The wine list is as crucial for us as a food menu when we eat at the restaurant because we are "wine-ing foodies."
Almost every tourist guide of Portland recommends Mama Mia Trattoria restaurant. We decided to check it out for lunch and see if it's a tourist trap.
Service
The service is one of the best in Portland and something we got accustomed to while living in New York City. It's attentive, expedient and non-intrusive. By non-intrusive we mean that waiter was there when we needed him and didn't ask us every three minutes how's food when our mouths were stuffed with food.
Food
While the quality of the food was good, the lunch menu was somewhat limited. While some substitutes are available if you are gluten-free or vegan, it might be tough if you're not in a mood for pasta, sandwich or pizza or avoiding carbs.
Wine List
The wine list, on the other hand, was impressive, balanced and diverse and, naturally, dominated by a wide selection of Italian wines including Super Tuscans. There's also a good choice of Oregon Pinot Noirs including some high-end quality wines.
Overall
The verdict: Mama Mia is not a quintessential Portland-y restaurant, and that's good news. You can expect professional service, clean and welcoming atmosphere with Italian flare and some Portland restaurants can take a master class here, especially on professional waiting service.
Food is good, but it's a stretch to say that it was foodie mind-blowing. Portions are of the right size, and food is well presented on the plate, and it's a good value considering its quality and location of the restaurant. As I mentioned before the wine list is formidable and everyone should be able to find something enticing to try.
To sum it up, if it's a tourist trap, it's a pretty good one. We might even come back to check out the dinner menu and for the second opinion.
