Mezze Maniche Zucca e Zucchine

I have the feeling there's a little pumpkin strategically positioned as a decorative element on a table somewhere in your home. Like me, you simply couldn't resist buying the sweet little thing. It is autumn after all and a pumpkin or two lying around the house is a cozy quintessential country style detail.

Once the thing starts picking up dust and you keep shoving it out of the way, it's probably high time to cook something with it. And not pumpkin soup (I've made pumpkin soup so many times already, I really don't think I could stomach another bowl).

Here's a terrifically easy recipe for pasta with zucchine and pumpkin which never fails to impress. It's delicious! I wouldn't have imagined that these two vegetables could so lusciously complement each other. Any shaped pasta will do for this recipe, but the mezze maniche ('half sleeves', they're fat ribbed tubes) do seem to be just right.

500gr mezze maniche

500gr chopped Japanese (Hok) pumpkin

8 fresh zucchine, julienned (they should be very fresh!)

1 garlic clove, halved

1 small scamorza, diced (or other soft cheese of choice)

100gr parmigiano

salt to taste

a little milk

hot chili powder

marjoram, a few fresh leaves

Place the pumpkin in a saucepan with a few tbspns milk and simmer until tender (or place in microwave). Pureè with pinch salt and parmigiano to taste (about 3 tbspns).

Gently sweat the garlic in a few tbspns olive oil using a heavy wide pan. Add the zucchine and fry VERY gently for a few minutes to soften, adding salt & chili to taste.

Cook the pasta in salted water, strain VERY al dente, toss with the zucchine in the fry-pan, add the pumpkin and cook for a few more minutes. Add the scamorza and gently poke into the pasta to melt slightly. Remove from heat and add more parmigiano (thickly grated).

Serve with marjoram leaves.

A Foodies' Guide to Markets in Rome

Rome's Best 6 Fresh Food Markets



Rome has around 130 official and closely monitored neighbourhood markets known as 'mercati rionali'. Some are quite large taking up an entire block. Others are small, some just the size of a small greengrocer's or even just a few stalls crowded into a narrow lane. The foodie lurking in you will be positively delighted by the sights, sounds and heady smells of these animated morning markets.

Haggling is not the done thing. You will just have to settle for the generosity of the vendors who often shove extra pieces of fruit or some 'odori', or herbs, into your bag. What they give you is a fragrant bunch of basil, parsley and rosemary and some celery, a carrot, a potato, an onion or two, thereby assuming that everyone plans to go home and cook up a soup or a sauce.

If you're reading a guidebook, it will no doubt tout the market at Campo Dei Fiori. It is certainly picturesque, situated as it is in one of Rome's most graceful squares but unfortunately, it has over the years gained a reputation for being an overpriced, understocked and unfriendly market for the elite. There are many other markets in Rome which offer far more variety, abundance, value and a truly unforgettable Italian food experience.

To really appreciate the extraordinary vitality, colour and sheer fun of the morning ritual, take time to delve a little further into some other quartieri where the earthy Roman dialect is at its most vocal and where people are usually very vivacious and upbeat. Romans are by nature noticeably good humoured and welcoming and nowhere is this more evident than in these mercati rionali.

The markets are all open mornings only until 1.30 or 2pm although Mercato Italia is experimenting with all day Fridays. Monday is usually the slowest day and Saturday the busiest. Sundays closed.


Huge fresh porcini mushrooms, note comparison with fist grasping the crate!


Testaccio - Piazza Testaccio
Top of my list for tradition, freshness, colour and feel good factor. One stall sells ONLY tomatoes (very pricey ones) and one of the fish vendors is reportedly Marcello Mastroianni's cousin. Vendors pride themselves on selling mainly local products and some have been there 30-50 years. Testaccio is home to the Rome Soccer Club and you will find Totti, the team's star player, proudly displayed in photos and newspaper clippings throughout the stalls.

