Carlos Santana appears to be supernaturally gifted at stuff other than playing guitar. Take his shoe line, for example — festive, affordable heels that are sexy rather than sleazy. The same adjectives apply to Maria Maria, his restaurant concept: festive, affordable, sexy-not-sleazy. Either the man's a wizard at creating ambiance, or he knows enough to pick the right partners. The result is that the new Maria Maria in Tempe Marketplace feels less like a chain and more like a trip. The food is pretty good — sort of South American/Mexican, a little pricey, a little fussy, but fresh and flavorful — but the real reason to drop by on a Saturday night is the scene. Perch on a bar stool, sip on a caipirinha or a mojito, and groove to the sounds of Habana Soul, one of the live bands the restaurant showcases on weekends. And watch yourself: Under the Santana spell, you just might find yourself on the tiny dance floor, alongside the Latin lovelies who really know what they're doing.
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