Italian in Kirkland: Round 1 - Mama Lucia's

Are you looking for the finest pasta on the Eastside? How about some real, old country eggplant parm or chicken picatta? Kirkland boasts a trio of restaurants that proudly fly the green, white, and red flag. But which is best you may ask? Over the course of the next three weeks the Seattlest will sample the best of all three Italian-themed restaurants located in the heart of downtown Kirkland : Mama Lucia's, Ristorante Paradiso, and Calabria.

First up, Mama Lucia's, which sits in the Kirkland Parkplace shopping center right near QFC and Starbucks. While at dinner a few weeks ago, we recently overheard the manager telling a couple of frequent diners that the restaurant will be expanding and construction is underway to develop the retail space next door, which the boarded up storefront will verify. If all goes as planned, it sounded as if the expansion would be complete sometime this year.

The lengthy menu has traditional pasta classics, mouthwatering entrees, and a large selection of California-style pizzas. If you don't get swollowed whole by the large food menu, the wine list has only a handful of selections – all true to the American/Italian style. Each time we've dined at Mama's, the hearty foods (canelloni, lasagna, pizza, and a huge selection of other pasta dishes), friendly service and cozy ambiance give you plenty of reasons to visit during the dark, dreary days associated with Seattle's winter months. Recently, we split a Caterina pizza, a huge pie with mozzarella, spinach, goat cheese and tomato sauce. It's big enough for dinner plus two days worth of cold pizza for breakfast.

Mama Lucia's wins by creating an experience you'd have in a small, Italian trattoria, slightly off the well-beaten tourist path. It's comfy, warm, and the service is most excellent.