Violet aubergines from Latina


Bologna - Piazza Dei Vespri Siciliani
Located at the end of my street, a very friendly market, lots of colour and plenty of farmers who travel to Rome daily from their farms.


Italia - Via Catania 70
In a busy student neighbourhood, plenty of variety. There is a little fresh pasta store over the road celebrated for its unique tortellini and ravioli.


Zucchine blossoms still in abundance in early October


Nomentano - Piazza Alessandria
One of the city's major bustling markets in a boutique area.


Esquilino - Via Turati (known as Mercato Piazza Vittorio)
This is where you'll go if you're planning an Indian banquet or Chinese stir-fry. Here you will find all those difficult to find ingredients, besides the usual Italian fruit, veggies and seafood.


Proud of their salami at La Montagnola


La Montagnola - Via Pico Della Mirandola
Crowded and inexpensive, great vibe.


Prickly pears hanging on tightly to their cactus blade



The following mercati are very centrally located near all the main tourist sites:

Trastevere - Piazza San Cosimato
Not vast but in nearby Via Natale Del Grande you'll find many delis

Campo Dei Fiori
Always first with 'primizie', early seasonal fruit and vegetables. Plenty of 'frutta esotica' as well.... at twice the price of l'Esquilino Market. The Campo is lined with bars so you can watch all the activity whilst seated at a coffee table.

Campo Marzio - Piazza Delle Coppelle
An initimate little piazza, supposedly the location of Caravaggio's studio, where produce is displayed with obvious pride and flair.

Farmer's Market - ex-Mattatoio di Testaccio
Open Sat and Sun mornings until December. Here you'll find farmers from all over Lazio neatly displaying their specialties. You can taste olive oil, delicious cheese and the same morning's ricotta, honey, wine, fruit and more. Stallholders change weekly.

Gelato Celebrates Autumn Harvest

For all of you passionate about gelato, or food and flavour lovers in general, here is something delicious to do this weekend. As part of a City of Rome promotion, 'La Campagna in Citta', on 3th and 4th October, 5 gelaterie in Rome will be serving specially prepared gelati featuring selected high quality seasonal fruit, mainly from orchards in the nearby Castelli Romani hills which you can clearly see from many parts of the city.

One of the fruits being used in this initiative is the very distinctive 'pizzutello' grape, a white oval-shaped grape with peculiar pointy ends. It's especially sweet and firm and much loved by Romans. When it hits the markets in September, the vendors often mark it as 'da sogno', to dream about (or 'to die for'). It's mainly grown on the Tivoli slopes but also in other parts of the Castelli area.





Gelateria Carassale
Via L. Filippo De Magistris 72-78

Melon, blackberry and local organic milk



Gelateria Greed
Via Vestricio Spurinna 97-99
www.gelateriagreed.com

Fig from Zagarolo
Blackberry from Zagarolo
Late harvesting peach from Palestrina
Ricotta Romana
Primo Sale (a bland, smooth cheese)
Carrot from Maccarese



Gelateria I Mannari
Via di Grotta Perfetta 125

Grape, pear, fig, persimmon, ricotta romana/fig




Il Gelato di San Crispino
Via Acaia56
Via Della Panetteria 42
Piazza della Maddalena 3
Terminal A, Aeroporto Fiumicino
www.ilgelatodisancrispino.it

Peach and 'pizzutello' grape from the Castelli Romani



Gelateria Giuseppe Bartocci
Via Alessandria 145-147

A selection of freshly harvested fruit from the Roman countryside

Abruzzo Buongiorno

A day trip to Abruzzo
(and an impressive trattoria find)




September & October are months when Romans like to go on a 'gita fuori porta', a day trip outside the gates of the old city (where everyone lived at one time). This is usually done on a Sunday and I won't bore you here with the traffic snarls which usually ensue. They're worth it anyway in my opinion. These two months are the best of the year - sunny, crisp and cool for a good part of the time.

