Eats: Paris - Vol. 2, Paris, France

No matter how near or far you are from home, a recommendation for a good restaurant or bar is always nice to have. EATS is a collection of places that I’ve enjoyed during my travels.

I found Ober Mama by accident and glad I did. Very glad. First by its kitschy name and proximity to the trendy Marias neighborhood. Then by the stunning photos and reviews online and finally by its oh-so-amazing menu of fresh seasonal pastas, Neapolitan-style pizza and clever cocktails, including make your own Negroni. Sold. I’m clearly not the only one who experienced this love-at-first-sight feeling, as I read rumors about a line wrapping around the block as opening time approaches each night (the restaurant does not take reservations - first come, first seated). We arrived about 15-20 minutes early and joined the crowd of hungry people vying to snag a table. At 7pm on the dot the waitstaff threw open the doors with a big, boisterous “Buona sera!” And somehow after all of the build-up, luck smiled upon us and we were seated by 7:15pm.

Ober Mamma’s interior is eclectic chic, with a gorgeous marble and copper bar offset by big antique mirrors, mismatched furnishings, painted ceramic plates. After ordering cocktails we set out to tackle the food menu (which proudly boasts that everything is homemade with products sourced directly from Italy), starting with a burrata caprese salad consisting of tomatoes in a variety of shapes, sizes and colors topped with ooey, gooey cheese, pine nuts and a drizzle of pesto. We followed this with a Margherita pizza (the only true way to judge the quality of a restaurant’s pizza) and Ober Mamma’s “famous” truffle pasta. Needless to say, the food was sublime (no room for dessert, although we wish we had after watching tiramisu be served from a casserole dish by the scoopful to the table next to us), the service was laid back and the overall experience is definitely worth the wait. ...... (follow the instructions below for accessing the rest of this article).