THE DISH: Mamma Mia

Mamma Mia//16 Prospekt Dobrolyubova//Tel. 635 8838//www.mammamiaspb.ru//Open 9 a.m. to 11 p.m.//Menu in Russian only//Dinner for two with alcohol: 1,710 rubles ($53)

By Elizabeth Rattey

The St. Petersburg Times

Published: July 4, 2012 (Issue # 1716)

Culinary crossroads

Can’t decide on where to go for dinner? Does everybody feel like eating something different? If so, then Mamma Mia may be the place for you. This family-friendly restaurant offers a wide variety of dishes and specializes in Italian, Russian and Japanese (in particular sushi and stir fry) cuisine.

The restaurant itself, like its double-sided placemat menu, has a lot going on and this is reflected in its decoration. The large dining area is fairly open, with one dividing wall that helps to separate a simpler, classic black and white “Asian-style” area from a more brightly-colored Italian terrace dominated by reds, yellows and blues. The idea of wanting to translate a sunny Italian atmosphere to the restaurant was clear, but made a jarring contrast with the restaurant’s clean-cut Asian section. The flower boxes positioned along the divider that separated the tables were, however, a nice touch, along with the festive ceramic dishes perched above the bar.

The restaurant’s efforts toward being a family venue are clear, with shelves of various stuffed animals lining part of the back wall. There are also bookcases with reading material for decoration, and free newspapers and magazines for diners to take with them if so desired.

More media was available on the walls, with several flat screen TVs showing bad pop music videos that you might expect to see somewhere in a club, but definitely not while dining on a terrace in Italy.

Despite the extensive and varied menu, the kitchen had bizarrely run out of the fairly basic ingredient of chicken. Therefore the Caesar salad with chicken had to be traded out for the Mamma Mia salad (360 rubles, $11). The healthy mix of greens and chunks of roasted Camembert cheese rolled in almond flakes with juicy red raspberries on top and drizzled in a balsamic cream dressing was more than satisfying. The tartness of the berries worked wonders with the bitterness of the greens and saltiness of the cheese. The dish should not, however, have been labeled a “starter,” as the mix of lettuces somehow took longer to prepare and deliver than the baked entrée. As long as there was something to snack on, our party had no complaints however, as the waitress had asked beforehand if it would be OK to bring out the dishes as they were ready.

The other appetizer, meat solyanka (260 rubles, $8) likewise received a good review. Looking past the large chip in the mug in which it was served, the cup held a hearty, salty portion of various meats and sausages, pickles and olives and was quickly gobbled up.

The main courses were undoubtedly overshadowed by their predecessors. The thin-crust four seasons pizza (320 rubles, $9.80) with ham, Mozzarella, mushrooms, red peppers, eggplant and oregano was soggy more than anything else. Although the flavors were good, being forced to eat the droopy pizza with a knife and fork proved a travesty for this American diner.

The Japanese menu was also a bit of a flop, with the Alaska roll (salmon, avocado, cucumber and tobiko) for 250 rubles ($7.70) not holding up to standards. The tobiko (fish roe) was clumped unevenly around the roll and was overpowering. The roll itself fell apart promptly when picked up and dipped in the soy sauce, making eating with chopsticks a larger challenge than usual. The baked crab sushi (110 rubles, $3.40) won more favor, but the restaurant’s sushi menu overall didn’t stand up well to rolls served at well-known sushi chains around the city.

While its food may be hit or miss, Mamma Mia does its best to attract customers with its varied menu and offers. Unlike most local eateries, it opens early to serve breakfast from 9 a.m. to 11 a.m. Monday through Friday and from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. on weekends. It also has a business lunch during the workweek from noon to 3 p.m. for 250 rubles ($7.70).