So Sunday morning we too headed out to Abruzzo, a region which is remarkably close to Rome. L'Aquila for example, is only 110kms from my house. The highway which takes you directly there, the A24, offers breathtakingly beautiful scenery as it begins to gently climb and wind within a few minutes from leaving the toll booth, the air quickly becoming fresh. Soon the olive groves begin to give way to forest interspersed with the hilltop towns so typical of Italy.

Then quite dramatically, as you exit one of the many tunnels, the landscape suddenly extends and becomes barren and rugged with towering mountain ranges rather reminiscent of images of Tibet. Here begins the sometimes startling windswept rather wild scenery that so characterizes the mountainous areas of Abruzzo .



Rugged landscape near Castel del Monte



Soon after, we are at the turnoff for l'Aquila Est and proceed towards the Navelli Plain, reached in about 15 minutes, which in about a month or so will be blanketed for miles by purple saffron flowers, the pistils of which will become the world's most prized saffron threads.


The village of Navelli, designated one of Italy's 'Most Beautiful Villages'



Castel del Monte


There are plenty of fascinating medieval villages to visit in this area which despite evident earthquake damage, still manage to impress. Today we strolled through a semi-deserted Navelli, then to Castel Del Monte (where scenes from George Clooney's latest movie were shot yesterday ) and then back to Castelvecchio Calvisio.

It is here that we made a find that sent us into raptures - Trattoria Le Quattro Ville. You couldn't get a place more unassuming. From the outside it looks more like a derelict coffee shop but being 3pm and getting foggy and being hungry as well, we decided to give it a go. We couldn't have been more thrilled. We felt drawn into the simple intimate and cozy interior with its checkered green and white curtains and table linen. It has very recently been renovated and is immaculate (with an unusually pristine bathroom).

Emilia, our very gracious host, assured us that 90% of the produce she uses comes direct from her family's farm. When she brought the bed basket, she explained that they grow their own wheat and stone grind it themselves and bake it in a wood-fired oven. The fettuccine she hand makes herself daily, naturally with eggs from family owned hens. The tomatoes for the deliciously smooth ragu' are grown in the back garden. The exquisitely tender lamb (one should come here just to try this) is from their property, as is the garlic fried chicory, zucchine flowers and the wine, from their own harvest (and extremely good... I seldom can honestly praise a homemade wine). Saffron is used widely in the cuisine in this area and Emilia uses it with flair. You can also purchase some of their produce, such as minute brown lentils and chili paste.

Dessert was a 'pesca', a very sensual to look at peach shaped pastry - two little domes of sponge, joined by a thick chocolate cream, dipped in Alchermes and rolled in sugar. Exquisite.

Once we had finished our wonderfully prepared lunch, Emilia emotionally told us of her terrifying ordeal on the night of the earthquake. Her house in L'Aquila has been destroyed and will most likely be demolished and she now lives in a shed with numerous family members as their home in the village is also heavily damaged. 45% of the village's homes are structurally unsound and many families still live in the forlorn blue tents in its centre.


Creative scaffolding supporting an arch in Navelli


Emilia, is remarkably cheerful and seems to be coping impressively well, running both the restaurant and the village canteen 3 times a day for the many who are now homeless. Shopping has become laborious as it takes over 2 hours to drive to l'Aquila and back, due to the many builders' and emergency vehicles still clogging the one road. Most of the nearby stores have not yet re-opened.

Driving past the many villages, it was horrifying to see that not many structures escaped the April earthquake unscathed. Even simply driving past L'Aquila on the elevated highway, the changed skyline is startling. Practically all the familiar taller structures are missing, meaning of course the many ancient steeples and domes. The blue tent cities which have sprung up beside damaged towns and along the roadside look sadly dismal. Hopefully these people will be able to leave their tent cities before the winter sets in. It can get bitterly cold in these areas.

