Experiencing the made-over Mama Della’s

A week has passed since Restaurant: Impossible and chef Robert Irvine came to Baton Rouge to help chef/owner Barry Kalt and his New York-style pizzeria Mama Della’s. So far, business has been booming and the restaurant has had a steady lunch crowd—at least by the looks of its parking lot around 11 a.m.-1 p.m.

The episode is slated to premiere this fall in the show’s eighth season. Details on the episode’s premiere date have not been announced. The show features Irvine working to improve struggling local restaurants in less than 48 hours and with a $10,000 budget.

Though no one from the restaurant can talk to us about last week’s experience with the Food Network reality show, 225 Dine stopped by to see what changes were made to the local business.

Mama Della’s opened in the former Schlotzsky’s location at 8109 Jefferson Highway in February 2012 and Kalt was never shy about doing things his way and using fresh ingredients. However, 225 contributor Jay Ducote speculated on his blog the reason for the Restaurant: Impossible visit might have been the need for help in the overall dining experience.

In this week’s visit to the newly renovated Mama Della’s, there was more life than I had ever seen. We were warmly greeted and told that the restaurant was serving a limited menu (we arrived after the lunch crowd had dissipated).

The inside of the restaurant no longer screams, “I was an old Schlotzsky’s.” There are a few fresh coats of paint as well as new chairs and tables. The old picnic tablecloths are gone. Wallpaper with the Mama Della’s logo has also been utilized in a few places. The bar area, which was formerly an anomaly for patrons, also pops out more thanks to the new paint job.

We ordered a pepperoni pizza with fresh roasted garlic and mushrooms. The wait time was around 10-15 minutes, which isn’t bad at all considering the quality. The slices aren’t as big as they used to be, but they are still hearty and packed with flavor.

Mama Della’s menu has also changed with classic Italian items like Antipasta and Scarpariello chicken pasta dish taking precedence and replacing items like hero sandwiches. There are no more pizza sizes. There is one size of pizza, with about 8 slices per pie. You can add toppings for $2 each on half the pizza, and $4 each on the whole. Six signature pizzas are also available.

In time, we’ll see how Kalt and Irvine worked together to get the restaurant on the right track. Who knows—maybe more improvements will come. However, all signs point to Mama Della’s staying open longer and giving Baton Rougeans something to talk about, especially when it comes to pizza.

For more information on Mama Della’s, click here or call 454-6911. —Matthew Sigur