Mama Z?s Cafe: Good Food and Scenery

343 Henry De Tonti

Tontitown

We recently loaded up for lunch and headed for a scenic sojourn along Arkansas Highway 112 to Mama Z’s Cafe in Tontitown. From either Bentonville or Fayetteville, it’s a relaxing 15-minute drive past vineyards, horse and cattle farms, and rolling green pastures. With the delights of Edna Zulpo’s kitchen still filling our noses and bellies, the ride home passed as care-free as a tour of the Tuscan countryside.

We can’t remember the last time our group laughed and lingered so long after a lunch. We could have eaten and left quickly, but the conversation and Mama Z’s homemade Italian cooking were too pleasurable to rush. So we sat for a little while and digested both.

Fun meals like this almost always start with a smart waitress, and such was the case during this Friday lunch hour. Her wit and friendliness were as warm as the made-from-scratch rolls that accompanied our meals.

The decor is simple and the atmosphere is light. Probably the most striking visual at Mama Z’s is the colorful menus that feature a vineyard theme and 22 easy-to-read entrees. Too many restaurants these days have obnoxious menus that only serve to confuse customers. Ross Marketing in Rogers should be commended for the menu design.

We received our traditional Italian salads and bread crisps in quick fashion. Then the main course arrived to a chorus of “Mmms” and “Ahhs.” Even the most critical dilettante in our party of six described her lasagna plate ($7) as “very good and filling.”

Two men ordered Mama Z’s spaghetti and fried chicken, available in large ($8) and small orders ($6.50), and were not disappointed. The large dish comes with three pieces of chicken (choice of white or dark meat) and a heaping portion of spaghetti with meat sauce. One of the men whined briefly that his white meat came with a breast and a wing; he considers the latter a throwaway piece.

But he loved the chicken and declared the spaghetti and meat sauce “the best in Northwest Arkansas.” Both men agreed that Mama Z’s meat sauce should come with this label for competitors who might try to duplicate its deep flavor: “Warning: Fahgetaboutit.”

Another diner tried Mama Z’s special Italian plate ($8), which she thought had the best presentation on the table. The pasta bowl overflowed with hearty portions of spaghetti and meat sauce, chicken- and Parmesan-stuffed ravioli, and two large Italian meatballs.

She especially loved the homemade noodles, but she couldn’t finish the meal and plans to order the smaller version next time.

The only problem was when the call for dessert came: We were all too full to answer. The blackberry and peach cobblers smelled good, though.

We suggest stocking up on it during your next noon road trip.