However, I was disappointed that the manicotti seemed more like an Italian version of cheese enchiladas, rather than what I envisioned would be delicate, stuffed pasta tubes baked with a simmered sauce of cubed beef and pork. Generally, sumptuous cream and heavy tomato sauces dominate the menu, making Mama Mia's a veritable Eden for lovers of rich food, but perhaps less attractive to dieters. It simply fails to become more than the sum of its parts. The whole ensemble is definitely tasty, but after three or four bites, it becomes almost unendurably heavy on the palate. However, it is clear that Mama Mia's has carefully marketed their menu to suit the taste of their Austin clientele, all of whom seem as faithful to the restaurant as denizen's of New York's Little Italy might be to their local corner trattoria.
Sweets also tend to be on the heavy side.
The layers of spongecake come thoroughly soaked in marsala, and the rich cheese filling is accented by a strong coffee flavor. Altogether, the desserts seem like one of those offers that can't be refused. I went to Mama Mia's hoping to find my Big Night . What I found instead was the type of place that may have put the little restaurant in Big Night out of business. That is, I found a restaurant offering food that has been meticulously edited for American consumers, but that is nevertheless fun, satisfying, and hearty.