Mama Mia! This stuff is good.

I love Italian food. No, I mean I really love Italian food. I may have actually been Italian in a past life. It doesn't matter how many combinations of pasta, sauce and cheese you throw at me in a day. I will never get tired of Italian food. So when it was brought to my attention that there was an Italian restaurant in Nashville that I had yet to investigate, I had to immediately remedy the situation. What's even more unbelieveable is that I had passed the restaurant every day for a year on my way to work, but it never grabbed my attention. Then a friend told me she had heard good things, so I did a little friendly Google-ing and found rave reviews for this unsuspecting eatery.

Enough was enough and I finally found my way to Mama Mia's, behind a gas station in an old building that looks like it used to be either a Waffle House or a bait shop. As we stepped inside, I noticed two things right away. One: it was 6:00 and already crowded. Two: people kept coming in the door with paper bags. The reason behind number one became obvious as the line forming behind us went out the door. The reason for number two is one of the most endearing and unique points of the restaurant. Mama Mia's does not sell alcohol, but encourages its customers to walk down the strip mall to the wine store, purchase some Pinot Grigio and bring it back to the table to enjoy for a $5 corking fee.

Since there is no waiting area things got very crowded very quickly, but for such a small restaurant with a small staff, we were seated as promptly as could be expected. Then came the basket of bread, buttery, covered in garlic and tearably soft. I single-handedly ate two entire loaves, and I'd happily do it again.

I think the best part about Mama Mia's is the menu's dare-to-be-different attitude. You won't find fried cheese sticks or spaghetti and meatballs at this place. This is real Italian food, with robust flavors and imaginative sauces. I had shells stuffed with spinach, topped with sun-dried tomatoes, prosciutto and a fontina cream sauce. As a general rule, anything involving prosciutto is a winner in my book, and this was certainly no exception. The sauce was complimentary, not overpowering, and my leftovers were just as good the next day for lunch.

Mama Mia's is everything you might expect from an upscale Italian bistro, minus the high prices and snooty atmosphere. A nice dinner for two can cost less than $40 and I'm pretty sure there is no threat of your waiter bursting into song for a hefty tip. Mama Mia's is unpretentious dining for those who are all about the food. It took me back to an Italian restaurant from my home town, also located behind a gas station and some of the best Italian food I've ever had. That place is gone now but will always be remembered whenever I enjoy Mama Mia's, which I assure you will be frequently.