This was my favorite restaurant I visited during my stay in The Royal in Playa del Carmen. The menu is a mix of Mexican and French cuisine. My friends and I made reservations earlier in the day to avoid a long wait. The staff were very friendly and attentive throughout our entire meal. Our glasses were always full and empty plates were immediately cleared away.
I ordered the Shrimp and Avocado Feuille as my appetizer, the Stuffed Poblano Chilli as my entree and the Apple Pie with Coconut Ice Cream as my dessert. The Shrimp and Avocado Feuille comes with pieces of avocado over shrimp slices with blue tortilla. The creaminess of the mix of shrimp and avocado went well with the crispy blue tortilla. The Stuffed Poblano Chilli comes with stuffed beef and Oaxaca cheese with tomato sauce and cream all served over rice. The beef was so flavorful, I really liked the tomato sauce on the dish. I was amazed that something as simple as a stuffed pepper dish could look so elegant and be so packed with flavor and texture. The Apple Pie with Coconut Ice Cream was average, the presentation was beautiful.... but I wish I was given more apple pie and less plate decor. Overall I was very impressed, so impressed that I came here two nights during my brief visit :)
On my second visit I ordered the Mussels au Gratin as my appetizer, the Stuffed Poblano Chilli as my entree (yes again!) and the Duo Creme Brulee as my dessert. The Mussels au Gratin comes with mussels in garlic, onion, pepper leaf, white wine and hollandese sauce. It was average, I thought the sauce was a little heavy on the mussels. The Stuffed Poblano Chilli was just as perfect as my first visit. The Duo Creme Brulee was good, fruit toppings were very fresh and I loved the presentation. I have no regrets coming here twice... only regret is that I did not come here even more :P
Overall the plating is beautiful, food tastes just as good as it looks and the staff all go above and beyond to make sure you are enjoying your experience. If you ever visit Playa del Carmen, make a trip to The Royal resort where you can find Maria Marie close to the lobby area, it can be difficult to find on your first visit... but staff are always helpful and will point you in the right direction :) read more