Rome Dining

Day 1

Piazza Navona - After taking the train from Florence to Rome, getting ripped off by a cab driver and checking into our hotel, we needed to cool our heels for a bit. We strolled next door to the Piazza Navona to run the gauntlet of restauranteurs who lay in wait, pouncing on every tourist that wanders past. The guys in the Latin Quarter in Paris have nothing on these hawkers, except that these are Italian, not French, so they are somehow charming, even if they are basically busquers in ties and aprons.

I can't remember the name of the cafe we chose and they didn't accept credit cards, so I don't have a receipt. It doesn't really matter, we chose where to eat based on who had the best seats available, not what was on the printed menus. In the end, we wound up sitting in the front row of tables, closest to the fountains, on a gorgeous late fall afternoon - sunny and 65 degrees, not a cloud in the sky.

We ordered a plate of antipasto and the first two legs of the "Holy Trinity" (red wine and bottled water), leaving the coffee for later. This order would later be repeated everywhere we stopped in Rome.

Generally speaking, this was good antipasto - roasted red peppers, olives, artichoke hearts, proscuitto, fresh mozzarella, a hunk of Parmigiano and a selection of salami. We had fun toying with different combinations, dredging our bread in the olive oil, etc. - forget what our Parents taught us about not playing with our food!

At no point did I feel compelled to find out which butcher had supplied the meat or where else I could find that cheese, but it was all very solid and a completely enjoyable way to pass a few idle hours.

We left Piazza Navona, checked out the Pantheon, then strolled up to Piazza del Popolo to sneak a peak at Caravaggio's Cesari Chapel before heading home past the Spanish Steps.

Romolo nel Giardino della Fornarina - After a nap and a shower, we hopped in a cab and headed across the Tiber to Romolo. Romolo sits in the shadow of Porta Settimiana and is rumored to be the home of Raphael's mistress, "La Fornarina." Today, it boasts several cozy dining rooms and a truly magnificent garden. It was 45 degrees and breezy by the time we got there, so the garden was closed, but we took a tour on our way out. In nicer weather, you would be hard-pressed to find a more peaceful or romantic setting for dinner anywhere in Rome.

We were one of only two tables occupied at 8:00 on a Thursday night. I know that November is the low season and that many people only bother to cross the Tiber to visit the Vatican, but this definitely had us a little bit spooked.

We ordered up a bottle of Lambrusco (why not? we were on vacation), some bottled water and a plate of antipasto to enjoy while we studied the menu. The antipasto was the usual assortment of salami, proscuitto, mozzarella, red peppers, olives and artichokes - nothing really to write home about, but solid.

We ordered wild mushroom risotto, linguine in artichoke sauce, grilled lamb chops and a side of artichokes. It sounds like artichoke overload, but when in Rome. . . The waiter promptly delivered the linguine, but there was no sign of the risotto. He had apparently not heard us order it, so we tucked into the linguine while he went back to get some risotto.

The linguine itself was quite pleasant, but somewhat bland. In an effort to let the artichokes really stand out on their own, the chef had not seasoned it at all. Imagine a blender full of warm artichokes and olive oil poured over a plate of pasta. I appreciate what they were going for, but it wasn't the best.

When the risotto finally arrived, it too was fairly bland. Perhaps our taste buds were shocked from having just come in from Tuscany, but the risotto was little more than a creamy, warm, mushroom-scented pile. Liberal application of salt brought out some of the flavor, but this too was a pretty average dish.

The kitchen got back on track with the arrival of the lamb chops and the artichokes. The chops were prepared medium (my wife and I prefer rare) but were amazingly tasty. Each bite was a delicious mix of crispy outer skin, tender meat in the center, the tang of salt and rosemary and left your mouth coated in delicious fat in the way that only lamb really does - nutty, almost gamey, opulent and not too greasy.

The steamed artichokes were a perfect accompaniment and my wife had to confess that they were very similar to those that she remembers her Grandmother making. Tender on the outside, slightly tough in the center and perfumed with just the right amount of lemon and garlic.

We ordered some coffee and a cab and opted to skip dessert.

Day 2

We began the day with some awful espresso and biscotti in the Piazza Navona and then headed out to Santa Maria della Vittoria. We worked our way back to Piazza Navona through the Quirinale, past the Trevi fountain and then settled into a lovely little outdoor patio between our hotel and the Piazza Navona.

