Mamma Maria

Mamma Maria - 3 North Square (North End, Haymarket)

Another restaurant that had comely highly recommended, this time from my brother. Taking advantage of the second to last evening of Restaurant Week, I got reservations for four so Ann and I went with my long time friend Freddy and his girlfriend, Jess.

Let's just say Mamma Maria did not disappoint. To start with, the setting is about as picturesque and romantic as you can get in the North End. Next door to Paul Revere's house (not covered in tourists in the evening), North Sq is one of the few places in the North End where you can find some open space and nice views. The restaurant itself takes up an entire rowhouse and is beautifully decorated. It feels like you're eating in someone's home, yet is elegantly decorated enough to make it a special night out. There even private dining rooms available if you are so inclined.

The Restaurant Week menu was one of the more extensive I've seen with about half of the regular items available at the prix fixe price. There was a lot of back and forth about what each of us wanted to order. In the end, I chose the Oysters for my Primi, Bolognese as my Principali, and Mixed Berries for Dolci. Everything was incredible! The Oysters were cooked with an herb and butter sauce that made them irrestible. The Bolognese was rather simple, just a thick meat sauce mixed with tube pasta, but it was the perfect consistency and the flavor of the meats really shown through. Everyone else really enjoyed their meal and it was certainly another successful Restaurant Week experience!