At Table
Mama's on Dauphin
By M.B.T. Gastronome
Mama’s on Dauphin is a favorite place for lunch. The location is convenient, the serving staff is friendly and the food is very good. It is a “down home” place.
I have two routines when I go to Mama’s. First, I always order the lunch special of the day. I find this to be more appealing than the other offerings. Second, I usually go on Monday, Wednesday or Thursday, because that is when my favorite dishes are served. Each day features three lunch special choices. My favorites are the chicken dishes, although I am certain other dishes are excellent as well. A hint, though. An insider once whispered to me not to order the chicken and dumplings, so I haven’t.
One of the Monday and Wednesday specials is fried chicken and it is fried and seasoned quite well. It is not the best fried chicken I have eaten, but it is the best I have had in Mobile. The absolute best fried chicken was prepared by my Dad who had the right touch and the right seasonings. I can still see him standing over that gas stove with the black cast iron skillet and just enough oil to cover half of the chicken at a time. Mama’s is close behind. Insofar as Mobile is concerned, the next best place for fried chicken is Dick Russell’s. Coming in third is Cracker Barrel’s Sunday special.
For my Thursday special, I choose the baked chicken. It is equally as good as the fried chicken and, I suspect, a more healthy fare. It is prepared and seasoned just right and is usually fall-off-the-bones tender. Second best baked chicken in Mobile is Dick Russell’s on the Sundays when it is offered.
The side dishes at Mama’s are very good also. There is a good selection and, like the chicken, the sides are properly seasoned and served in adequate portions.
I have tried other lunch places on Dauphin. From Mama’s location in the 200 block of Dauphin, there is a little place down Dauphin in the direction of Royal and a larger spot up Dauphin near the square, neither of which compares to Mama’s. The buffet line at the little place is not convenient and, although the food is okay, it is not as good as Mama’s. Women tend to like the larger spot, but the menu was not designed with men in mind. Besides, what man in his right mind likes flavored iced tea? I can’t decide if flavored iced tea is sacrilegious, unpatriotic, or both. I do know this. It is offensive to a real man.
And did I mention the banana pudding at Mama’s? As Tony the Tiger might say, “It is GRRRRRREAT!”
One more positive about Mama’s. It is a good place to pick up a copy of Lagniappe, a publication which approaches the Mobile Bay Times insofar as good information is concerned.
Where next? Tentative plans are to make it to one of the full service restaurants in west Mobile. I’ll let you know.
(Editor's note: Our pseudonymous gourmand dines at his own expense; remains anonymous to all; reports only on those restaurants he frequents in the regular course of life, primarily reasonably priced places. However, he does splurge on occasion.)
