TIME TO UNWIND
VENUE REVIEW Fiamma: Exclusive, comfortable and yummy!
VILLA MAMAS SAaR (Just opposite Saar Cinema) 1730 5031, PRICE: BD15 per person
We actually came across Villa Mamas by accident after giving one of the members of staff a lift when it was extraordinarily hot. Since then, however, it seems that this is a bustling little venue where seats are hard to come by, as we discovered annoyingly on two separate occasions. Set in an abandoned compound (in dire need of a revamp) is Villa Mamas. Opened in 2012 – or so we were told – this venue was the result of a continuous demand for traditional Bahraini produce, including local ingredients and much-loved recipes. Hungry and in need of a big meal, we set off to find out what all the Instagram hype was about and sample some of the dishes. Despite being ignored twice when we walked in, we found a table in the tranquil setting. Mood lighting and music – tick. The menu is extensive but for 78
FACT BAHRAIN JUNE
someone who is lactose intolerant, it was a struggle to work out what exactly could and couldn’t be eaten. We opted for the Pumpkin Soup - which had a tiny post-kick but was lacking in flavour - and the Goat Cheese Puff made with sun-dried tomatoes, asparagus, mushrooms and rocket on a cloud of light pastry. It was actually delicious and the pastry was wonderfully light and fluffy. For the main course, we went for the Pepperoni lovers – a pizza with pepperoni and cheese on a thin crust [ THE BILL ] Pumpkin Soup BD2.5 Goat Cheese Puff BD3.5 Quinoa Salad BD4.5 Pepperoni Pizza BD5.2 Onion Rings BD1.5 Cookies & Cream Smoothie BD2.8 Perrier Water BD1.5 Still Water BD 1 TOTAL BD29.095
with Mama’s signature tomato sauce. What many chefs get SO wrong is that a pizza needs enough sauce to give it a high five... this pizza was perfectly lathered – double tick. Onion rings were optimistic (but still managed) and we also decided to try the Quinoa salad made with mixed vegetables and walnuts and sauced up with pomegranate molasses and a drizzle of evoo. The portion looked small but boy was it good, with an adequate crunch from the veg, a sweet kick from the fruit and the consistency of the quinoa. We even took our leftovers with us when we left! There was no chance pudding would fit, but no review is complete with a sample of something sweet. A Cookies & Cream Smoothie was ordered. Topped with fake whipped cream and fake chocolate sauce, it was a five year old’s heaven. Would we visit again? Yes. Would we recommend it? Yes. Biggest downfall? Slow service. n