Le Quattro Ville Trattoria
Via Della Mora 8
Castelvecchio Calvisio
0862 930192

Antica Taverna Ristorante
Navelli
www.anticataverna.it
3332991089

A perfect Gelato

In Rome's centro storico, you are bound to be constantly stumbling across one of the many gelaterie and new ones seem to appear virtually overnight. An ice cream lover's dream it would appear but why settle for something ordinary and inferior when you can actually do a bit of swooning with a PERFECT gelato? One that simply outdoes the others in ingredients, flavours & consistency.

Obviously, the trick is to locate the gelaterie which pride themselves for quality rather than quick mass production. Bear in mind too, that for many Italians, gelato becomes an integral part of the daily food ritual in warm weather. Generally, eating while walking is not the done thing here, but gelato is another matter entirely. People here can eat several a day so naturally, a quality product is mandatory. Of course, they're not always served as huge totems tottering dangerously on brittle sugary cones but rather in little cups, with petite spoons. You can comfortably devour quite a few of these. You could actually do a gelato 'crawl' for an entire afternoon without going into overload and isn't this quite simply an ideal way to entertain kids who fade fast on sightseeing expeditions?

So here's a little list, MY little list, just to start you off.




Il Gelato Di San Crispino

San Crispino is often hailed as Rome's best ice cream and although I know quite a few people who claim it doesn't really deserve all the accolades, I have to admit it's up at the top of my personal luscious scale. Only fresh and seasonal fresh ingredients (no frozen products) are used in the production of this icecream so flavours are delicately authentic. No chemicals or additives either which explains the absence of cones. Ice cream is carefully stored in metal canisters with metal lids which are diligently replaced every time ice cream is scooped out (hard to actually see the ice cream). The house specialty is a honey blend which goes very well with the meringue flavours.... chocolate, hazelnut or caramel. But the flavours which really stand out are the fruit series, in particular raspberry, plum (susina) and fig (fico).

The only negative here at time of writing is attitude.... San Crispino IS a tad pretentious with people serving seldom friendly and generally quite haughty. Success seems to have gone to their heads. Try asking for a tiny taste and expect to be scoffed at.

- Via Della Panetteria 42 (near Fontana Dei Trevi)
- Piazza Della Maddalena (near Pantheon)
- Terminal A - Fiumicino Airport




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Ciuri Ciuri
Pasticceria Gelateria Siciliana


If you're at all familiar with Sicilian ice cream you will know that pistacchio is undoubtedly the flavour of choice on that magical island. At Ciuri Ciuri you will find an exquisite mouthwatering pistacchio (not the nasty electric green variety), and once you try this particularly delicious pistacchio, I guarantee you will crave it forever. I never know whether to have the pistacchio or one of the refreshing granitas or two of their very crisp cannoli mignon, filled while you wait with a fresh ricotta cream (including a pistacchio flavoured one naturally). Principal ingredients hail from Sicily, the pistacchio's from the area of Bronte, renowned for these nuts.


Via Leonina 18-20
www.ciuriciuri.it


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Il Gelato di Claudio Torcè


100 flavours - 60 milk cream based, 20 fruit based, 20 semifreddi/cremolati ingredients carefully chosen from top end suppliers. This gelateria is so popular, despite its rather inconvenient location, that clients spill out onto the street holding onto their serving number and are quite willing to wait, even up to 45 minutes at late night. Never mind, the vibe is great so go ahead and put this place on your icecream crawl list.

Via Dell' Aeronautica 105


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Bar Gelateria VICE


Now this is something REALLY new.... Frozen Finger Foods (FFF's)! Prosciutto e Melone sorbet or Pear & Gorgonzola or Curry & Pineapple with poppy seed couc cous. Well yes, these flavours are not for the feint hearted. The traditional and not too adventurous icecream lover will enjoy the more mainstream flavours, the ingredients of which are not mainstream at all and include Amalfi lemons, the Bronte pistacchio, almonds from Noto, walnuts from Sorrento, Tuscan pinenuts, Filette mineral water and organic mountain milk. These people are not kidding when they claim their icecream is healthy and genuine! AND it has just won an award for Innovation by Il Gambero Rosso.