Santa Lucia - Santa Lucia is nestled into a shady grove just next to the Hotel Raphael. It sits in a little triangle that was formed where the Roman street grid meets the curve of the Piazza Navona. We ordered the usual bottles of water and red wine and then shared an Antipasto and Spinach Ravioli in red sauce.

The antipasto was an elaborate affair that combined the usual red peppers, artichokes, proscuitto, olives, etc. with white anchovies, steamed shrimp a seafood salad and grilled squid. All of the seafood dishes were tossed in an olive oil and vinegar mixture, like a rough Italian cerviche.

The ravioli were actually spinach pasta (green) filled with ricotta cheese and covered in a light tomato sauce. The pasta was so fresh that it melted in your mouth and the filling was delightfully and uniformly creamy - not in the least bit grainy. The sauce was pure tomato - light, fresh and not at all overpowering. If we had another free night in Rome, I may have tried dinner at Santa Lucia - lunch was very impressive.

We grabbed a few espressos and the bill before heading out to meet our tour guide for the afternoon.

After an afternoon tour of the antiquities, that included the Colosseum, the Forum Romanum, the Capitoline Hill, Trajan's Markets, etc. we retired to the roof top bar at the Hotel Raphael.

Raphael rooftop - This is one of the few places in Rome where you can get a panoramic view of the city. We arrived just before sunset and settled down with a bottle of Vino Nobile de Montepulciano to rest our feet and take in the scenery. The waiter brought us a complimentary plate of lettuce/proscuitto finger sandwiches as well as bowls of pistachios and crisps.

We were staying at the Raphael, so it was easy, but no matter where you are staying in Rome, you should make it up there for sunset. What could be a better end to a day in the eternal city than enjoying a glass of wine while the sky turns to orange, then pink, then fades to pale blue and eventually black, with the entire city spread out below you?

Ambasciatta d'Abruzze - For dinner, we headed out to Ambasciatta. The current version of this old Abruzze restaurant offers two dining options: a la carte and all you can eat. It is still very much a locals-only place, but the demographics are different than I remember (from 15 years ago). Today, the place is overrun with 20-something Romans in search of cheap eats and a jumping off point before they head out on the town.

After lunch at Santa Lucia and a snack on the roof at the Raphael, we opted to dine a la carte. We ordered Mixed Salami, Antipasto Fritti (risotto balls, meatballs and tomato crostini), Linguine Carciofi, Tonnarelli d' Abruzzo, Calamari alla griglia and a Lamb Chop. This sounds like a mountain of food, but it was quite manageable.

The salami arrived as a half dozen hunks of various sausages on a paper towel. The antipasto fritti were similarly plated with no care to presentation. Within the salami assortment were some heavily peppered morsels, some that resembled blood pudding, a greasy red, spicy version that reminded me of chorizo and a very mild version that was reminiscent of the genoa salami we get here in the States.

The antipasto fritti was far better. The risotto ball (yes, they only brought one, even though they knew we were sharing) was a great mix of cheese and risotto tossed in a fryer and reminiscent of suppli. The meatball (yes, that is singular) was also very good - light and airy, with just a hint of bread filler. The tomato crostini reminded me of a Catalan Pan Tomate - a crust of bread smothered in olive oil and fresh tomato.

The Linguine Carciofi was a rich mixture of proscuitto and artichoke hearts in a garlic cream sauce. The garlic was a little overwhelming, but in spite of it and the proscuitto, the artichoke flavor really came through. The folks at Romolo should take note.

The Tonnarelli d' Abruzzo was thick, twisted pasta in a spicy tomato based sauce with bits of bacon and green peas. The inclusion of the peas was a bit odd, but all-in, this was a hearty, spicy, stick-to-your-ribs pasta dish.

Rounding out the meal, we had the grilled squid and the lamb chop. The squid were fairly good - simply tossed on the grill and garnished with lemon. The lamb chop was a disappointment. It was cooked within an inch of its life and was both tough and very fatty.

We settled up our bill quickly and called a cab, anxious to hit the door before the chef noticed that we hadn't finished everything.

Day 3

We spent the entire morning and early afternoon in the Vatican, finally returning to Piazza Navona around 2:30 for lunch.

Tres Scalini - We chose Tres Scalini the same way we chose all of our Piazza Navona dining options - sit at whichever restaurant has the best seats available. We ordered the requisite water and red wine and then Tortellini al Tartufo and Penne Arabiatica.

