There was lots of food on offer at this out-of-sight Italian restaurant.
Italy is one of my favourite countries to have visited, so on a rainy Sunday afternoon, I set out to find a taste of Italy near to home. Hidden at the back of my Tesco, located in Serpentine Green, Hampton, Peterborough, is Mamma Mia.
The local Italian restaurant has been there for many years. Every time I’ve walked past, it always had a lurking smell that nearly enticed me each time.
Having never been there before, my partner and I decided to see what it was like. As we stepped in, the out-of-sight restaurant was bustling with people, being especially busy for a Sunday afternoon.
Luckily, there was still some seating for us. At first glance, the restaurant’s décor instantly caught my eye. Hanging above us were chandeliers full of the colours of the rainbow. It not only brightened the setting, but added a level of class with its being chandeliers.
Behind where we were sitting was a feature wall of pasta shapes intertwined with vivid colours. I didn’t notice the pasta shapes at first, but the more I looked at it, I started to realise what the patterns were. It intrigued me, and I thought it was clever how they included this in the design. It also added an instant Italian flavour to the place.
There was a wide selection of food to choose from, ranging from large subs and pizza to pasta and a variety of sides. I was intrigued by the idea of building your own pasta, so I decided to try a pasta dish.
My partner opted for a sub. The pasta combination I chose was fresh Casarecce pasta, accompanied by a carbonara chicken sauce. There was a range of different pastas to choose from. I initially wanted tagliatelle, but they’d run out of this. I chose the carbonara chicken as carbonara is one of my favourite pasta sauces, and I love a chicken dish!
My partner chose a large traditional sub, which was filled with beef, turkey, ham, and vegetables. My pasta was smothered in a rich, creamy cheese sauce, and the chicken was extra tender.
Due to the thickness of the cheese sauce, it made the pasta very filling very quickly, but I still adored the taste of the chicken. My partner’s sub was larger than expected, and for £10.40, he was definitely getting his money’s worth.
He added that the combination of the meats went well together. We both added wedges as a side.
These were very crispy and a lovely golden brown colour. These came out before our mains, which meant we snacked on them before.
Despite the wedges being very tasty, it may have been a mistake to add a side as our mains were so filling! While we ate our meals, I was intrigued by more décor in the restaurant.
A closed shutter to the right of us was painted with the scene of an Italian village. This added another level of authenticity to the restaurant and really made me feel like the owners were trying to create a taste of Italy in Peterborough.
If you want to experience a taste of Italy and discover a hidden gem within Cambridgeshire, I would recommend checking out Mamma Mia.
