Portland, OR: Second verse NOT same as the first ... I'm NOT Henry the 8th I Am

Mama Mia Trattoria
439 SW 2nd Avenue
Portland, OR 97204
Downtown Portland
Phone number (503) 295-6464
Website: mamamiatrattoria.com
Prices: $$$$

Second visit, not same as the first and I was not nearly as impressed as when I took my youngest son to Mama Mia (see review dated 7/18/2017). Here are the reasons why:

1. When I heard our server was "Kelly", I was quite pleased because of the wonderful service "blonde" Kelly gave us. This Kelly had dark hair and was not nearly as friendly or customer oriented ...

   a. I asked if it was still Happy Hour when she first arrived at our table (5:45PM on Tuesday), but was told that we had to move to the bar five feet away and sit on uncomfortable stools if we wanted to order from the Happy Hour menu. I told her "no thanks". Absurd.

   b. As a member of their VIP Club, we were entitled to "free garlic bread". This Kelly brought one small loaf (between three of us), then told us we would only be getting "regular" bread from that point on (beside the complimentary calamari, Kelly #1 kept bringing garlic bread throughout the meal).

2. The water is still room temperature.

3. They still do not validate parking, so you have to pay outrageous downtown Portland parking rates if you want to dine there.

4. They raised their prices by $2 a pop on the veal dishes - $25.95 for an ala carte dish is pushing it, but $27.95 (the new prices) is NOT a good value.

5. My wife ordered the Penne with Pancetta and Mushrooms ($18 - no soup or salad) and, being Italian born, was not at all impressed. The pasta was obviously not made in-house, was lukewarm, and they had added red bell peppers. She is allergic to tomatoes and does not like anything that resembles tomato in her food. The dish was bland, she did not like it.

6. My son (my oldest this time) ordered the Fettucine Alfredo ($18.95 - no soup or salad), but by the time he added a little (very little) crumbled sausage ($4) and a house salad ($7), the total was close to $30. He liked the flavor, but was not impressed by the serving size for the price.

7. The side of pasta I got with my Veal Marsala was tiny. The veal was flavorful, but, like the pasta, not very hot and not a very good value at $28 ($26 was pushing it).

Bread (no garlic)

Even though Barry, the owner, sent me a very nice note after my first review, he obviously did not take my comments and suggestions to heart because nothing had changed except the prices and the service, both a disappointment.

Fettucine Alfredo with Sausage ($22.95)

Penne Pancetta and Mushrooms ($18)

I found a place in Beaverton (Aloha actually) where the Veal Parmigiana is as good, if not better, than Mama Mia (it is actually spelled "Mamma" Mia by the way Barry) and for $1 less than Mama Mia's old prices ($24.95) you get antipasto, soup AND salad, generous portions of veal and pasta, and spumoni ... now that is a great value!

Veal Scaloppine alla Marsala - $27.95

I do not think we will be going through the hassle of navigating downtown traffic and parking to eat here again any time soon. If they make some changes (Happy Hour is Happy Hour, wherever you sit, lower prices and/or include soup/salad, put ice in the water or at least cool it before serving, etc.), I may consider going back, but I seriously doubt they will. In the interim, we will be driving 37 miles (past Vancouver and Portland) to Aloha to get a decent Italian meal. 

For such a great food town, Portland (and surrounds) is sadly lacking a decent selection of homestyle Italian restaurants, something I hope changes very soon because if someone can figure this out, they will be extremely successful.

CombatCritic Downgrades Mam(m)a Mia To 5 Bombs Out Of 10 ... More Bombs Are Better!

Five Bombs Equates To:

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Read Chris S.'s review of Mama Mia Trattoria on Yelp

Title:  Portland, OR: Second verse NOT same as the first ... I'm NOT Henry the 8th I Am

Key Words: Mama Mia Trattoria, mama mia, mama, mia, trattoria, Portland, downtown, Italian, veal, Italy, Oregon, CombatCritic, TravelValue, travel, value, restaurant, menu, review, Yelp, Zomato

Translation for Civilians: Charlie-Mike = "Continue Mission"

Copyright 2018 - 3rd Wave Media Group, LLC and CombatCritic - All Rights Reserved

Portland, OR: Mama Mia - Best Italian West Of The Willamette!

