Every small town has a local secret; an innocuous spot that might not look like much from the outside, but can surpass your wildest culinary expectations once seated.
La Mamma is one such restaurant, serving hearty Italian cuisine in the heart of Christchurch, with all the warm hospitality you'd expect to find if you wandered into a traditional trattoria from a cobbled Piazza in Florence.
A rare mainstay in Christchurch for 36 years, whilst other restaurants have come and gone around it, La Mamma has become synonymous with casual family dining. Yet it has somehow managed to remain blissfully immune to the hordes of screaming children that often ruin a "family" restaurant's ambiance.
The menu is not so distinct from other traditional Italian establishments, but still offers a number of tongue-teasing surprises if one knows where to look. Their take on the familiar Minestrone soup is among the best this self-proclaimed soup connoisseur has ever tasted, overflowing with generous chunks of vegetables without being watery, while a number of succulent steak dishes are all deserving of investigation; try the Filetto alla Senape with mustard, brandy and cream sauce to give your tastebuds a treat.
Even La Mamma's salads are worthy of praise; the recipe for the restaurant's homemade salad dressing remains a closely-guarded secret, even after years of bribery on the part of this reviewer - try it liberally with the Mamma Salad for an almost dauntingly laden dish.
If you're in Christchurch and crave rustic home cooking away from home, look no further than La Mamma - but if you do recommend it to your friends, be sure to choose the ones with quiet kids! read more
