COCONUT’S HOTSPOT – Big Mama is truly a hidden gem.
It’s the sort of place you’d drive right past if you weren’t looking for it. Situated in an almost unnoticeable corner off Sukhumvit Soi 21, this festive little Italian eatery seems like it’s been purposely hidden away.
Tucked inside a peaceful garden of small trees and hanging flowerpots, Big Mama is a cozy restaurant with seating for only about 50-ish people. Inside it boasts a lively high-ceiling hall with all four walls covered in eclectic artworks. Below these giant canvases are some darling crayon contributions from the restaurant’s customers.
For a restaurant of its size, Big Mama has a pretty big list of mouthwatering options. Pasta dishes and salads cover several pages of the menu. There’s also pizzas, steaks and other unwritten variations of the pasta dishes that you can tweak by pairing your personal favorite pasta with any sauces available in the kitchen.
There are also a number of creative Italian-Thai tweaks like “Salad Gai Yang”—roasted chicken salad (THB190), “Pizza Tom Yum,” (THB290) and “Pizza Laab Gai” (THB240). My “Salad Gai Yang” (THB190) and the “Big Mama Salad” (THB195) are good options to start with. Both are huge bowls of salad to be shared, just like most of the other orders, which also appear in generous portions.
My gold stars go to the Mama’s Special—“Mussels baked with Garlic and Wine” (THB225) as well as the pretty looking “Black Ravioli of Prawns in Saffron Sauce” (THB250). The mussels are soaked in strong flavors and the ravioli is so juicy it bursts in your mouth.
Other protein dishes include chicken, pork, tuna, and beef steaks which ring in at THB210, THB220, THB290 and THB340 respectively. The usual Italian oven-baked options with cheese (spinach, mushroom, etc.) are all there among many other comfort foods, including calamari (THB190), cheese Balls (THB95), grilled sausages (THB195), and buffalo wings (THB100). With all these choices, it’s hard not to find at least one favorite.
The hippy art around the room brightens up the mood and loosen up any stiff first date. The receipt will not shake you out of your chair. And the food—not to forget wine and desserts—will not disappoint.
Looking around, I saw all kinds of people enjoying jolly feasts. There was a table of tourists—half drunk—enjoying a loud round of drinks; a table of locals hovering over large dishes ordered to share; and a large table of the westerners who seemed to be taking the wine list very seriously. As the name might suggest Big Mama is a place for everyone.
139 Sukhumvit 21 (Asoke soi 1),
Klongtoey Nua, Wattana Bangkok,
Thailand 10110
Open Daily: Mon – Sun: 11:00 am – 11:30 pm
Telephone : 02-2590232
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