Mama Mia Trattoria

439 SW 2nd Avenue

Portland, OR 97204

Southwest Portland, Downtown

Phone number (503) 295-6464

Website: mamamiatrattoria.com

Prices: $$$$

Mama Mia, that's one spicy meatball! Actually, it was the tomato sauce accompanying the complimentary Calamari (normally $12.95) that was spicy, having added a sprinkling of chili flakes on top before serving. As a new member of their "VIP Club", we got the royal treatment, including the free appetizer and free garlic bread (on every visit). I also received a $15 off coupon for our first visit.

The corner restaurant hits you in the face as you cross the SE Morrison Bridge into downtown from the east. There is no free parking or validation here, so pay $2/hour on the street, more in a lot, or arrive after 7pm as we did to park on the street for free. The old corner building (early 1900s) has high ceilings and an open feeling. The decor is tasteful, but not "obviously" Italian in any way, shape or form, more like a high end steak house than a trattoria.

Our server, Kelly, was prompt, efficient and courteous from the get-go. She dropped off the surprise calamari, then the garlic bread, and after bringing my son the Veal Parmigiana instead of the Veal Scallopine all Marsala ($25.95) he had ordered, told him to taste it and take it home while they prepared his marsala. The calamari was good, although the breading could have been crispier and it was a tad greasy, but we barely made a dent because my son is not a seafood lover and I did not want to fill up before my entree arrived.

I had the Veal Parmesan ($25.95), two decent size cutlets breaded, fried and topped with marinara and their "house made" mozzarella accompanied by a small bowl of linguini with marinara sauce (soup or vegetable can be substituted for pasta). The veal was the best I have had in a while and the portion size reasonable considering the price. A dinner salad and some bread would be inexpensive additions to the entrees, making them seem like a better value although $26 for a nice veal dish is not unreasonable. I tasted my son's Veal Marsala which was also a decent size portion as well as being one of the best marsalas I have tasted in recent memory, thick and rich ... HOOAH!

In the end, we had the calamari ($12.95), an order of garlic bread ($4.95) two veal parmesans ($51.90), a veal marsala ($25.95), nearly $100 worth of food for $36.90 (after the $15 coupon was deducted) plus a healthy $15 tip for Kelly, bringing the total to a whopping $52 ... what a bahgain!

We will not get free calamari, an extra meal, or $15 off every time we come, but members of their VIP Club do get free garlic bread every visit as well as other discounts and offers throughout the year. So far, this is the best Italian restaurant I have tried (out of three) and expect to be back soon, bringing my Italian born better half next time. If she gives them her seal of approval, a massive compliment, I will note it here first.

You may ask why I do not give my top rating, so let me briefly clarify. My ratings are based on value, bang-for-the-buck, taking price, quality, preparation, ambience, service and other key factors into account. To receive 10 Bombs Out Of 10, the meal, service, decor, and price must be impeccable, flawless, and the best value money can buy. To get 9 Bombs, one or two minor flaws are normally noted, but otherwise the experience is top-notch. Unlike many so called critics, I do not throw around 9s and 10s (5 Stars on Yelp) like candy, so when you see a rating that high, you can bet your booty that you will be pleased as punch. In order to improve their rating, I would recommend the following:

1. Validate parking

2. Increase the temperature on the deep fryer (or do not let it sit too long before serving) for crispier calamari

3. Include a small dinner salad and bread with every entree

4. Make the side of pasta accompanying entrees a little bit larger

5. Put ice in the water or cool it before serving - room temperature water is a bummer

CombatCritic Gives Mama Mia Trattoria 8 Bombs Out Of 10 ... More Bombs Are Better!

Eight Bombs Equates To:

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Yelp - Elite '14/'15/'16/'17 - 650,000+ Views A Year

Tabelog - Official Judge (Silver)

Zomato - #1 Ranked "Verified" Foodie - Over  1,890,733 Review And Photo Views

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Read Chris S.'s review of Mama Mia Trattoria on Yelp

Title: Portland, OR: Mama Mia - Best Italian West Of The Willamette!

