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Reviewed by
jewel1325
on December 29, 2007
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Outstanding and creative! The colorful atmosphere and lively music make you feel as though you're on a tropical island. My husband and I had lunch at Mama's on 12/27/07. We...
Outstanding and creative! The colorful atmosphere and lively music make you feel as though you're on a tropical island. My husband and I had lunch at Mama's on 12/27/07. We arrived at 1:30 p.m. and were seated immediately. The hostess was gracious and friendly, and the food was absolutely delicious. We ordered the chicken paillard, sauteed mushrooms, skillet shrimp, jerk chicken skewers, and sweet potato fries with the awesome dipping sauce. Everything was soooo delicious and the price was very reasonable at about $40 for the entire meal. We will definitely be back!
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Reviewed by
DiningDivaPenny
on December 11, 2007
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When we entered this intimate restaurant there was one other group of diners having lunch at 11:30. By the time we left at 1:00 people were waiting for a table. This...
When we entered this intimate restaurant there was one other group of diners having lunch at 11:30. By the time we left at 1:00 people were waiting for a table. This is a testament to this cozy and stylish restaurant. The clientele ranged from ladies lunching to men having a business lunch to a table celebrating a little girl’s birthday.
Walking in you are greeted by sublime green walls and dark wood. The decorations range from bongo drums to pineapples. The music is lively and so is the wait staff.
The lunch menu is one page long and features Tapas, Sopas y Ensaladas, Sandwiches and Sides.
My entrée was Jerk Chicken Skewers. The chicken was marinated in jerk chicken sauce and then cooked over an open flame. They were then topped with light jerk chicken sauce. I paired it with arroz blanco (white rice); this was a tasty selection for me. I loved the chicken’s zest and the sweet spices that were in the rice.
I also sampled the Chicken Paillard. It came out in its own saucepan and was divine. Paired with the rice that we had, I could have kept eating!
There were so many more choices that we did not get to try! I guess we will have to go back for dinner to try the different selections that are on the dinner menu and not on the lunch menu.
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Reviewed by
DiningDivaKatie
on December 11, 2007
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Mama Roomba is a tapas bar with a Caribbean flare. “Tapas” is the name for a wide variety of appetizers in Spanish cuisine. The word tapas is derived from...
Mama Roomba is a tapas bar with a Caribbean flare. “Tapas” is the name for a wide variety of appetizers in Spanish cuisine. The word tapas is derived from the Spanish verb tapar “to cover” because the original tapas were in fact small slices of bread used to cover glasses of Andalusian sherry in order to protect them from fruit flies. From its humble origins tapas have evolved into an entire cuisine. The wonderful thing about eating in a tapas restaurant is that you can order an assortment of dishes and share small bites with the entire table. It’s a lot of fun.
I ordered Skillet Shrimp soul style in a Spicy Cream Sauce. The shrimp arrived sizzling in the same small skillet in which they were prepared, smothered in a “soul sauce” that certainly lived up to its title. The creamy sauce definitely had a spicy soul.
Mama Roomba's calamari also doesn’t disappoint. The plate arrived mounded high with salty golden brown rings that disappeared almost as fast as the fries. I think it is safe to say that all four of us highly recommend calamari here!
Mama Roomba is located in a district that is fast becoming the cultural hub of our city. I think there is something liberating about leaving the car parked and strolling on foot from boutiques and galleries to coffee houses and restaurants. I feel as though when I choose to shop and dine downtown I am in some small way contributing to the renaissance that is taking place in our city center. Mama Roomba central location is as unique as their menu and allows diners the opportunity to enjoy all the charm that our downtown has to offer.
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Reviewed by
DiningDivaLydia
on December 11, 2007
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The fun of Mama Roomba started before I ever got there. Tracy called me from her shop around the corner and said, “Do you want to meet the rest of us here and...
The fun of Mama Roomba started before I ever got there. Tracy called me from her shop around the corner and said, “Do you want to meet the rest of us here and walk over?” Walk? In Bakersfield? What a wacky, zany and downright nutty idea. Sure I’d LOVE to walk over. It was good to be reminded that yes, there are more and more great dining options popping up downtown that are within (gasp!) walking distance.
The decor inside is very... “sunshiney.” From the warm yellow walls to the brightly colored tablecloths and artwork, you feel like you’ve left Bakersfield and stepped into another part of the world. Add in the island-style music playing in the background and it feels like vacation.
There are eleven different tapas on the lunch menu. The rest of the menu consists of Caribbean-inspired soup, salads and sandwiches as well as an assortment of side dishes.
After ordering our drinks, Penny quickly ordered three different sides: sweet potato fries, cassava fries and plantain chips. I must admit I questioned the need for two different types of fries but I quickly saw the error in my judgment. It was the sweet potato fries that stole the show. Sliced into shoestring-sized strips, fried, salted and served with habanero ketchup, the fries are a wonderfully unique spin on something very familiar. Needless to say, they didn’t last long.
We also tried I lot of other items. The Chicken Paillard is grilled strips of chicken. Like the jerk chicken I thought the grilled flavor of the chicken contrasted well with the sauce and, like the shrimp, I found myself coveting the extra sauce.
Overall, I really enjoyed the tapas experience. The fact that the food is meant to share really seems to add to both the camaraderie and conversation. I appreciated that our food didn’t arrive all at once. You get a chance to savor the different flavors of each dish before the next is brought out hot to the table.
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