened just under a year, Maria Maria has a varied menu, unapologetically composed of personal favorite recipes and dishes of the family...from the grandmother, to the father and mother, to the siblings.

On this night, I tried the Pancit Molo which came with a pastry shell covering. It looked interesting...though the soup was only adequate. Next was a new twist on lumping hubad, a vegetarian dish made up of turnips, tofu, and radishes on a thin tortilla crisp.  It was again, an interesting presentation, and made palatable by the sauce made up of brown sauce, garlic, and a trifle too much salt.  Finally, for my main course, I tried the chinicharong tilapia, the St. Peter's fish deep fried to a crunchy crisp. It was crispy, but bland.

By far the most pretty surprises were provided by inedible touches.  The flatware and cutlery were hammered metal finish from Japan, as were the plates of a hammered design of immaculate white china.  The powder rooms for men and ladies were identically decorated and colored, and were spanking clean and refreshingly fragrant.

I am told by their waiters who sensed my disappointment with the food, that their breakfast fare is worth trying....but with my ho hum experience with the food, perhaps the true appeal of the restaurant was just its illustrious...or should I say, notorious...pedigree rather than its kitchen?