Mama LeonesWhere every visit is a special treat!Mama Leones is one of my favorite Sarasota restaurants around the entire Suncoast. One of a number of good Italian and Mediterranean style restaurants, it's a short drive from south Sarasota. A sparkling clean, open and airy atmosphere with 4 dining rooms, a bar and lots of windows, "Mama's" will be a restaurant and meal that you’ll remember. I have dined at Mama Leones frequently and have sampled a number of their Italian specialties, which have become personal favorites. The menu is wide ranging enough to make it hard to decide on what to order.
The Mama Leones ExperienceLet me give you a rundown of my experiences: upon being seated, your server will take your drink order. (If you get seated before 6 p.m. you can take advantage of 2 for 1 happy hour drinks.)In the meantime you’ll receive a basket of fresh, warm Italian bread and olive oil dipping sauce, so you can dip and munch while you peruse the bill of fare.
Another appetizer that I have enjoyed is Mozzarella Caprese, which is fresh mozzarella cheese with tomatoes, basil and olive oil. The mozzarella is so fresh, rich and milky that it melts in your mouth. Mmm.. Those were the easy choices; the appetizers. But the real big job is ordering the main course because there’s so much to choose from. More on Mama Leones in NokomisMy personal favorites for the main course are the Veal Parmigiana or Chicken Parmigiana.Both entrées are large servings that come on a platter along with a side of your choice of pasta. Did I mention that you can really get full on a delicious meal such as this? You really can. Another delicious dinner I have ordered several times is Mama Leones Pollo Scarpariello. This dish is a combination of roasted chunks of boneless chicken breast with red, green and yellow peppers, mushrooms, onions and herbs. It's served in a large pasta bowl and you also get a side dish of your choice of pasta with this dinner entrée. This is truly not only a delicious meal, but a filling one as well. Other recommendations from those I’ve dined with at Mama Leones include: Penne Aurora, which is made with chopped asparagus, baby shrimp, shallots, and garlic in a pink sauce, over penne pasta and Rigatoni alla Vodka (yes Vodka), which is made with imported prosciutto, onions and fresh tomatoes in a creamy vodka sauce. Friends rave about that one!
You’ll also find Filet Mignon, Rack of Lamb and Mama’s Seafood on the menu at “market price.” Desserts? They have all the Italian specialties on the menu that you would expect, from Cannoli to Spumoni.
There’s even a nice selection of grinders on the menu, which are 10” New England style subs, served hot or cold on an Italian sub roll, that are priced from $6 - $6.75. They’re served from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. Here's an idea: Order ahead and pick them up to take along with you to Nokomis Beach for a picnic lunch at the seashore! In any case, make sure you come here hungry; after all, that’s how Mama would want it! There's full bar service as well as an extensive wine list.
There are two locations. I’ve dined only at Mama’s in Nokomis and it’s this one that this review is based upon. There’s also one in Venice. Reservations are accepted only for parties of 8 or more. They are open daily for lunch and dinner and the "Early Bird" and Happy Hour are from 4 p.m. - 6 p.m. Directions to Mama Leones in Nokomis: From Sarasota drive south on U.S. Rt. 41 to Nokomis. Mama’s is on the east side of Rt. 41 at 2300 Tamiami Trail North. You can also take I-75 to the Osprey/Nokomis exit, S.R. 681, and get off 681 and on to U.S. Rt. 41 at the Osprey exit. The restaurant is a couple blocks north on the right. (941) 918-9799 (941) 918-9889. Venice Location: 1266 Jacaranda Blvd, (941) 496-9148
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