Via Gregorio VII 385


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Gelateria dell'Isola Tiberina

A quiet little gelateria on the Tiber Island, not at all trend setting, but surely in one of the loveliest spots in Rome, where you can savor your gelato on one of the two ancient bridges or down on the island's riverbank, where in summer people sunbake, read, kiss and.... eat icecream. They pride themselves on chocolate and pistacchio but I think their yoghurt/berries is heavenly!

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Caffè Portofino

Very trendy gelateria/bar/eatery with outdoor seating under a gazebo in one of the city's favourite shopping streets. Here you can order an elaborate gelato creation in a glass cup and have a house cocktail as well. Portofino Spritz and Champagne Coobler seem to be all the rage.

Piazza Cola Di Rienzo 116
www.caffeportofino.it

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Cremeria Monteforte

Chocolate lovers will be particularly indulged at this quality cremeria, located opposite the Pantheon. The cioccolato fondente is the specialty, a rich dark unusually smooth chocolate. The creamy pistacchio is notable as well. The gelato in this little store is extra creamy and tastes homemade.

Via Della Rotonda 22

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Gelateria Corona



Situated in noisy Largo Argentina opposite the tram stop, this small unassuming gelateria has earned a number of awards and has made it into the Gambero Rosso's much coveted list. Flavours change daily and house specialties include basil/lemon and an unusual granita di ricotta.

Largo Arenula 27
Piazza Argentina

Eateries close to Santa Cecilia in Trastevere

Until quite recently, I lived in Trastevere, in captivating Vicolo Dell'Atleta to be exact. The area around here was for many years entirely different from its more widely known twin on the other side of Viale Trastevere. It was quieter, less fashionable, rather old world and there weren't any bars. Slowly but surely, most of the artisans and artists are leaving this area as well, making way for professionals (architects are gobbling up all the best locations), night clubs, new restaurants and art galleries. The area manages to still be fascinating but get in quickly before it's all over.

The following eateries are all to be found in this intriguing neighbourhood, defined by the bell tower of the Basilica di Santa Cecilia. Inside the church, you will be enthralled by the baroque sculpture of Santa Cecilia by Stefano Maderno

Da Enzo Trattoria

A small neighbourhood trattoria at the Santa Cecilia end of Trastevere where its authentic Roman food, in particular the pasta all'amatriciana, pasta alla carbonara and artichoke based dishes, make it an extremely popular spot. While you're here, have a look at Vicolo Dell'Atleta around the corner (which happens to be where I lived for several years), one of Trastevere's most picturesque streets.


Via Dei Vascellari 29
065818355



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Taverna De Mercanti



Located in a rambling intact medieval warehouse and stables, you may very well feel you have stumbled across a movie set, particularly when you walk up the stone stairs to the seating area with its original ceiling and many rustic artifacts. Despite its obvious characteristic appeal to tourists, this restaurant is not at all shunned by area locals especially in summer when the effect of the torchlit facade with its many bougainvillea draped balconies full of little tables is very impressive. The menu is typically Roman with grilled meats a specialty.

Piazza Dei Mercanti
0658816
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La Gattabuia - Ristorante-Pizzeria-Griglieria


Located in the ancient papal dungeons, hence the name (an old word for 'prison'), this friendly trattoria has a Napoli style cuisine including delicious pizza, gnocchi sorrentini and grills. Being a dungeon there is no outdoor seating but it' s surprisingly cozy and not at all gloomy.


