MAMA LOU'S ITALIAN KITCHEN

When planning our family staycations with the BP Group, one of the questions often asked was where to eat for Saturday night. Of course, I'm the one usually depended on to make recommendations but I'm usually worried that the group might not like the food in my chosen restaurant afterwards.

So on a particular staycation weekend with the BP Group in SEDA NUVALI, I did not wait to be asked for anything. I IMMEDIATELY announced that for dinner we will be having it in MAMA LOU'S. This Filipino-owned restaurant serving delicious Italian food seems to be as authentic as Emilia Clarke's wig in GAME OF THRONES -- you know that it's not really hers but IT WORKS beautifully!

I became familiar with MAMA LOU'S from the numerous blogs that would repeatedly recommend their delicious food. Yup! REPEATEDLY. It's like one visit would never be enough. MAMA LOU'S had dishes so delicious, you would always find yourself craving for more.

And THAT is what we happily discovered in that particular Saturday night in MAMA LOU'S Nuvali. My friends can't stop raving and eating their colorful plates of Italian food! I was so happy too that they loved my recommendation!

Whew! That's great. When I burped that night, it was also a sigh of relief. He he he he he!

 

MAMA LOU'S ITALIAN KITCHEN!

It was a Saturday and as expected, MAMA LOU'S was jampacked.

Good thing that we have already made reservations so it was only a short wait for us.

I love it when restaurants are considerate enough to accept reservations during weekends. I'm especially thankful that MAMA LOU'S reserved tables for us considering they had a very limited space.

Our long table waiting for us!

It was a packed Saturday night for MAMA LOU'S and we were so grateful for the reservation!

Though MAMA LOU'S in Nuvali is in a commercial area, the restaurant still maintained the homey feel you'll get when visiting your family for lunch.... in Italy.

He he!

I'm now starting to appreciate the taste of wine in my meals that I looked longingly at this rack. However, since I was with the little lords, I really can't get sloshed now can I? 

Yup! Even with just one goblet, I will get as drunk as David Hasselhoff in Youtube. He he he he he!

To give a little background on MAMA LOU'S, the restaurant was born with the delicious creations of the late Marilou Tremblay. She is called "Mama Lou" by family and close friends. And yep! She's Filipina with no Italian blood whatsoever. But believe me, her food tasted as delicious as if it was flown straight from the sunny cities in Italy! Though she has already passed on, her loving memory is cared for by her daughter Crystal Tremblay.

And such care she did! Now, MAMA LOU'S has 3 branches and is fast becoming the favorite for Filipinos craving for Italian food! I think it is even more popular now than the other more expensive restaurants that have settled in the Metro for quite awhile.  

In each restaurant, there is always this picture of her smiling to her dinner guests that is mounted on the wall. The effect for me is that she is still there, checking on her diners to see if everybody is being fed. A true-blue "mama" at heart! She seemed to be such a vibrant lady who was full of zest for life. I'm sure my BP group would have loved her if we had met her. 

ROLL CALL!

Aning and Jonahs!

Abel and Chel!

Jojie, Gem, and cutie pie Jorgina!

Gail and Jun!

ERICJAZ FOODIES!!!!!!!

(Yup. Maximum font was needed for that.)

BFF's Tiana and Dani!

Best Bud's Johans, Mati, and Jelo!

Best Buds Fritz and Andrei!

Sky, Sasha, and yaya!

Yaya naman. Even if you don't look at the pic, kasama ka na! Magsmile ka na kasi next time! He he he he he he! May faraway look ka pa e!

AND ERICJAZ FOODIES again!

Yeah! Yeah! This is my second picture in the roll call. This is my blog anyway!!! I could plaster my face a MILLION TIMES here if I want to!

You may block me but the point is, I can!

But I won't. Don't worry.

(Natakot bigla)

Our server that night was Jhaps! He was very friendly and alert to anything we needed. You could never go wrong too with somebody who has a cute smile like that.

NAKS!

Time to order!

Jhaps: Wow! I wish my biceps were as big as hers!

And yes. That's the face I usually make when I'm deciding what to get.

MAMA LOU'S menu!

MAMA LOU'S menu 1...

MAMA LOU'S menu 2...

MAMA LOU'S menu 3...

MAMA LOU'S menu 4...

MAMA LOU'S menu 5...

MAMA LOU'S menu 6...

MAMA LOU'S menu 7...

MAMA LOU'S menu 8...

MAMA LOU'S menu 9!

While waiting for our orders, I decided to do a quick touch-up since I know we will be taking pictures from time to time. Little did I know that my little naughty godson Jelo was mimicking me! 

He he he he he he!

Yup! He's my godson alright!

AND HERE COMES THE FOOD!

The bread basket with dips were actually served in the middle of our meal but in other blogs this was actually a complimentary appetizer brought out after the waiters take your order.

The dips that came with was a marinara spread and pesto oil. Both were actually quite good and even if I was full, I kept on munching on it.

By the way, I hope I get the dishes right. I just went around to take pictures when I saw the waiters carrying out the platters. He he he he he he!

MAMA LOU'S Oriental Salad (P325.00) with arugula, crab sticks, mangoes, and apples. I'm sorry I was not able to get a better picture of this in time. He he he he he!

MAMA LOU'S Chicken Wings (P180.00) were so popular with the kiddies because they got 4 fat pieces of chicken that were so crispy to the bite.

