Mamma Lina — Restaurant in Corpus Christi

TL;DR-Beautiful food, service and atmosphere are all present. Make a reservation or stroll in early!!

Had the most amazing dinner here last night. The service from Nikki was fantastic, personalized and seamless! Met a local friend who had never heard of the restaurant and we both agreed it’s worth coming back, over and over! Our starter was a beautiful Caprese salad. Tiny perfect pearls of burrata, fresh grape sized tomatoes, chiffonade of basil leaves, freshly cracked pepper & drizzles of balsamic make for a delicate opening of the palate. Our mains were also perfect in portion, richly balanced flavors, and piping hot. My friend chose the classic Polpette di Mamma Lina (Meatballs with spaghetti). 4 good sized meatballs with a serving of spaghetti. He said they were just the right amount of soft, slightly spicy and delicious accompaniment to the rich marina and pasta. He cleaned the plate! I had a dish so rich and sumptuous that even though it was gluten free, there was nothing absent in taste or appearances. I ordered the Spaghetti alla Francesco (penne for the gluten free set). If you’ve ever liked Alfredo sauces, and you happen to LOVE cheese, especially Gorgonzola, then this is your heart’s desire! I seasoned mine with some red pepper flakes and freshly shaved parmesano. You simply cannot describe the incredibly decadent Gorgonzola sauce. It was perfectly creamy, intensely flavorful, and clung to the noodles fiercely. It recalls the moment when Ratatouille (the little rat) eats two substances in his foraging and experiences a mental fireworks display. Flavors, textures, high notes and bass notes all in a single mouthful of food. It lacked nothing! I ate all but the last two bites; I desperately wanted a dolci course. I had a favorite from our month in Italy, Gelato il Pistacchio. Although the Arancia Rossa Sorbetto was mighty tempting as well. According to Nikki, they make everything they possibly can in house with few exceptions. I did not ask if they made the gelato but it would not surprise me in the least, as well! My buddy had another classic, Tiramisu. It looked and smelled like Heaven. We chatted late after the meal and never felt rushed ro depart, although we were the last ones in the restaurant. In summary, we enjoyed a sumptuous meal, in a relaxing setting with attentive service. Each dish presented was crafted with care, consideration and balanced richly against the pasta. In consideration of my friend, who is sober by choice, I didn’t have any wine. Its absence didn’t distract from the...

An absolute gem of a place tucked away on Alameda. I was craving Italian, so my Husband and I were going to try their sister restaurant, Bellinos, which was located next door, but noticed the other restaurant when we pulled in. We pulled it up, and noticed, the two were owned by the same chef, and he suggested we give it a try. The ambiance and moodiness as well as quiet elegance drew us in immediately. Our hostess brought us to a quiet table in the back, and were met immediately by our wonderful waitstaff. Started with a cocktail each, alas, I cannot recall their specific names other than his was a blend of 12 yr old whisky and amaretto and was smokey, divine. I ordered a gin drink with citrus and had lavender. It as well, was very refreshing. Our appetizer was calamari, which was a nice departure from traditional breading, as this had a bit of a spicy bite to it. We also shared Pinsa Cacio e Pere, which is pizza made with mozzarella, gorganzola, pear and honey. It was, absolutely, one of the most delicious pizzas ever, I highly recommend it as it is a departure from typical toppings offered in Italian restaurants. For our main course, husband ordered Pollo alla Parmigana (chicken parmigana) and I ordered Pappardalle cremolate (pasta with a creamy tomato/ragu meat sauce.) I also ordered a side of meatballs to share with my husband, as I am a firm believer you can tell how authentic the restaurant is by the meatballs. They were nicely done, not overcooked, and had a good balance of seasoning and garlic, and they were a blend meats and not just 'beef' that you find in many other Italian establishments. We were too full for dessert, but finished off our dinner by bringing home a decadent dessert that I would call a rustic homemade Nutella pie with whipped cream that we enjoyed a few hours later. It was extremely rich. Another enjoyable note, is this is one of the few restaurants I've come across that has no cheesecake, or key lime pies or chocolate lava cakes. This Italian restaurant is 100% authentic, and we will be back to try their other haunt, the Nueces Whisky Library as their menu had some amazing gems on it as well. ...

I called and made a reservation 3 weeks, almost 4 weeks (March 13th, party April 5th) in advanced, literally no issue, it was set.. Then I get a call today (March 25th) that the room I wanted (IYKYK!) was bought out so they won’t be able to accommodate FOR MY BIRTHDAY, I asked why wasn’t I given the option to put a deposit down? How is this fair? .. Their story changed, that someone dropped the ball and apparently it’s been booked for the last 6 months..offered to seat my party somewhere else (not being the room I asked for and would have been willing to “buy out”) but why would I still want my birthday dinner to be somewhere I won’t be happy in… Sad because I’m sure the food would be amazing and the atmosphere looks beautiful (reasons why I wanted my birthday dinner here) But now my birthday is ruined and they get to go on with their lives. All the planing and money spent down the drain. Such a nice place but full of people who just drop the ball and ruin peoples birthdays I guess. If you are going to book with them I guess you should ask how much first because it’s all...