Italian and live music at Mamma Rosy

I was lucky enough to be treated to a date night last Friday, which essentially means Andrew has to find a place, make a booking, and pick up the cheque. It works well for me, because I love pleasant surprises, learning new things and of course, free food. Going off the recommendation of some of our friends, he made a booking at Mamma Rosy’s on Jalan Kemang Raya.

Mamma Rosy’s is bigger than it looks from the street, with a large indoor dining area on the bottom floor and an al-fresco balcony above. I’d definitely suggest sitting up among the tree fronds, where some mood lighting and an intimate seating plan make for a bit of R&R from the busy street below.

We were promptly seated and served with some complimentary garlic and rosemary breads, which never fails to impress me. The menu features a range of dry or freshly made pastas including linguini, angel hair, penne, tagliatelle and ravioli, with a selection of sauces including pesto, carbonara, ragu, funghi and vongole (RP89,000). There are also selections of cold meats, soups, carpacci, pizzas, salads and meats.

Having already sampled the pesto gnocchi at Trattoria in Kuningan, I was keen to see how Mamma Rosy’s stacked up. True to its reputation, the gnocchi was amazingly fresh and soft, and the individual flavours of the pesto were absolutely gorgeous. Andrew ordered the lasagne, fine mille-feuille layers of fresh pasta doused in sweet tomato sauce. Both dishes were delicious, and because fresh pasta cooks so quickly, were on our table within ten minutes of placing our order.

Having finished our dinner so quickly, we migrated to the seating area and the bar, a comfortable array of outdoor lounges lit with funky overhanging lamps. We ordered a panna cotta to share and watched the two-piece acoustic band set up. A comfortable spot to have a post-dinner drink or two, although with so many cocktail options in Kemang the drinks menu could do with a little spicing up.

Overall, Mamma Rosy’s is a great dining experience. Authentic flavours, nice setting and quick service, it’s a new favourite in the Kemang area that we’ll be sure to report back on. For freshly made pasta though, you can’t beat it.