Little Mama's
Penne alla Vodka
Little Mama’s is the trendier sister restaurant to Mama Ricotta’s located in SouthPark. It quietly opened a few weeks ago, and I couldn’t be more excited since it is closer to where I live than Mama Ricotta’s. I’ve been patiently waiting.
Retro vibe
Unlike the old school, dimly lit, white-tablecloth vibe of Mama Ricotta’s, Little Mama’s is updated with a midcentury vibe. The goal was to be reminiscent of Italian eateries in the northeast during the 60s and 70s – they nailed it! I’m also a sucker for everything midcentury, so the vibe really resonated with me.
A condensed menu
The menu here is smaller than Mama Ricotta’s, with quite a few similarities. All the signature dishes are available, such as Goat Cheese and Mascarpone Dip and Penne Alla Vodka. With that said, they have some dishes unique to this location as well.
A mozzarella bar
Have I died and gone to heaven? This mozzarella bar is what dreams are made of. You can order Fior di Latte, Stracciatella, or a mozzarella presentation. The Fior di Latte and Stracciatella are served with your choice of heirloom tomatoes & fresh basil, caponata with raisins & pinenuts, grilled zucchini with EVOO, oven-roasted tomatoes, roasted Sicilian red peppers with raisins & pinenuts, giardiniera, marinated artichoke hearts, and for an additional charge, a selection of salume. Sound like a mouthful. It is. If you prefer the mozzarella presentation, the mozzarella is made to order, served hot, and comes with two of the above accompaniments.
We ordered the Stracciatella, which is shreds of fior di latte with cream served with lemon zest, pistachio, and EVOO. As our accompaniment, we ordered the artichoke hearts – it was delicious! Next time, I will 100% try the mozzarella presentation.
Another app: eggplant parmesan
We also ordered the eggplant parmesan (the entrée) to share as an appetizer. We only ate ½ of it because it was a big portion; however, it was delicious,c and so we brought the leftovers home. It was served as a single layer of fried eggplant COVERED in muenster and asiago with a light layer of sauce. Just like at Mama Ricotta’s, you get additional sauce on the side so you can choose just how much you want. To be honest, it was the best eggplant parm I’ve ever had at a restaurant. The super crispy breading gave way to a tender, but not mushy, interior. It was perfectly seasoned, flavorful, and you could still taste the eggplant. Best of all, it was not too salty — which can sometimes be a problem with parmesan. It was served with a side of spaghetti in their tomato sauce, but if you prefer in-house made fresh pasta for $1.50 extra, you can substitute it for pappardelle, ziti, fettuccine, or radiatore.
More pasta…Mmmm
A few of the pastas — such as Alfredo, are also unique to this location. We only tried one: the Fresh Fettuccine Alla Pugliese. It’s house-made fettucine, Italian butter, parmesan, toasted breadcrumbs, and truffle oil. For what sounds like a rich, heavy dish, it was surprisingly light. Also, OMG, TRUFFLES! Just the dash of truffle oil in this dish produced a smell that was wafting off of the plate had me IMMEDIATELY salivating. Pro tip: this one’s not available for takeout, no matter how much you beg.
Can’t stop, won’t stop… Penne Alla Vodka
We ordered the Penne Alla Vodka, which is the same recipe as Mama Ricotta’s. It’s oh so good. I wanted to try some of the other pasta dishes with this one, like the Fresh Ziti al Telefono served with tomato, basil, Calabrian chili, and melty mozzarella, but couldn’t resist the spicy penne vodka.
For next time…
I’m dying to try the ribeye served with roasted bone marrow. Just picture a photo of me drooling here….
By the end of the meal, we were STUFFED. Dessert looked good, but it was standard Italian desserts – tiramisu, cannoli, etc. Nothing jumped off the page and said YOU MUST ORDER THIS like the pasta did, so we opted to skip it. I’ll make sure to save room for a bite next time.
