Mama's of Corona

Generally, when one thinks of baseball game food, the usual suspects come to mind -- hot dogs, sausage and pepper sandwiches, Cracker Jacks, maybe some nachos, complete with day-glo cheez -- but tucked away in a corner of Shea stadium lies something that puts them all to shame. Mama's of Corona is squirreled away on the third base side on the Field Level of the stadium, and those of us with the cheap seats have to follow a winding path to get there (look for signs for the "Hot Corner"). But upon arrival, deliciousness awaits. In addition to antipasti plates, Mama's offers three varieties of Italian sub, all featuring fresh mozzarella from Leo's Latticini, which shares the same ownership. Our pick for the night was the "Mama's Special," pepper ham, genoa salami, and fresh mozzarella on an Italian roll, with small side containers of roasted peppers and marinated mushrooms. We added a splash of oil and vinegar for good measure.

At $9.50, this sandwich will set you back a bit more than your standard Nathan's dog, but this thing was so huge that we were still full the next day. We could have easily stopped after finishing the first half, but it was so damn tasty we couldn't help ourselves. Mama's also offers a roasted turkey and mozzarella sandwich with gravy, and a mozzarella and roasted vegetable sandwich, both also at $9.50.

Rumor has it that there's a small mama's stand on the mezzanine level as well, but the selections are more limited. We'd recommend grabbing a beer and winding your way to the full shop on the field level. We may never eat a hot dog at Shea again.