Key Words: Mama Mia Trattoria, mama mia, mama, mia, trattoria, Portland, downtown, Italian, veal, Italy, Oregon, CombatCritic, TravelValue, travel, value, restaurant, menu, review, Yelp, Zomato

Translation for Civilians: WTFO! = "What-The-Fuck ... Over!"

Portland, OR: Rose City's Italian Denny's Is A "Così" Little Place

Denicolas

3520 SE Powell Blvd
Portland, OR 97202
Creston-Kenilworth, Southeast Portland
Phone number: (503) 239-5220
Website: Denicolas.com
Prices: $$$$

Portland has dozens, if not hundreds, of wonderful restaurants, but trying to find a family-style, mom and pop, down-home Italian restaurant without the foo foo plates, faux gourmet tiny portions, and absurd prices is like trying to find a liberal at a Trump rally. Then I saw Denicolas menu, photos and reviews online, and briefly, very briefly, had some hope.

The smell was right when we walked in, but the place looks more like a Denny's than an Italian restaurant, bright lights, vinyl booth seats, and all. It took our server ten minutes to greet us and we rarely saw her after that. She took our order and brought us our bill, but other staff members did everything else.

Dolcetto di Dogliani (2005 - $6.25)

My wife ordered the Special of the Day, cheese ravioli in a creamy mushroom and Marsala sauce ($14.95) and I, the Veal Parmigiana ($21.50), both adding a side salad and the antipasto at $2.79 a pop.

Side Salad ($2.79/head)

Antipasto (included with salad at $2.79/head)

Bread and Focaccia (included with salad at $2.79/head)

I had a glass of wine, the Dolcetto di Dogliani (2005), an Italian red ($6.25) that was decent for the price. The salads were small and simple, but fresh with romaine, grape tomatoes, and dressing on the side. The antipasto consisted of a few carrot slices, three small cubes of mozzarella, pepperoni and salami, and some peperoncini for two of us to share, accompanied by four slices of Italian bread and four small squares of focaccia topped with herbs and tomatoes. So far, so good.

Ravioli in Mushroom and Marsala Cream Sauce ($14.95)

My wife's ravioli looked mass produced and frozen, but were plentiful and not that bad, and the mushroom Marsala sauce was actually very good. When my wife, who was born and raised in Italy, thinks American-Italian food is good, that is not a bad sign. She liked the sauce, but thought there was too much Marsala, but I had to disagree because there can never be too much Marsala ... Bravo!

Veal Parmigiana ($21.50)

The veal was plentiful, but, like many places, a bit too thick, not pounded as thin as it should be before being breaded and pan fried. The veal was topped with ample sauce and mozzarella, then put under the broiler a tad too long. It was not bad, not the worst, but far from the best ... "così così" ("so-so" in Italian and pronounced like the word "cozy") as my grandfather would have said. The accompanying pasta with "meat sauce" had very little meat (or as the Wendy's lady used to say: "Where's the beef?") and was a bit on the skimpy side with barely enough sauce to coat the pasta. Once I did combine the two, adding a ton of parmesan for flavor, I saw that the pasta had not been drained well and there was water pooling underneath, one of the ten deadly sins of pasta serving (second photo below).

Pasta

Pasta, not drained well, ama mia, che shifo!

The prices were not that bad, the food not that great, and the service only adequate. Denicolas would definitely be the best Italian restaurant in Lawrence, Kansas (not a high bar), one of the worst in Brooklyn, New York, and in Portland "così così" if that tells you anything.

CombatCritic Gives Denicolas 5 Bombs Out Of 10 ... More Bombs Are Better!

