One of the books I read in preparation for this visit said that Rome is a city where one does not eat to live, but lives to eat! Perhaps this is correct! Here is a small sample of its restaurants that we were able to go to – many on our first choice were not available at this time of the year – Christmas and New-Year!
Piccolo Arancio (vicolo Scanderberg, 112); dinner, Dec 29. Recommended by the hotel (Daphne Inn), in lieu of the Locanda Barberini where they had made a booking initially. 5-minute walk from the hotel (strange street name for Italy!). We were introduced to Jewish-Roman cuisine with boiled and deep-fried artichokes and our first carbonara (penne) of the visit. Not disappointed, although we thought the carbonara was a bit too salty…We also savored our first bottle of Lazio wine (a red from Casale Della Ioria). The place is located on a side street and has no pretension! Hotel had made reservations but had to wait – the joint (I would say sitting no more than 30 people, which seems to be the average size of places we lunched or dined at during our séjour!) was totally packed, and people waiting outside!
Roscioli (Via dei Giubbonari 21/25); lunch, Dec 30. This was a suggestion that came from Downie’s Food Wine Rome (p. 91). Well written-up: he describes it as an “oddball. A crossover food and wine boutique”. It’s a small place for sure (better make reservations!) but pretty upscale I would say. It used to be a salami shop and it is still a shop (meat and cheese) at the front, with a few tables at the back. Well located, in between Campo de’ Fiori and the Ghetto. Cynthia had the amatricana, which is a classic; and it was delicious! I also had a classic: La carbonara (spaghettone) – in retrospect, probably the best carbonara of the visit, and it is apparently also known as one of the best, if not the best, in Rome! (Strangely, the menu also lists a hamburger!) Good bread and croustilles as well! We shared and excellent tiramisu (light) for dolce, with a coffee. Very good and friendly server – no annoying attitude! The wine was a Silene 2010 (cesavere superior) from Damiano Cioli, in the commune of Olevano Romano, Lazio.
La Buca di Ripetta (Via Ripetta, 36); dinner Dec 30. One of the hotel’s recommendations (“an old favourite amongst Roman locals, it offers its clients an elegant setting with a warm and homey ambiance. They specialize in typical Roman specialties, while also offering some slightly refined dishes that allow them to keep up with present-day culinary innovations. The restaurant’s chefs on a daily basis prepare by hand most of their pastas, all their bread, and they also place a special day-to-day emphasis on obtaining only the freshest meats and fish”). For this third meal, no antipasti and no pasta that I recall; just meat and vegetables: stuffed lamb with mint, accompanied by cicoria di campo, for Cynthia, and veal with spinach for me, with a bottle of red (Torraccia from Lazio region). No dessert; just coffee for me. Not particularly remarkable. Don’t think we would go back…
Enoteca Corsi (Via del Gesu 87/88); lunch December 31. Identified in David Downie’s Food Wine Rome (p. 125) as “the real thing” among the 100 or so trendy wine bars around Rome nowadays! The simple décor of an “osteria” has been kept – wooden tables with paper mats – that matches the simple food - we both had the “plat du jour”, a white lasagna made of ricotta and pesto, with a glass of local red wine (the day’s pour, a Montepulciano d'Abruzzo’s region). Had coffee and dessert somewhere else though (nearby Sant’Eustachio), as we were suggested to do so! Honest and cheap – very recommendable!.
Il Brillo Parlante (via Fontanella 132): Dinner, December 31. The hotel booked us for the second service of the night at 10:30 – recommended near Piazza del Popolo where the arrival of the New Year is celebrated (On a street behind Piazza del Popolo, il Brillo Parlante is a typical Roman eatery where you’ll find well-prepared traditional Roman specialties, grilled meats, delicious home-made desserts, and a wine cellar which boasts over 400 labels of wine from all regions of Italy, France, and other parts of the world”). Special menu for the event. We had Buffalo cheese and prosciutto for antipasti, and for primi, orecchiette pasta (can’t remember at what sauce, but Cynthia said it was very good!) and carborana pasta (not so good – without much savor!) with a Sicilian red wine (Nero d'Avola from the Lamuri winery)…Not particularly impressed…perhaps because it was New Year’s Eve, and everything was a bit too contrived…
L’ Archeologia (Via Appia Antica 139): Lunch, January 1. Commented on in Downie’s Food Wine Rome (p. 333-4). Beautiful décor and very upscale; very warm atmosphere, with fireplace and all! We chose to sit “outside” (which is outside but, really, well covered and warm!) Special menu for the day (2013 New Year Day). Shared our meals with Paolo Cherici (a colleague at SIAE) and his wife Ria (Dutch) (they spent the day with us, biking along Via Appia Antica – they also lived not too far from there) and ended up, for antipasti, with artichoke paste in a white sauce, ham (of a high quality – I wish I would remember!) with a white wine (Frascati Superior) from Poggio Verde in the town of Frascati, Lazio; and for main courses, paccheri, ravioli with Tomato sauce and a red wine: Casale del Giglio, (Madrelesva), 2008 from Lazio region equally. Plus dolce and coffee. A fine meal and quite a recommendable place!
Cul de Sac (Piazza Pasquino 73): Dinner, January 1.Recomended in my readings (Rome – Wallpaper guide) and by the hotel. Just off Piazza Pavone. They apparently don’t take reservations (that night, anyway), but hotel called nonetheless to get a reservation “ticket” which allowed us to wait outside (the place is that small!) not too long. Not hungry for a full meal – so just had an assortment of meats and cheeses, along with a glass of red wine (cesanese grapes) from Lazio. Not disappointed and heard many good comments from people coming out of the place while we were waiting to get in. Stopped nearby at Sant’Eustachio for a last “Roman coffee”!
Rome, January 2, 2013
