This long-standing restaurant seems to have the Midas touch. Most nights, its closely-set tables are jam packed with diners, forcing the crowds to spill outside and fill the little garden terrace out front. Food purists may well scratch their heads at the popularity, especially when they see a menu that has pizza larb gai (topped with chopped chicken and Thai herbs) and a spaghetti kee mao (B180) that bizarrely comes served covered with pizza dough. Indeed, it’s pretty easy to be a little snobbish about the whole place. Even the décor, although definitely cozy, is also unreservedly kitsch, with its paintings curated to match the space’s vibrant colors. But the truth is no one really cares, because right or wrong, Big Mama obviously gives people what they want: affordable comfort food that is perfectly flavored to suit the palates of Bangkokians. Take the pizza Parma ham (B290); it’s big, affordable and though the dough is too floury, it has a decent crust and a slightly sweet-and-tangy tomato base. Just like most of dishes here, it reminds us of our home cooking: decent, hearty just not necessarily the most refined. That means a Greek salad (B180) that’s got ample portions of a salty feta cheese and a decent dressing; or bruschetta (B95), which is generous with its fresh tomato topping but comes with rather limp garlic-slathered bread. None of it is that bad—well except maybe for the very doughy-tasting sausage ravioli (B220) swimming in an acidic and salty lemon sauce—it’s just not that great either. The aforementioned spaghetti kee mao for example, is bursting with intense flavors and crispy vegetables but it is also an incredibly heavy dish we struggle to finish. You’ll certainly never complain about leaving Big Mama’s hungry—and in the chocolate sauce covered deserts (like the tiramisu), you’ll never have to worry about your blood sugar levels. If you relish salty, sweet, comforting and cheap Italian-Thai fusion dishes, come to Mama. If you’re looking for a taste of Rome, keep walking: Pala is just around the corner.
