Mamma Monica brings her passion for cooking and extraordinary food from Italy to Parker County with a simple slogan : ‘ Food is Love !’
SEPTEMBER 2017 PARKER COUNTY TODAY our taste : MAMA MONICA ’ S RESTAURANT AND CATERING
34
Food Is Love
BY MISTY BROWNING
Monica Russo , or as she is known in Parker County , “ Mamma Monica ,” opened her first restaurant a year ago just south of Parker County near the Brazos River . Since then , it has become the go-to place for Italian food lovers who want to experience old-world cooking in their own backyard .
Although Mamma Monica ’ s has only been open for a short while , selling her pasta in the “ Cutting Horse Capital of the World ” has been a longtime dream of hers and her son , Davide Facincani .
Russo , who is originally from Verona , in the North East of Italy , in 1998 opened an Agri-Tourism business , restaurant and room like a little ‘ Locanda ’ with a fantastic view on the Garda Lake . It became so popular that it was publicized in Karen Brown Bed and Breakfast .
But it was her traveling to the United States with her magazine and her son , and his dream of being a cutting horse trainer that took Monica from Italy to Weatherford .
“ I started when my son was 8 years old ,” explained Russo . “ I had a monthly magazine named Western Side that I owned and edited in Italy about the western horse . I was spending one month a year interviewing the best trainers and breeders . My son was with me and while we were here , we were following the NCHA in Fort Worth . He [ my son ] told me that when he was an old man , he wanted to be a cutting horse trainer . I told him that I can help you , but you have to come and live in Weatherford because it was [ is ] the capital of cutting horses , and I will come follow you and sell my lasagna .”
Now her son is 31 , a cutting horse trainer , and working with the best trainers in the business , while Russo continues to make her fresh , fromscratch Italian dishes . Russo loves it in Weatherford and living in the country .
“ I knew that Weatherford was the place I wanted to open the first Mamma Monica ’ s . I love having my restaurant in [ the ] country because I love the outside and the animals .” Mamma Monica ’ s traditional Italian dishes are made with mostly American ingredients , but also with chesses and oils from back home that you can only get from Italy .
“ We make the food from scratch every day , and leave them with a feeling of the good food ,” she said .
Russo considers herself a work-inprogress by continuing her education in the culinary arts . She just recently finished a few months at the CAST Alimenti , la Scuola di Cucina , not
Mamma Monica brings her passion for cooking and extraordinary food from Italy to Parker County with a simple slogan : ‘ Food is Love !’
Mamma Monica Family and Staff : from left Katie Bree Facincani daughter in love , Davide Facincani the son , Lindy Burch friend and godmother of Mamma Monica , Monica Russo , Josè de Jesus the ‘ best Sous Chef ever ’, Zeno Russo brother .
far from Milan , to learn how to make fresh pasta . Now , she ’ s ready to take what she learned and create for her customers all her delicious dishes .
Mamma Monica ’ s also caters events , with their most recent job being at the Will Rogers Coliseum in Fort Worth for the NCHA , along with an open concession at the venue for other events . The restaurant doesn ’ t plan to stop there , with plans to create pick-up-and-go flash freeze meals for people to enjoy in the comfort of their own homes .
Whether you eat it at a catered event , in the comfort of your home , or at their restaurant , you will be transported to Italy and experience the best food that Mamma Monica has to offer . See why , to her , food is , indeed , love .
For more information about Mamma Monica ’ s , go to http :// mammamonica . com
our taste: MAMA MONICA’S RESTAURANT AND CATERING
Food Is Love
BY MISTY BROWNING
M
34
onica Russo, or as she is known
in Parker County, “Mamma
Monica,” opened her first restaurant a
year ago just south of Parker County
near the Brazos River. Since then, it
has become the go-to place for Italian
food lovers who want to experience
old-world cooking in their own back-
yard.
Although Mamma Monica’s has
only been open for a short while,
selling her pasta in the “Cutting
Horse Capital of the World” has been
a longtime dream of hers and her
son, Davide Facincani.
Russo, who is originally from
Verona, in the North East of Italy, in
1998 opened an Agri-Tourism busi-
ness, restaurant and room like a little
‘Locanda’ with a fantastic view on
the Garda Lake. It became so popular
that it was publicized in Karen Brown
Bed and Breakfast.
But it was her traveling to the
United States with her magazine and
her son, and his dream of being a
cutting horse trainer that took Monica
from Italy to Weatherford.
“I started when my son was 8
years old,” explained Russo. “I had
a monthly magazine named Western
Side that I owned and edited in
Italy about the western horse. I
was spending one month a year
interviewing the best trainers and
breeders. My son was with me
and while we were here, we were
following the NCHA in Fort Worth.
He [my son] told me that when he
was an old man, he wanted to be a
cutting horse trainer. I told him that I
can help you, but you have to come
and live in Weatherford because it
was [is] the capital of cutting horses,
and I will come follow you and sell
my lasagna.”
Mamma Monica
brings her passion
for cooking and
extraordinary food
from Italy to
Parker County with
a simple slogan:
‘Food is Love!’
Mamma Monica Family and Staff: from left Katie Bree Facincani daughter in love, Davide
Facincani the son, Lindy Burch friend and godmother of Mamma Monica, Monica Russo,
Josè de Jesus the ‘best Sous Chef ever’, Zeno Russo brother.
Now her son is 31, a cutting horse
trainer, and working with the best
trainers in the business, while Russo
continues to make her fresh, from-
scratch Italian dishes. Russo loves
it in Weatherford and living in the
country.
“I knew that Weatherford was
the place I wanted to open the first
Mamma Monica’s. I love having my
restaurant in [the] country because I
love the outside and the animals.”
Mamma Monica’s traditional
Italian dishes are made with mostly
American ingredients, but also with
chesses and oils from back home that
you can only get from Italy.
“We make the food from scratch
every day, and leave them with a
feeling of the good food,” she said.
Russo considers herself a work-in-
progress by continuing her education
in the culinary arts. She just recently
finished a few months at the CAST
Alimenti, la Scuola di Cucina, not
far from Milan, to learn how to make
fresh pasta. Now, she’s ready to take
what she learned and create for her
customers all her delicious dishes.
Mamma Monica’s also caters
events, with their most recent job
being at the Will Rogers Coliseum in
Fort Worth for the NCHA, along with
an open concession at the venue for
other events. The restaurant doesn’t
plan to stop there, with plans to
create pick-up-and-go flash freeze
meals for people to enjoy in the
comfort of their own homes.
Whether you eat it at a catered
event, in the comfort of your home,
or at their restaurant, you will be
transported to Italy and experience
the best food that Mamma Monica
has to offer. See why, to her, food is,
indeed, love.
For more information about Mamma
Monica’s, v�F�*�GG���������6�6