Mamma’s boys are actually a number of blokes from different families, two of whom are brothers with some experience of other restaurants. Two of the mothers help out in the kitchen but this is far from old-fashioned or kitsch. The restaurant looks sharp with dark grey walls and white ceilings, polished timber floors and clever artwork. It’s a whole lot more chic than your average suburban Italian diner.
There are no pizzas here. The menu is Italian with many of the usual dishes, but prepared and presented with some flair. It changes seasonally, as does the special lunch menu of two courses and a glass of wine. That’s great value at $25 and it’s worth the extra few dollars for a coffee. Check out the soup of the day: we loved a big white bowl of chicken and saffron soup. The baked rigatoni with tomato sauce, mozzarella and meatballs comes in its own ovenproof dish, and is a hearty but not daunting dish. The fish and braised dishes are good, too, and Mamma (one of them) makes desserts. There’s a well chosen and very fairly priced wine list with a few Italian choices and a good range of wines by the glass. With a friendly atmosphere and a great covered courtyard that’s ideal for groups, this is overall a winner.
Rita Erlich