06584813
Via Del Porto 1

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LeManiInPasta
Osteria


Up to the day the movers sadly (for me) whisked all my belongings away from Trastevere, I was one of the regulars at LeManiInPasta, having lived for several blissful years in picturesque Vicolo Dell'Atleta around the corner. Now that I live on the distant other side of the river, 6 long Rome kilometres away, I am no longer a regular but it's still my eatery of choice, never failing to impress. An osteria with a following of aficionados who regularly pop in for lunch is no small feat in Trastevere where competition is fierce and locals prefer generally not to eat out.


The fast moving and dynamic chef is Sardinian and his island's culinary traditions are evident in several of his signature dishes. A wall of glass separates kitchen from seating so you can watch him artfully juggling frypans, tossing pasta and swirling sauces and he looks out for you as well....

Specialties include marinated sea bass with shaved truffles (an unusual combination that works), a superb seafood antipasto by far superior to any I've had elsewhere, a selection of shellfish to have with or without pasta and top cuts of grilled meat. Ingredients are unfailingly super super fresh (suppliers create traffic havoc with their vans each morning in narrow Via Dei Genovesi).

The atmosphere is feel-good and relaxed and the waiters are friendly and attentive. You can even eat here on your own without feeling awkward in the slightest.




LeManiInPasta
Via Dei Genovesi
Tel: 065816017

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Forno a Via Dei Genovesi

This bakery is situated opposite the fabulous restaurant Lemaniinpasta (which in fact serves the chunky bread from here). The family who run the forno has been steadily making a rustic style bread ('filone') for close to 100 years (I must ask them for exact dates one day). Any Roman bread lover will tell you that this loaf is without doubt one of the best in Rome. It's very crusty, with a very firm but airy centre and during baking hours, the fragrance is intense. One of the things I miss terribly about living nearby is the early morning scent of the baking bread wafting through my window.

The pizza bianca is also wonderfully delicious and at lunch there is always a crowd of students from the local high school waiting for the hot, fragrant slabs to emerge from the ovens. You can have the pizzas and bread filled with prosciutto or cheese from their well stocked deli. The students often take their panini into nearby Vicolo Dell'Atleta, where there is a low wall to sit on from where you too can admire this pretty, narrow street.


Via Dei Genovesi 11


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BarLillo (Da Luciano)

That espresso and cappuccino at Luciano's coffee shop are excellent is evident by the steady stream of patrons all morning until lunch. Of course, Luciano himself is always friendly and charming and this is a big draw as well. He can be seen happily running around organizing seating for waiting customers, mainly locals, squeezing into the small premises for the deliciously simple home cooked lunches. Menus change daily and there is always an interesting variety of cooked dishes and panini.


Via Dei Genovesi 39

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Nightlife Lungo Il Tevere

Summer event nightly from sunset till late

12th June - 30th August
http://www.lungoiltevereroma.com/ristoro.html


If you're picky and haven't found anything to do (yes, some people DO have this problem, even in Rome if you can believe it), this event, a combination bazaar/food festival/wine bar-pub crawl, is just the place. Located between Ponte Sisto and Ponte Palatino, lining the banks of the Tiber River, you will find a host of bars, informal eateries, craft stores and music venues. It's a casual place for a night stroll where at leisure you can choose a place to stop and have a drink or something tasty to eat. Here is a small selection of things to do:



Plenty of wine bars and pubs with dj's and pounding house and live music but also quiet venues where you can savour the reflected lights of the city on the river. Some of the bars have been very creatively set up as lounges with mood lighting and design furniture to create a club theme.


A dance floor for tango lovers where you can even have a free lesson. Dress up with sequined 10cm heels (plenty of them last night) or fun just to watch.


An Arab carpeted tent... with belly-dancing customers and cous cous


Esco Pazzo ("I'm Going Crazy") cooking with flair using centuries old Roman recipes.


You're most likely not here in Rome to eat sushi but Fujisushi has a reasonably priced midnight to 2am special. And a riverside sushi bar is not something you see every day, at least not here.


