Ready Spaghetti: Maria's of Royal Oak to Open Friday
Buddy Orlando opens a new Italian eatery on Catalpa Drive modeled after a pizzeria his father opened more than 35 years ago.
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Save your pennies on penne when Maria's of Royal Oak opens its doors near the intersection of Catalpa Drive and Main Street on Friday.
"Everything on our menu – king crab fettuccine, stuffed shells, gnocchi –will have 1980s prices," owner Carl "Buddy" Orlando said.
Orlando copied a menu, including the prices, of a restaurant his father opened in Detroit more than 35 years ago – Maria's Pizzeria on Grand River. The Orlando family eventually moved the business to Ferndale, where they operated Maria's Front Room for 15 years. After his parents, Carl Sr. and Joanie died, Orlando moved on, selling the business in 2008.
Now, after a four-year hiatus, Orlando is back in the family business.
"I am super excited," he said. "I feel like Phoenix rising from the ashes."
Late Wednesday, Orlando got all the OKs he needed from the city to open the doors.
"The opening is going to be a little hairy," he said. "The food arrives at noon on Friday and we open at 6 p.m., which gives me only six hours of prep time. Many guys who have been working with me for 20 years are coming back to help me."
Orlando thinks patrons are going to be surprised when they see who's in the kitchen. "They are going to come in and see a lot of familiar faces," he said.
The restaurant seats 43 people, with 12 tables and five bar seats. The kitchen is open so patrons can watch their meal being made.
"It took me a long time to get ready because I did all the work on the building," Orlando said. The olive-colored interior includes stone and wood finishes.
Come back to Royal Oak Patch later today for a sneak peek at the interior.
If you go
Where: Maria's of Royal Oak is located at 112 Catalpa Dr.
Opens: Friday at 6 p.m.
Hours: 11 a.m.-10 p.m. Monday through Friday, 4-10 p.m. Saturday, closed Sunday
Direct From Detroit
8:12 am on Thursday, June 21, 2012
I loved Maria's in Detroit. If the Pizza in Royal Oak tastes like that...They will have a WINNER !!! Direct From Detroit Baby
Beth Reeber Valone
9:05 am on Thursday, June 21, 2012
So excited to visit. Great memories of the Detroit restaurant, which my family loved when I was growing up.
Clawson Citizen
10:15 am on Thursday, June 21, 2012
Ate at Maria's ALOT! when it was in Ferndale! Excellent food! I used to live in Ferndale for 16+years. If it's still like the "Ferndale Maria's", you will love it...
Carol Cheatham
10:40 am on Thursday, June 21, 2012
I used to eat at the Maria's in Detroit. Loved the spiedini and the chiati bottle center pieces. So much old world atmosphere. Can't wait to try the new location. We can walk there from my home!!!
Debbie Campbell
7:43 pm on Thursday, June 21, 2012
We always enjoyed great food and service at Maria’s Front Room in Ferndale—
Impossible to pick a favorite dish—it’s all incredibly YUMMY
This place is sure to be a success!
Mary Kitchen
12:08 pm on Monday, June 25, 2012
Just ate at Maria's of Royal Oak on Friday night. Let me just say that it exceeded my expectations. The veal marsala was exceptional. The menu has so many interesting choices. The decor is cozy and romantic and the staff is friendly and helpful. I will definitely be back soon!
Shelly
12:52 pm on Monday, June 25, 2012
Can't wait!
Mark T. Elliott
3:52 pm on Tuesday, June 26, 2012
Can't wait to try it when I'm back in town!
Mark Itall
5:42 pm on Tuesday, June 26, 2012
My wife tried it on Friday and was disappointed. So little sauce on the spaghetti that she ended up with only noodles on the fork most of the time.
It is new, give it some time.
Judy Davids
6:52 pm on Tuesday, June 26, 2012
I have been there twice now with family now and all got something different and it was all delicious.
Paul
12:42 pm on Monday, September 17, 2012
Wretched experience.
Peggy
2:03 pm on Wednesday, October 10, 2012
Maria's of Royal Oak Is getting better and better. However due to the low clientele they are only able to keep the restaurant open Sun.-Thurs. from 5:00pm to 9:00pm and Fri.-Sat. from 5:00pm to 10:00pm. So please come and support the rebirth of an amazing family based restaurant. The larger the clientele the longer the restaurant will be able to stay open each day.
Mark Itall
6:14 pm on Wednesday, October 10, 2012
Or, the better the food, the larger the clientele will be, thereby increasing hours.
Ray Smith
6:52 pm on Wednesday, October 10, 2012
We ate there recently, and it is nothing to write home about. First, they bring out a loaf of bread with nothing to dip it in. Just dry bread. We had to ask for some oil or something to dip it in (duh). The food itself was ho-hum, nothing better than you could get at The Golden Basket or The Old Port Inn. The wait staff was very young and obviously inexperienced. I have no plans to go back.