This was the first time I really felt like a tourist in Rome. The "al tartufo" was so clearly out of a jar that I was tempted to say something. After eating fresh truffles all over Italy for a week, the canned variety was laughably bland and limp. A healthy shot of garlic gave the dish some backbone, but it was still a pretty sad dish.

Likewise, my penne arabiatica was thin, runny and disappointing. The spice was there, for sure, but it couldn't mask a watered-down tomato sauce and penne the consistency of cardboard. It reminded me of the pasta we were served in the cafeteria in college, which we all doused in red pepper flakes in an attempt to manufacture some flavor in it. We finished up quickly and headed across the street for gelato.

I ordered one chocolate for my wife and one pistachio for myself. The incredibly rude attendant proceeded to place alternating layers of chocolate and pistachio gelato in the same cup. He wouldn't admit his mistake and take it back, so we paid and stormed out.

The gelato itself was icy and grainy. What a nightmare. Avoid it at all costs.

After a nap, we caught a cab to the Borghese gallery in time to catch the two-hour window on our admission ticket. Too many people leave Rome without making a trip out to the Borghese because it is rather far a field and requires reservations. Do not miss this museum.

We strolled around the museum and then walked out through the gardens and around the Parioli district. Arriving early for our reservation at Al Ceppo, we killed time with a few Proseccos in the Hungarian Cafe just down the street.

Al Ceppo - This has the feel of a neighborhood restaurant. You walk into a tiny bar area and off to the right, the chef is busy grilling a wide assortment of meats over the restaurant's massive wood burning fireplace. The low, timbered ceiling and smoke from the fire wrap you in a blanket of comfort and familiarity. The patrons are almost exclusively wealthy residents of the parioli and nary a word of English is spoken - even by the waiters.

We ordered the Antipasto and a bottle of Vino Nobile de Montepulciano while we used the dictionary in the back of our tour guide to translate parts of the menu. We are pretty adventurous eaters, but I still want to know if I am ordering tenderloin or lung. We eventually decided on sharing the fettuccine carbonara and the grilled tenderloin.

The Antipasto was delicious - even by standards that had been climbing every day since arriving in Rome. Beautifully soft and creamy mozzarella, intensely flavorful sausages and rich, concentrated roasted peppers.

The pasta arrived next. As soon as it rounded the corner, I could smell the truffles. This was the cleanest, purest carbonara I have ever seen. Forget the creamy, pasty white sauce that passes for carbonara in the states. This was fettuccine tossed with pancetta, raw egg yolk and shaved black truffles. The salt from the pancetta gave it a sturdy backbone while the truffles reverberated through the egg and pork fat. The wide, soft fettuccine absorbed the egg yolk and created mouth feel similar to a big bite of bread pudding. This was heaven in a dish. Several times, my wife and I each put our forks down and just stared at our plates in awe.

Before bringing out the pasta, the waiter noticed that we intended to share each dish and without being asked, had the kitchen split the dish for us. I think my wife was most thankful for this because without the artificial boundary of separate plates, I would have happily mowed down far more than my pro rata share of this amazing dish.

As we basked in the afterglow of the pasta, we caught our breath and enjoyed a bit of wine.

Eventually the tenderloin arrived - perfectly rare slices of meat astride a pile of rosemary roasted potatoes and dressed in olive oil. The meat itself was seasoned in salt and pepper and seared over the open wood fire. The exterior was crisp and flavorful while the center stayed rare and tender. This was an amazingly good piece of meat.

The accompanying potatoes were tossed with fresh rosemary and roasted in what appeared to be pan drippings. This effect was accentuated by plating the potatoes under the slices of tenderloin to enable even more jus to be absorbed.

This was the best meal we had in Rome by a wide margin - and perhaps the best meal of the trip. There were no tricks, no gimmicks, just incredibly fresh ingredients, expertly prepared. In looking back at my notes, I doubt any dish had more than four ingredients. At 122 Euro, it was also a very good value (roughly $70 per person).

Now you have two reasons to go to the Parioli district - the Borghese museum and Al Ceppo. Both deserve a spot in your itinerary next to the Pantheon and St. Peter's.

Tres Scalini - After dinner, we went for one last stroll through the Piazza Navona and grabbed gelato at Tres Scalini (the site of this afternoon's pasta disaster). We ordered our usual flavors (chocolate and pistachio) which were both excellent. This was the best gelato we had in Rome and a fitting end to our stay.