Meantime, Marco is still in slight shock at the reception he’s had since he and his mother (who makes the superb pasta) opened this second branch of Mamma Luciana’s. The first is in Florida Road, alongside their original restaurant, Marco’s.
This second one, with its sea-breezy deck and jolly handpainted murals, took off and flew the day it opened and keeps soaring. Marco confesses he was way, way out on his estimates of the ingredients and stocks he’d need. On the very first night he had to make an emergency call to Florida Road to demand urgent deliveries of everything, in particular baby chickens. And so it’s continued, with tables in demand night and day, a victory for affordable prices, relaxed and convivial vibes, good honest food, and (if you’re lucky, as we were the lunchtime we visited) a sprinkle of star-gazing, too. John and Roxane Smit popped in for a quick bite…
Now see “delicious slow roasted lamb shank”.
Mamma’s pasta heads the list of specialities – and a platter of small portions of a variety of these, to be shared by the table, is how we approached the difficult matter of making our choice. Delicious. But Marco’s own favourite is the lamb shank (do not be deterred by its Italian name, which is Stinco….) It cooks in red wine overnight, very very slowly, in the residual heat of the wood-burning pizza oven.
“Oh my word!” exclaims Marco (whose family may come from the Venice area, but who sounds as thoroughly Natalian as the next Kearsney old boy). “When I come into the restaurant the next morning I have to hold myself back from having lamb for breakfast.”
If you haven’t already dropped in, do. And if you bring the younger members of the family, don’t worry, you won’t have to order langos. John Smit’ favourite pasta sauce – truly – is the very reasonable and traditional ragu alla Bolognaise.
Mamma Luciana’s, Glenore Centre, Glenashley. Open daily lunch and dinner.
031 562 1405. Corkage is R25.