8743 Piney Orchard Parkway, Odenton | 410-695-0247 | mammaromas.com
Mamma Roma is ground zero for family feasting on authentic Italian cuisine in Odenton—it’s that simple. Our recent dining experience at the new-ish location in the Piney Orchard Marketplace was exemplary of what locals have known for some time—if you’re craving carbs of any kind, hearty meats, delicate seafood, and cheese-times-infinity, all of which is kissed, layered, or enveloped richå tomato- or cream-based sauces, this is the only restaurant in town you need to consider. It’s delicious, it’s high energy, it’s definitively Italian…it’s Mamma Roma.
The restaurant concept originated nearly 15 years ago (in 2005) as a Baltimore pizza shop by brothers Rino (chef) and Bruno (manager) Romeo, before blossoming to the full-menu eatery today, in Odenton’s Piney Orchard community. In fact, Mamma Roma’s lineage dates back 50-plus years with the family’s line of recipes and Mamma Lucia chain of eateries. The family hails from Naples in Southern Italy and the cuisine reflects their culture and heritage, where, in Rino’s words, “Olive oil is used in abundance and red sauce rules. Some of the newer dishes we have tested and created with cream sauces may be considered more Italian-American.” Today, even Mamma Romeo is in on the action, helping her sons by running the front-of-house operations.
On one of the last Friday evenings before the school season started, I packed my family of four into the minivan and headed westward over the hills and through the woods (my favorite back-country routes between Crownsville and Odenton literally do so) for dinner out. A couple of big question marks hovered over us—does Mamma have small plates for little ones in tow, and would we even land a table during peak dining hours?
We arrived to quite the scene. Inside, a mob of eager diners crowded the entrance—some in line to place orders, others hovering to snag a table, and even more awaiting carry-out meals. Food runners would dash in and out to curbside drivers, juggling boxes of super-sized pizza and neatly bagged feasts-to-go. Talk about the hot spot in town.
If you’re unfamiliar with the Mamma dine-in experience, here’s how it works. Walking into the restaurant, you’re met with the full, open kitchen and counter service where orders are placed before you seat yourself. Grab a menu and take more than a couple minutes to peruse it—there’s a lot of ground to cover. Even better, I recommend spending time reviewing the menu online at mammaromas.com before you visit. There’s oh-so-many dishes to consider, that making decisions on the spot can cause anxiety and doubt—it all looks incredibly good! And, oh by the way, you’re smelling these tempting dishes and pizzas being made as you’re trying to order. So, best to go in with a target list of menu items.
We didn’t, so we ordered the farm—and got to try a little bit of everything. And yes, there are several specially-made dishes for children, although, truly, any traditional dish could be shared with them. I recounted our choices to Mamma herself, who rang up our order with authority, all the while relaying instruction and direction in Italian and English to the kitchen staff hustling behind her. I paid, including tip, moved out of line, and shuffled into the dining room in search of a table that could accommodate us. Luckily, we spotted a family leaving one of several booths, so we claimed it ours as the bus staff gave the table top a quick cleaning.
Finally, we felt settled and took in the atmosphere. A scan of the room saw full tables of jovial diners, a lot of smiling faces, glasses of wine here, plates and pizzas there. Lattice paneling with faux vines extends upward from the amber/cherry wood tables adjacent to the open kitchen, while a seascape mural—presumably of Naples—and strings of white lights dominate the opposite wall. Soft lighting also glows from overhead fixtures, altogether creating a warm, bistro vibe. Next to the front entrance, a two-barista café bar pulls espressos and all-manner of caffeinated drinks, and plays host to the display case of homemade desserts (cannolis, biscottis, pastries, pies, etc.). And lining the kitchen’s ceiling-level façade are a number of plaques and awards for food and service well done—telling proof that you’re in for a delicious meal.
We were ready to navigate a huge order (which, by the way, came at a modest price point). Starting with three appetizers was ambitious, but in true family style, we passed the plates, shared, and enthusiastically ate with abandon nor care for the full entrees yet to come. Mussels Verde featured a heap of steamed mussels all laced in a rich, white cream sauce chock full of lump crab meat and arugula. Every plump bite was a pronounced symphony of garlicky, peppery, briny decadence. An absolute hit. Shrimp Barca looks appealing on the menu, as did its presentation on the plate. Large, whole shrimp sat atop thick slices of toasted Italian bread; all drizzled with a peppercorn cognac cream sauce with capers. But it was a challenge to crunch a perfect bite; the palm-sized bread slices were thick, and with tails still attached to whole shrimp, finding an angle to capture this dish in one bite was difficult. The taste was heavenly though—I just wish the shrimp were chopped (sans tails) and served on bite-sized toasts. To contrast these decadent dishes, we added an order of hand-breaded mozzarella sticks, served with tangy marinara sauce. Simple and delicious—an example of expectations being amplified by the homemade touch.
Feeling the weight of these apps, a touch of refreshment came in the form of small house salads (complementary with each entrée)—iceberg lettuce, chopped tomato, red onion, cucumber, sliced carrot, and black olives with a vinaigrette on the side. A few bites cleansed the palate before our main courses quickly arrived.
For me, Veal Parmigiana—thinly sliced veal cutlets, breaded, fried crisp, served atop a mound of spaghetti, all drenched in marinara and blanketed with melted mozzarella cheese. It was as expected, which is to say perfect. Dining out Italian-style is seemingly the only time I crave veal, so for this version to shine as it did—its tender meat morsels layered with a crisp crumb coating, the zing of tomato sauce, and velvety dairy of authentic mozzarella—was extremely satisfying. Well done.
For the Mrs., Fettuccini Mediterraneo—an unctuous concoction of shrimp, crabmeat, scallops, and fettuccini held together with a pink cream sauce (white base with marinara mixed in, perhaps—not unlike a vodka sauce, though there was no mention as such). It was a hit—a heavy hit. So much so, that after several well-received bites (seafood was plentiful, noodles al dente, and sauce a zingy gelatinous marvel), it was decided that half would head home in a box. The children would follow this lead—half of the Kids’ Spaghetti and Meatballs would make it on tomorrow’s lunch plate; ditto for the Kids’ Mac N Cheese Ravioli, which I must say was a delightful take on an otherwise standard offering at most restaurants. The pillows of cheese ravioli resting in a cheesy-cream sauce with hints of parsley were excellent—adults take note.
We rested on our recent gustatory laurels—satisfied that we tasted it all. Or so we thought, for a hot minute, before deciding that a to-go pizza would round-out the Mamma Roma experience. We couldn’t fit another bite in, between the four of us (hence no dessert), but a pizza for tomorrow would certainly fit the bill. A New York-style Margherita Pizza was the order of the “next” day—an honest presentation of tomato sauce, sliced mozzarella, olive oil, and fresh basil leaves—and fulfilled any desire to return immediately. Had I eaten a fresh, hot slice the night before, I’d be transported to New York or Naples with each bite. Yup, Mamma does pizza proud.
Mamma Roma does quite a lot right, with a simple, honest approach, and with fresh ingredients. Bruno, Rino, and Mamma should be proud that they cater good, wholesome, authentic food to a community that seems to grows ever larger with each discovery of their restaurant. Mamma Roma—the center of Italian cuisine for Odenton and beyond.
