Mama's Boy at Winston House Delivers Italian Texas Inspired Dishes

Head to Venice for a unique pop up now housed at Winston House. Diners can walk through the main bar area to the back space with a rectangular seating space, along with more intimate seating upstairs, which overlooks the dance floor.

The menu is Italian with a Southern flair. Michelin star Chef Wes Whitsell fuses his love of both cuisines into comfort dishes with a touch of heat.

We loved the mini veggie and dip appetizer that was provided to all diners.

Guests can start their meal off with the delicious pimento cheese arancini balls with a hot pepper tomato jelly sauce, stuffed mushrooms with cream cheese and green garlic, meatball sliders with Calabrian chili aioli, King Fish crudo, peaches and burrata salad, fried oysters or a lovely simply chopped or avocado Caesar salad.

Whitsell’s “Dad Pies” are thin and crispy and made with Tehachapi grain and perfect if you love a thinner crust pizza. Choose from the Andy with baby broccoli, mushrooms, onions and cashew mozzarella; the Corey with Canadian bacon, artichoke, grilled onion and feta; the Zoie with ham, mozzarella, basil and hot honey’ the Brad Dad with anchovy, mushroom jalapeno and olive; the Jake with mozzarella tomato and basil or the Chef Wes with sausage, mushroom, jalapeno and tomato. All are big enough to share and only $14.

Pastas are equally good and include a lovely Bolognese, spinach ricotta ravioli with lemon butter, smoked brisket agnolotti, manicotti, and a variety of spaghetti with meatballs, eggplant or oil and shrimp. Main courses include trout almondine, chicken parmesan, shrimp and grits and a ribeye steak.

Sides include roasted carrots, blistered sugar snap peas and summer squash.

For dessert, diners can indulge in a delicious root beer float, rice pudding or strawberry shortcake.

There are also some great cocktails and mocktails.

It’s definitely worth a trip to Venice to try out these Italian dishes with a kick.

Mama’s Boy is located inside Winston House at 25 Windward Avenue, open Thursday to Saturday, 6 pm to late. Reservations are available at Open Table.