There aren’t many things that will drag us to Chelsea on a week night. The promise, however, of actually real authentically prepared Italian home cooking is one of those things. La Mia Mamma is a fab new place on the King’s Road that is calling out for your booking. Why? Because every three months, this cozy Italian eatery welcomes a different ‘mamma’ from a select region to come and cook her top meals for hungry customers. And it’s not just a gimmick, the set up is great. Mamma cooks out front and chats with the clientele while the professional kitchen staff work at the back ensuring that plates and service are delivered at restaurant pace and quality. We visited during their hearty Sicilian season and thus were lucky enough to try some out-of-this-world Pasta alla Norma - a tomato, salted ricotta and aubergine dressed dish, prepared with lovingly handmade fresh pasta. This had followed a generous spread of antipasti that included both carnivore (read calamari, meatballs, cured meats) and vegetarian friendly (arancine, marinated artichokes) flavours. If for whatever reason the regional offering doesn’t appeal, there is a gorgeous a la carte menu that features dishes from up and down the country. The next region should be announced soon, keep an eye on their website.

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