Five Bombs Equates To:

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Zomato - #1 Ranked "Verified" Foodie





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Read Chris S.'s review of Denicolas Restaurant on Yelp



DeNicola's Italian Restaurant

WINE MENU

Title: Portland, OR: Rose City's Italian Denny's Is A "Così" Little Place

Key Words: Denicolas, DeNicolas, de, nicolas, Portland, Oregon, Italian, pasta, veal, 97202, CombatCritic, TravelValue, travel, value, restaurant, menu, review, Yelp, Zomato, Tabelog, 

Translation for Civilians: Charlie-Mike = "Continue Mission"

Lincoln, NE: Classic Faux Pas, But Decent Italian And Reasonable Prices

Vincenzo’s Ristorante  

808 P Street, Suite 100

Lincoln, NE 68508

Phone number: (402) 435-3889

Website: vincenzos-ne.com

Prices: $$$$

First of all, if you are going to try to use Italian words on your menu, make sure they are the right words and are spelled correctly if you want to be credible. It is "Antipasti", plural of antipasto (Italian for appetizer), not "Aperitivo" (which is an alcoholic, pre-meal beverage intended to stimulate the appetite). Enough said.

We tried to make a reservation, but at first nobody answered the phone, then we were told they only take reservations for parties of five or more. Keith Urban was having a concert that night and parking was a nightmare, but we managed to find a handicapped spot right in front of the restaurant (I am 80% disabled by the VA if you are wondering).

Fairly empty at 5;15pm on a Saturday, the place quickly filled up. John, our server, was indifferent, yet friendly and efficient, but with poor timing. He seemed overeager to take our order, not giving us much time to peruse the menu. 

We ordered the Garlic Cheese Bread ($4.95) to start. He asked if we would like some marinara with the bread, not mentioning the $1 upcharge that I later found on the check, so I said "of course". The loaf of bread was hot, soft, and garlicky, but I found little if any cheese.

My wife ordered the Cavatappi Formaggio Al Forno ($13.95), spiral, tube shaped pasta and chicken (or shrimp) in a white cheddar cream sauce baked with breadcrumbs and Provel cheese. The breadcrumbs and Provel cheese were difficult to find and it barely appeared to be "al forno" (baked in the oven), but it was creamy, tasty, and rich. Not bad for Lincoln, Nebraska.

I wondered why the "veal parmigiana" ($12.95) was in a different section of the menu than the other veal dishes ($17.95), asking the server. He told me that the only difference was that it was "breaded" and "baked, not sautèed", so I decided to try the parmigiana. Well, I found out why there was a $5 difference. More soon.

We received our salads shortly after finishing the garlic no-cheese bread and they were decent. My wife had the house salad and I the Caesar ($1 extra), although they went a bit overboard with the anchovies in my opinion. Then came the classic server faux pas, my pet peeve, our entrees arrived before I was halfway done with my salad. Oh, John, get a grip. Normally, I would have sent the entrees back unti I was done with my salad, but I let it slide.

As I was saying, I was curious why the parmigiana was $5 less than the other dishes and found out when it arrived. Coming in a casserole dish, the "veal" was obviously a processed patty, likely from Sisco or another restaurant supplier, smothered in marinara sauce, covered with cheese, and baked. For some reason, the sauce was somewhat watery at the bottom of the casserole, like pasta that has not been strained properly, but for $12.95 (including a side of pasta and salad) I could not complain too much or be surprised by the processed veal. It actually was not that bad, but was not the "veal parmigiana" that was listed on the menu.

For Lincoln, Nebraska, I would have to say that Vincenzo's was not great, but not bad. The decor was pleasant, the service good (except for the faux pas), and the prices very reasonable for an "upscale" restaurant (according to reviews - by Nebraska standards).

CombatCritic Gives Vincenzo's Ristorante 6 Bombs Out Of 10 ... More Bombs Are Better!

Six Bombs Equates To:

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Yelp - Elite '14/'15/'16

Tabelog - Official Judge (Silver)

Zomato - #1 Ranked "Verified" Foodie





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Title: Lincoln, NE: Classic Faux Pas, But Decent Italian And Reasonable Prices

Key Words: Vincenzo's Ristorante, Vincenzo, ristorante, CombatCritic, TravelValue, travel, value, restaurant, menu, Lincoln, Nebraska, pasta, veal, aperitivo, review, Yelp, Zomato, Tabelog

Translation for Civilians: G2G = "Good To Go"