Mamma Zu

Mamma Zu Restaurant Review:

Oregon Hill has changed a bit since Ed Vasaio opened this restaurant to honor his mother in 1992. Emerging art galleries and music studios are giving the old working-stiff neighborhood a new flavor, but the taste at Mamma Zu has never wavered. Crowds flock here (indeed, a line typically starts forming a half hour before opening) for the warm-hearted goodness of lentil soup and zuppa di pesce. Antipasti such as scungilli and roasted red peppers with bufala, heaping pasta dishes from “burro e Parmigiana” to alla carbonara, as well as entrées including rockfish, branzino, calf’s liver, duck breast, N.Y. strip, osso buco, veal Marsala and pork chop all manage to cram their way onto the changing chalkboard. There’s a printed menu only at lunch when prices and portions scale back. Some folks brave long waits for one of several tables just for the broccoletti. Family-style portions are encouraged for large parties for conviviality’s sake and to aid the miniscule kitchen. Wines are strictly by the bottle except for three by the (juice) glass. Service is accommodating, and the tiramisu so good it will bring a tear to your eye.