One of the benefits of having this blog is the occasional need for using it as a reference. What did I eat at xyz in 2016, what was the name of that place in Croatia with the amazing view, when was the last time I was in Rome, etc, etc. But these days, I sometimes forget that I even have a blog to reference. Yesterday at one of my favorite wine shops, I was staring at a certain Hungarian white trying to remember which of the three wines with the same label I enjoyed in a restaurant in East Village. The blog would have given me a big clue.
Alas, it looks like its been 13 years since my last trip to Rome. Much has changed, and much stayed the same. The city is busier than ever. Certain attractions like Trevi Fountain require a small donation to get closer. And pickpocketers are essentially a tourist attraction in itself. Food wise, the usual suspects like Roscioli, Da Cesare al Casaletto, and Armando al Pantheon are still going strong and as popular as ever.
This post could have easily been another “The good, the great, and the eh”, but I think I’ll save that title for Naples. It seems like its becoming a theme lately with dining on vacation. Maybe I’m getting spoiled, but a tough octopus is still a tough octopus. Finding a place in or close to the center where we are not surrounded by tourists turned out to be a difficult task in Rome (proclaims the tourist). But overall we did more than alright.
Our accommodations this time was quite the contrast from our apartment in Trastevere last time. BH hotel in the Castro Pretorio neighborhood was just the right fit. Its a sleepy residential area and an embassy hub, hence sleepy armed guards in many corners. Just a 10 minute walk from Termini, and a 10 minute taxi to the center, although some attractions like Galleria Borghese are within walking distance. Its a small boutique hotel that offers the kind of breakfast found in a lavish 5 star resort, albeit tight quarters.
When in Rome.. we visit as many churches as we can, unlike any place on the planet. Basilica Papale di Santa Maria Maggiore our first stop this time. One of the oldest of the four major papal basilicas in Rome, and a prominent pilgrimage site. The opulence and scale of the place is hard to process, even once inside.
On the way to the Colosseum, we reconnected with Michelangelo’s Moses at Basilica of San Pietro in Vincoli. Its a masterpiece with an oddity if you look closer. Horns. Either Michelangelo was a jokester or the most famous mistranslation in history. When Moses came down from Sinai, his head was radiating according to the bible. In Hebrew “horn” and “radiance” are similar.
Our first food stop was an old timer in Testaccio, Flavio al Velavevodetto. “The Best” according to our taxi driver. They received so many accolades. there’s no more room on the door. They would need to remove a useless Slow Food snail for the rare “Ziggy approved” sticker. With that said, not our favorite of the bunch. Nothing particularly wrong, but nothing really stood out.
We enjoyed cucina povera classics like the Coda alla Vaccinara (oxtail), Amatriciana, and Carbonara (both with rigatoni). Cacio e Pepe was pretty much as expected. The salt level throughout was like “welcome to Roma”. This is not the kind of place where you order a Negroni. Wine all the way, including one of the most complex house whites you’ll ever encounter. A natural, almost orange color, Piana dei Castelli.
While this was not one of our favorite meals in Rome, Testaccio remains one of the best eating neighborhoods. Besides the plethora of old school trattorias, you got the local fave Mercato di Testaccio, and arguably still the best Roman pizzas (super thin crust) in town, Remo. The only reason we didnt pick pizza this time is that we were still full from Naples and Ischia.
The next day we explored the center. All roads actually lead to the Trevi Fountain apparently, as we visited it four times, including three by accident. Whenever we would get there my friend would whisper to me “you gotta be kidding me”. We just knew what’s gonna happen next. 50 more of the same exact pictures the women took three hours ago.
One notable new site for us this time was Basilica of Saint Mary of the Angels and Martyrs. Built on top of ruins of a Roman bath complex. The church was designed by Michelangelo (notice a theme here?). At 86 it was his final architectural masterpiece. Integrating the site with the baths ruins was quite the feat. A unique church to say the least, outside of the tourist radar.
26 year old Hosteria Grappolo D’Oro could have been flawless if I just stayed with the classics. Spaghetti with white ragu and asparagus sounded promising but was fairly flat. Everything else worked. The “I can’t believe this is not meatballs” eggplant and ricotta patties was a hit early on. Better than the boiled meatballs.
The Carbonara was superb. What I liked about it, besides the fact that it wasnt Rigatoni as half of the city seemingly does, it wasnt too salty. That way the guanciale is more appreciated. But the best of show was the red wine braised beef cheeks. Supremely tender and packed with that wine goodness. We skipped dessert for gelato elsewhere.
Rome didnt feel as crowded as Florence, and some other places. Until we arrived at the heart of Trastevere at night. It was like joining a rave, a fun one. Most definitely not the Trastevere we remember. The only other place we experienced crowds was at Trevi Fountain as expected. What was not expected was seeing pickpocketers doing their thing.
The heat in early June meant spending more time in the hotel. This was not the infamous heat wave that terrorized Europe last month, but it was uncomfortable enough to change plans and retire early, before coming back for one final meal. A doozy…
To end another two week trip in Italy, I wanted to pick something different. Something a bit more surgical if you will. A place where I can finally order a Negroni after drinking wine for two weeks. Tribuna Campitelli was just what the doc ordered. It was somewhat of a risk as it opened about a year ago by three young guys, not exactly strangers to high end establishments. The chef worked at Metamorfosi, and the trio own another restaurant. Still, a new place without many reviews.
Our server, I’m guessing, a slightly drunk retired orchestra conductor, didnt speak much English but we managed quite fine, especially in the Negroni department. They dont just have Negroni, they have a negroni section. The one with rose water that the maestro recommended totally spoiled me.
The food was exceptional for the most part. Best bread of the trip set the tone. The lone miss, Calamarata “Mancini” with cooked and raw prawns, lardo and basil looked amazing but missed the mark. Small raw shrimp with no texture and sweetness just don’t do it for me. And the dish as a whole was missing that oomph featured in the rest.
Fettuccine with meat ragu was more like it. Risotto Cacio e Pepe with shrimp and asparagus was even better. And the secondis shined even more, starting with a glorious crispy Faraona. A perfectly cooked fillet was sensational, and the fish I’m told hit the mark. For dessert the pistachio with passion fruit was better than the tiramisu which was oddly frozen in the middle. Recommend!
Eating With Ziggy 