Aku Eats Oahu : a closer look : Mamas Island Pizza, a closer look

Mamas Island Pizza, a closer look

Howzit Gang!

10/6/08 - It was off to the Windward side on this very fine day, destination in mind? - Kailua town. Specifically, Mama's Pizza, that is, home of the best darn cheesy-pie on the island, at least in my book! No, it's not the heart attack-inducing deep-dish's, loaded down with layer upon layer of ingredients any sane person would use to make about five separate pies, nor a modernized, fancified version with Thai chicken, muu-shuu pork, or mango tandoori toppings. This is not a place where pizza gets the Barbie treatment with a gazillion new-fangled twists! This is a straight-forward, no-nonsense, working-class, traditional pizza that is somehow, for some reason, oh, to die for!

To tell you the truth, I don't know what it is that makes them so delicious. It could possibly be the heavily cornmeal-dusted crust, neither cracker-like or super-thin and Roman-style, nor Sicilian and super-thick. If anything, it runs on the thin side, arriving hot and fresh from atop a stone platform in the oven. This traditional, Italian style of baking makes for a crisper, darker crust than normally seen. Mama says you can request a lighter cooking process if you want, but I'd definitely not recommend it, not because it may be bad, but because the normal way here is just so good! Or, perhaps, the secret could lie in the red sauce, which seems to have a slightly sweeter taste, and not so acidic or zesty like marinara. Whatever the case, please, Mama, just keep doing what you've been doing, allright?!

The restaurant itself is super-casual, with an order-at-the-counter format, although they will bring dishes out to your table when ready. Starting tabs are also welcome, just so you don't have to pay separately every time you decide on a new dish or grab another beer at the counter pictured here.

The dining room has three large-screen television sets, playing none other than ESPN, of course. All they need are dart boards and this would become a full-fledged sports bar! Wifey and I, though we love watching games first-hand at a stadium or arena, both don't get into sports at all on television anymore. I used to be a Raiders fan way back during the Kenny Stabler, Cliff Branch, and Fred Biletnikoff-days, and also a 76'er-man back when they were actually winning, with guys like with Moses Malone, Darryl Dawkins, Andrew Toney, and, of course, the Doctor, but that was mostly because my dad and older brother were fans. These days, besides University of Hawaii football, I'm just flat-out not interested anymore. Heck, I didn't even watch more than an hour of the recent Olympics from Beijing!

Nevertheless, there is no shortage of loyal sports fans, and Mama's understands that, with a special opening every Sunday morning during football season, from 7am! Served are breakfast sandwiches on muffins, biscuits, or croissants, full scrambled egg/meat plates, french toast, chili dogs, nachos, cinammon rolls w/cream cheese frosting, and, of course, hot coffee. Not sure if they open for beer right away?

Here's one viewpoint of the dining room, complete with just one of their television sets in full view, along with large pictures proudly displaying the many beach-friendly spots Kailua is known for.

Another angle contains views of the parking lot right outside, which Mama's happens to share with Foodland right nextdoor and Big City Diner just a little further down the line.

Looking over the menu posted on-high, we couldn't decide for sure right away. There are cheesebreads, deep-fried mozzarella sticks, beer-battered onion rings, fries, salads, and sub sandwiches of meatball, kalua pig, and chicken breast parmesan, to name a few. One thing we want to try on a return visit is the hot apple pie, a 9-inch, house-made dough filled with cinammon apples and drizzled with vanilla icing and other toppings - sounds intriguing. For a complete list of menu items go to their website at www.mamasislandpizza.com. Wifey and I settled upon an order of buffalo wings for starters, figuring by the time we finished the wings, we'd have a better idea of where to go next.

They came in 12 and 24 pieces per order, which was a bit much for two, considering we still wanted pizza and maybe a little something else. Though a bit on the overcooked side, they arrived piping hot and delicious, in a glistening-red, tangy buffalo sauce that was tempered perfectly with the creamy ranch dressing served alongside. It was quite the hearty starter, right in lock-step with pizza and a casual, no-frills, sports bar-type environment.

