Mama’s on Washington Square
Sampler French Toast – Banana Nut, Cinnamon Brioche, Cranberry Orange Walnut Covered with Bananas and Fresh Berries
Carrot Cake
Crumb Cake
Monte Cristo – Roasted Turkey Breast, Honey Baked Ham, Cheddar and Gruyere Cheese battered in Egg and grilled
The conference all but wrapped up and dinner not until 8:00pm a friend suggested a walk up to Coit Tower with the side agenda of potentially visiting Mama’s, the 50 year old institution in North Beach where locals and tourists alike often wait hours to sample the fresh, made from scratch home cooking passed down from founder Mama Sanchez – the rumor was that around 2:00pm the breakfast/lunch crowd had dissipated…though that rumor turned out to be an eighty minute falsehood before we made our way through the line, placed our order, and sat awaiting our food. A cute space whose long waits are a combination of its small size, attention to detail, and (appropriately) never rushing a customer even after their meal is finished it should really come as no surprise that once our selections did arrive everything was quite delicious and although certainly the sort of thing any home cook could probably make not exactly the sort of thing mom spends hours making every morning – particularly the multiple house made breads used to make the supple French Toast or superlative, thick Monte Cristo. Obviously not the sort of place one would choose to eat every day given the crowds all-in-all Mama’s is definitely an experience worth the effort…though next time I think I’d sooner show up at 7:30 to avoid the line and order a few more of the quick breads to snack on later in the day – particularly that crumb cake with its nearly inch thick streusel topping.
