• Home
• Life

Joseph Massaglia said people are telling him he's insane. "They tell me (that) to open a boutique Italian restaurant, in this economy, is crazy," says Massaglia, who opened Mama Mia's in Egg Harbor Township in September. "But, I say that any time you put good food on the table, you will never have a problem."

Massaglia has good reason for his confidence. The chef and owner's new gourmet restaurant is filled to capacity nearly every day since opening, hence the sign in the front that strongly encourages reservations. Massaglia credits his immediate success for building a good reputation. Since opening his other Mama Mia location in Seaville 22 years ago, Massaglia is known for his traditional Italian recipes, his creative flair and for being the ultimate host.

His Egg Harbor Township restaurant is a completely different experience than his original location. While the complete Seaville menu, which features pizzas, pastas, subs, salads and more, is available for takeout and for lunch in the dining room in Egg Harbor Township, Massaglia's dinner menu is something more akin to New York than South Jersey.

"In Seaville, I have 100 seats and 25 tables; in Egg Harbor Township, I have 25 seats - total," Massaglia says. "It's completely the opposite. Everything is about freshness here. For dinner, nothing I serve is frozen. It's imported fish, hand-picked meats, fresh produce every day. This is a place that people who love food should come to. This is a place for people who know what good food is all about. I have been in this business for 42 years. This is the place that I want all my family and friends to come and hang out and celebrate food."

Walk down the hallway of Mama Mia's and you're transported to the Italian village of Portofino, with its faux windows and Italian architecture. In the dining room, a huge mural of Portofino - the town where Massaglia fell in love with the food business - is surrounded by red and orange hues and an overall classy ambience.

Longtime Seaville customers will find a mix of some Mama Mia's classics, as well as a menu full of new, unique dishes that Massaglia always wanted to present in a boutique setting.

Appetizers like the Bagna Cauda ($8) are a take on a recipe from Massaglia's Italian hometown, Brozolo, and features roasted peppers in a creamy, mild, garlic-and-anchovy sauce over a crisp baguette. The Crespelle Frutti Di Mare ($10) offers homemade crepes filled with sautéed baby shrimp, bay scallops, crabmeat and fish folded in a seafood mornay. Pastas include Bava ($22), homemade gnocchi in a butter sage cream sauce with Fontina cheese and broccoli; and Pappardelle Piemontese ($26), which is a combination of slowly-cooked beef short ribs, wild mushrooms and a Espagnole Brown wine reduction. Some top-selling entrees are the whole-roasted Branzino Saline Siciliano ($32 )- Mediterranean sea bass encrusted with rock salt, lemon and herbs and infused with olive oil; as well as the Carre Di Agnello ($27),which is stone-grilled rack of lamb encrusted with bread crumbs and shallots and glazed with honey-Dijon mustard with a brown demi.

"Even the demi we make is done the right way," Massaglia said. "We roast the bones. It's a three-day process. But, it's worth it."

Massaglia said Mama Mia's has only begun its culinary offerings, as the menu will constantly change to reflect fresh, seasonal ingredients.

"I know I (already own) already the finest restaurant in South Jersey," Massaglia said. "In six months, people will know I am the finest restaurant. Food is my life. I'm having fun. If you make this business feel like work, you will never survive. For me, it's about preparing food and getting people together for something special. This is not just another restaurant."

Mama Mia’s

WHERE: 6105 W. Jersey Ave., Egg Harbor Township; original location in Cedar Square Shopping Center, 2087 S. Shore Road, Seaville

WHEN: Lunch served 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. daily; dinner served 5 to 10 p.m. daily.

HOW MUCH: Dinner appetizers range from $8 to $12; salads $8 to $9; pastas $22 to $27; entrees $22 to $35; sides $8; desserts $8 to $14. Takeout: pizza $2.50 to $18; stromboli and calzones $8 to $12; subs $5.75 to $7.50; finger foods $2.50 to $8; sandwiches, paninis, wraps, burgers $6 to $8; salads $5 to $10; party trays $12 to $90.

SERVICES: Major credit cards accepted. No liquor license. BYO. Disabled access through front door. Eat-in. Takeout. Catering. Private parties. No kids’ menu. No smoking.

MORE INFO: Call 609-484-8877 or go to www.mamamiasnj.com. For Seaville, call 609-624-9322.

BETWEEN YOU AND ME: Don't leave without indulging on chef/owner Joseph Massaglia's homemade tiramisu ($8) or his limoncello shooter tray ($14) that features a sampling of desserts and complimentary, homemade limoncello.

No comments have been posted. Be the first poster!

PressofAtlanticCity.com offers everyone the opportunity to comment on published stories. However, it is impractical for editors to screen all comments.
If you believe a comment is offensive, please click on the abuse-reporting link and your objection will be considered by an editor. We encourage participants to use their real names, but inoffensive screen names are acceptable. Comments are the sole responsibility of the person posting them.
Please post responsibly. Do not post comments that are off topic, defamatory, obscene, abusive, threatening or an invasion of privacy.
Be polite. Don’t hate. Users who don’t play by the rules may be blocked from participating.

View our full terms of service and privacy agreement

Click here to report a comment as abusive.

You must login to post a new comment