And what's perfect with pizza, sports, and buffalo wings? Sophisticated wines, fancy cocktails, and expensive brandies? As in our last visit to 3660 on the Rise? Me thinks not, at least not here! How 'bout gettin' down and dirty with a cold draft, in pitcher size?!!!

There are only two draft beers available, along with several bottled varieties including Primo, held on ice in a large bin, but two's all you need. One light beer, in this case, Bud Light, when you wanna drink a little more without getting too drunk, and one full-flavored, more potent brand for a better taste and more of a punch, in this case, Kona Longboard Lager. The two are excellent representatives of their respective classes of beers, both being very easy to drink and not real flashy, thus pleasing a wide swath of people. Bud Light is the best-selling beer in America, while Kona Longboard is an excellent small-step into the world of stronger, hoppier brews. I say small-step because, despite its rich, golden-brown color, it is not nearly as bold as compared to others in its class, but rather mellow and well-rounded in taste, and thus, as stated, very much suited to a wide variety of different people. Plus, we're in Hawaii, so it's always good to go with da local breweries!

Since we got a pitcher, and considering the Real Man environment, we went with the blue-collar favorite, Bud Light.

On a past visit a few months back, wifey and I stopped by to split a slice, just to get a taste, seeing neither of us have ever been here before that day. The only kinds of pizza you can get by the slice are pepperoni, cheese, and one revolving special of the day, which happened to be a spinach/garlic. That was all it took to hook the both of us to Mama forever!

There are several types of hot pie here, including a veggie, a meat lover's that includes Portuguese sausage, and a supreme that combines a variety of meats and veggies. There is also kalua pig, cheeseburger, margherita, and perhaps the most CPK-like pizza here, a Kama'aina chicken, with island chicken, red onions, smoked gouda cheese, Mozzarella cheese, cilantro, and a home-made bbq sauce. Toppings can also be ordered individually, with as many additional ingredients as you'd care to pay for.

On this day, however, wifey and I split that most dominant of toppings that personifies this dish better than any other - peperroni! Yes, you can go with a spinach/garlic or margherita once in a while, or do a complete 180 with italian sausage, hamburger, Canadian bacon, or any or all other meat types, but inevitably, you always gotta return to pepperoni. This taste of gooey mozzarella, crispy crust, and the oily-red, sliced deli meat was a time-tested, proven combination that sent it out of the park. In fact, I'm convinced this pie has a spirit of nostalgia coursing through its tomato sauce veins. Somehow, it just brings you back to the days of innocence, is what it does; so much so you almost wanna use the term healthy, even. Healthy for the All-American soul, that is, much like the spirit of baseball, State Fairs, Chevrolet, and apple pie!

Mama's has also begun serving a meatball pasta, this time a penne with large meatballs of a beef and pork/sausage mix, infused with herb flavors and brought in from a shop in Chicago. The pasta sauce was also flavorful and full of herbs, very much marinara-like, with a zesty, tangy taste. A last touch of shredded mozzarella completed the dish.

The side dishes are all worthy and good for variety's sake, but I do believe, judging also by what everyone else was ordering, that pizza is the real reason for coming down to Mama's. As stated earlier, I'm not real sure what makes this pizza taste so great. Who knows, maybe it just hit me hard for some personal reasons unbeknownst, some unforeseen factors hidden deep within my own unconscious psyche. I just don't know. You just gotta try it for yourself, I guess!

The owners, Larry, and his lovely wife, are two more reasons altogether for stopping by. Both are very hospitable, very down-to-earth, and very friendly people, just the kinds of personalities you'd need to build a clientele and the genuine relationships that keep regulars coming back often, which, by the way, is a situation that seems to be in full-swing here.

Pizza Hut or Dominoes is fine, but for a more honest pizza made and served with lots of love, drop by Mama's in Kailua once in a while. In time, you just may become one of those regulars, too!

In parting, I'll leave you with a closing shot of the entrance.

Take care and thanks for stopping by! Aloha till next time!

Aku

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