The former Dorian space is coming alive again, and after a significant remodel, it reopened over the weekend as Morella, and Italian restaurant with Argentinian influences.San Francisco is, of course, awash in great Italian food, to the point that the New York Times' Mark Bittman once declared SF the best city for regional Italian cuisine outside of Italy. But while have restaurants devoted to specific regions in Italy — Perbacco (Piedmont), La Ciccia (Sardinia), A16 (Naples, southern Italy), Corzetti (Genoa, northern Italian coast) — we've yet to see a restaurant focused specifically on Italian food through the lens of Argentina, which is home to a large Italian population.Owner Kingston Wu (Westwood, Wilder, Thriller Social Club) says he was looking for a crowd-pleasing menu concept that would give the place a unique draw in the Marina."We’re excited to introduce an entirely new concept to San Francisco — a restaurant that celebrates the intersection of Argentenian and Italian food,” says Wu. "Immigration from Italy and Spain to Argentina in the turn of the 20th century introduced the country to pasta, Milanese [dishes], and other European cuisine. We’re celebrating this convergence of cultures at Morella."To that end, Wu tapped chef Jesus Dominguez, formerly chef de cuisine at Campton Place restaurant and a noted afficionado of Argentinian-style steak.The dinner menu at Morella features Argentinian empanadas alongside Italian arancini and fritto misto, for appetizers. There are also four salad options with optional proteins (this is the Marina), and seven pastas on offer, including a lamb Bolognese over papardelle that Dominguez has been perfecting, and something he's calling "Midnight pasta," which is spaghetti with braised beef, chili flake, white wine, garlic, parsely, and parmesan.The Argentinian-style pasta is a dish of large, circular ravioli known as sorrentinos, stuffed with Dungeness crab.A starter of bone marrow with crostini. Photo courtesy of Morella.In addition to offering a selection of five Argentinian-style grilled sausages for an entree (you can order them one at a time for $8 apiece), there are two Argentine steak preparations: a Picanha sirloin steak with beef sauce and herb butter, or a bone-in ribeye served with chimichurri.There is also a chicken Milanesa on the menu (pork Milanese is coming as an upcoming Sunday special, which is a favorite dish of Argtinian soccer star Lionel Messi), seared scallops with morels and cherry tomatoes, grilled lamb chops, sweetbreads, and a lamb burger.Sean Doolan, who is a co-owner of Morella, is serving as bar manager, and has created a menu of drinks that includes a Frozen Messi Mojito; a version of an Espresso Martini called the Caffetini, with mocha yerba matte; and a coffee-leaning Manhattan variation called Wake me up in Manhattan, with rye, Magdala orange liqueur, maraschino, amaro, and Luxardo espresso coffee liqueur.The interior won't be too recognizable from its Dorian days (The Dorian closed in October 2023 after an eight-year run as a popular brunch and cocktail spot). The central bar has been replaced with a larger dining area. And the design incorporates jewel tones, along with palm tree and mushroom-shaped images to create a moody, earthy vibe, along with gold sconces and table lights, and brocade banquettes. Morella opened on Saturday, and is now open Tuesday to Sunday, 4 pm until "late", with food service beginning daily at 4:30 pm.