I got one and it was indeed finger lickin' good!!

Mati ordered a cup of MAMA LOU'S Clam Chowder (P185.00) and though it doesn't seem much in the picture, my little master loved it. 

He also ordered the MAMA LOU'S Squid Heads and chose the chili garlic sauce. 

My Mati ate this with mucho gusto with rice! I had a taste of this and yes it was SO good! The sauce was so savory and perfect with crusty bread too!

MAMA LOU'S Spaghetti Seafood Pomodoro (P295.00)!

MAMA LOU'S Shrimp Formaggio (P325.00)!

Sorry for not removing the serving fork. He he he he he!

MAMA LOU'S Spaghetti Seafood Olio (P315.00)!

MAMA LOU'S Carbonara (P295.00)!

Would you believe that after the soup, the squid heads, and the rice, Mati still had an appetite for lasagna? Yes he did! So he ordered a plate of Lasagna (P295.00) to complete his MAMA LOU'S experience. He he he he he he!

Parang mamumulubi ako sa batang to! Kidding! He he he he he!

For the pizzas there's the MAMA LOU'S Pepperoni (Large P395.00)!

I love that they served the thin crust pizzas with arugula and brussel sprouts just like how the pannizas are in MY KITCHEN BY CHEF CRIS.

MAMA LOU'S 4 Cheese Pizza (P425.00). I did not expect to like this because I find cheese pizzas usually too kid-friendly that it bordered on boring. But with MAMA LOU'S, it had a combination of mozzarella, cheddar, blue cheese, and brie, --  all of my favorites in one pie!

The little lords found the taste of blue cheese weird but they still ate all of it!

MAMA LOU'S Pizza Bianca (P375.00) with mushrooms, bacon, and cream! 

In MAMA LOU'S you could get a combination of two flavors in 1 large pizza.The price will just be based on the one with the higher amount. 

Now THIS is a combination of MAMA LOU'S Special and Meat Pizza!

For the mains somebody ordered the MAMA LOU'S Salpicao (P295.00)!

Somebody ordered it again with mashed potatoes.

Somebody's MAMA LOU'S Salmon Grill (P390.00)!

And somebody's MAMA LOU'S Pork Chop (P350.00)!

Perhaps one of our most favorite dishes for the night was MAMA LOU'S Risotto with Truffles and Mushrooms (P325.00)! This may look dry in the picture but believe me, every bite is just a menage a' trois of cream, truffles, cheese, and oooh lala mushrooms...

Ay wait. That's four pala! He he he he he! 

I could actually eat this by its lonesome but I am starting to imagine it with a thick cut of t-bone steak, OR if I'm going Italian, a bistecca!!!! 

ERICJAZ FOODIES with the little lords and the BP Group in MAMA LOU'S ITALIAN KITCHEN!!!!

My plate! My beautiful, carb-laden, delicious plate!!!!

And to kick all of that food a notch, I had eenie meenie dashes of their house hot sauce.

AYE CARAMBA!

Our long table filled with food!

And we're (almost) done!

When Andrei was finished with his pizza and spaghetti, he asked if he could order dessert. Of course, his wish is my command (when it comes to food) so he had a chocolate parfait (P85.00) which he wiped out in no time!

I asked the MAMA LOU'S servers if the birthday gal could have a little something for this special day. They were so generous in giving her a Tiramisu dessert with candles and a chocolate message!

And Jhaps even belted out a song and dance number!!!

Go JHAPS! You really made our celebrant happy today!

And FINALLY we're done!

Yes! Even Aning with her delicious Tiramisu cake! She left a wee bite for me.

Awww so sweet....

Wait a minute. Just a small bite???!

Our MAMA LOU'S bill!

When the BP GROUP eats out, Gem developed a system so that the servers won't be confused with our orders when we have our bills split. We always suggest that they put each of our orders under the last name of the family like YAPS, VIRREYS, QUITORIANOS, CAMPOS, and NAVARROS.

Example.

Me: Waiter, one order of extra rice. Please put it under the bill of YAPS.

Waiter: Okay mam. Anything else?

Me: Yes. And please one order of EXTRA LARGE LECHON and put it under NAVARROS. Pero serve it at this side ah.

Waiter: Okay mam.

See what I did there?

Tee hee...

When we got back to the hotel, we had another cake and birthday song for Aning. 

We stayed up till the wee hours chatting because we were so energetic from all those delicious carbs! He he he he he he!

Don't you just hate it when you're the only one in the group doing the wacky face?

I'm so glad that the BP Group had dinner at MAMA LOU'S because we were able to discover this great restaurant that is worthy of all the raves. Besides being the birthday of a good friend, the night was made more special with the great service and awesome food that is cooked with love. We will definitely be back MAMA LOU'S -- possibly in NUVALI or in a nearer branch. But one thing is for sure...

We WILL be back!! 

Danan dan dan! (Terminator Theme).

MAMA LOU'S ITALIAN KITCHEN

 Solenad 2, Nuvali, 

Sta. Rosa Laguna  

(+63 49) 302-0752

(+63 915) 789-6262

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 B1 L36 , Tropical Ave. 

cor Palace St. B.F International Village

Las Piñas (02) 519-1977

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 Ground Floor, UP Town Center, 

Katipunan Avenue, Diliman, Quezon City

02 9585563

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