MamaGui — Restaurant in Sámara

From the Chef-owner Gigio, down to each member of his staff, the dedication to preparing quality food and providing superb customer service is evident. You are treated as friends, not clients. The food is always perfectly cooked, using the finest local ingredients. Chef Gigio brings true creativity to Classique Italian offerings, resulting in fresh interpretations of modern and traditional dishes Of note, having a true gluten-free option is rare enough, but the gluten-free artisanal pasta at Mamagui is one of the best we've had anywhere! Bravo! We can honestly recommend anything on the menu for quality and perfect preparation. The appetizers include “Jamon de Pargo”, an outstanding and unique red snapper prosciutto with a sublime flavor that matches perfectly with their excellent Prosecco. We paired that with a delicious and fresh “East meets West Salad” and their "Cupoletta di Melanzane", a delectable mix of eggplant with fregola sarda and shrimp served in a stylish dome. The Chef's inventiveness also brings a touch of magic to all the principal dishes. The fantastic artisanal pastas are offered with a range innovative of sauces. The fish offerings are local, fresh caught and perfectly prepared. We loved the "Pesce Spada Agli Agrumi": a touch of fennel and orange makes the swordfish easily the best I've had in years. Equally amazing are the meats. The "Filetto di Manzo Organico" is just a jaw-droppingly good dry-aged beef tenderloin, from locally grass-fed and organically raised beef. Vying for the meat-lovers attention is the "Costata di Maile Organico", a truly stunning organic grilled pork chop that is expertly prepared. Pair either with any of the excellent red wines available and the night is one you will not forget! Mamagui is THE not-to-miss restaurant...

Very disappointing! Yes they are popular, but they have gotten to the point that customers are no longer important... We went here 2 1/2 years ago and had a wonderful meal. The food and atmosphere was excellent and my family enjoyed the place immensely. My wife and I returned to Samara again this year and looked forward to revisiting Mamagui - I made a reservation on Thursday for Saturday, being my wife's birthday, looking forward to another great meal. We reserved a spot outside, hoping that during the rainy season, they would consider putting us under cover. We arrived, there was no table ready, we were offered a wet table right next to the street. Okay, they eventually cleaned it off Sit down, peruse the menu. Last time we were there, had excellent pizzas. This evening, sorry, we are not making pizza - don't know the exact excuse, but something about being too busy... More than half their menu is pizza! Question further - take it or leave it is the attitude.. We decided to leave it and went for an excellent meal at El Lagarto Maybe next time Mama Gui should be more considerate of their clientele and actually care about customers! I can't speak for their recent food quality but I can speak for their customer service -...

We had an absolutely AMAZING meal and evening at Mama Gui last night. It was our first time dining here and we will definitely be back many times to come! Thank you to Gigio Palazzo and all of his excellent staff for making our date night so memorable. You can see the true passion Gigio has for his restaurant, and he is a very professional chef. Every little detail is perfect, whether it's the flavors and the delicate plating of the food, or the welcoming decor of this very cute and comfortable little restaurant. We were also very impressed to see that instead of hiding in the kitchen like many chefs do, he was always out observing his guests and making sure that they were all happy and that they had everything that they need. He introduced himself to us as well and took the time to chat for a bit. There is a true sense of care and pride here and he clearly has put his heart and soul into his gem of a restaurant. The level of customer service from the rest of his staff members was also 5 star! Thank you again Gigio for a wonderful night and we will see...