La Sponda Steakhouse


La Paranza specializing in fried fish (and chips!)


Nanni' Pizza by the Slice


"Piccolo Teatro Del Belli" a small stage & seating where you can listen to jazz, bawdy Roman, country Western and other live music.

Appia Antica Caffé

There is nothing particularly extraordinary about this little family run café apart from its corner location in the prettiest and greenest section of the ancient Via Appia Antica. And it is this detail which makes it such a seductive place for so many regular patrons. Have breakfast, a simple meal or an aperitivo after cycling or walking in this quiet and picturesque area and you will be hooked as well. There is plenty of outdoor seating at the front under an aging olive tree and in the shady garden in the back. You can also rent a bicycle here. The catacombs are nearby and the ancient road is lined with old monuments, lovely old walls and pastoral views. An encounter with a flock of sheep is entirely possible.

The perfect place to escape when Rome becomes just too overwhelming and you're craving a couple of quiet, lazy hours away from city traffic.

Appia Antica Caffé
Via Appia Antica 175 (corner Via Cecilia Metella)
3383465440-3403198060
www.appiaanticacaffe.it

Good Food

All roads lead to Rome and possibly, to some nasty food experiences as well. Not at all surprising when you rely on certain "reputable" guide books or the concierge at your hotel for inspiration.

You probably know by now that you are never EVER to enter a trattoria in Rome if 1) you are being cajoled by a sexy (or otherwise) waiter brandishing a menu on the street or 2) you see a "tourist menu" or 3) you see "lasagne" in big letters on the board. And with regard to pizza al taglio (pizza by the slice) never EVER eat any from the stores where you can actually see piles of the stuff behind glass, where it's likely to have been sitting for hours, just centimetres from your face as you walk by. There's one particularly nasty place in the Pantheon square which fits this description perfectly. But pizza deserves it's own individual post so let's get back to trattorie.

Actually, I'm going to go straight ahead and suggest a few eateries that I know personally. The reason I've given you the phone numbers is so that you book. Despite the recession, and whining owners, restaurants tend to be fully booked.

Lemaniinpasta Osteria
Via dei Genovesi 37 (Trastevere)
Tel: 065816017

My ongoing favourite has it's own well deserved post.




Cybo
Osteria, Wine & Cocktail Bar
Via di Tor Millina 27
Tel: 0668210341
www.cyboroma.it

A newly opened eatery located in a street off Piazza Navona where every store is a restaurant, bar or gelateria and there are just too many tourists and too much visual interference. Cybo however is a welcome oasis with its elegant/modern meets rustic/ancient ambience. Food here is traditionally simple, ideal if you're looking for typical Roman dishes with a subtle modern touch where each ingredient's flavour stands out. You can also eat "cicheti" , a Venetian word for little snacks, where you have many small titbits. The fried titbits are especially delicious. The wine list is noteworthy and the qualified barman is renowned for his creative cocktails. Music is soft lounge and there are outdoor tables for those who like to watch the passing parade.




Al Ristoro Degli Angeli
Via Luigi Orlando 2
(Piazza Bartolomeo Romano - Garbatella area)
Tel: 0651436020

Located in a 1920's piazza, off the beaten track in the quirky and fashionable Garbatella neighbourhood, this enoteca/trattoria has a Friday and Saturday night special of a mouth-watering boneless fish soup and an impressive wine selection.




Tram Tram Trattoria
Via Dei Reti 44/46
Tel: 06490416

Located in San Lorenzo in an industrial looking street in a somewhat alternative student area, Tram Tram offers a variety of delicious dishes prepared in a light Sicilian style.




Pizzeria la Montecarlo
Vicolo Savelli 11a-13
Tel: 066861877

The frenetic pace at this longstanding and popular establishment is not for the feint hearted. The service ethic is casual, brisk and friendly and the pizza, fried food and massive serves of pasta are all excellent. Lunches are dramatically quieter but evenings are a lot of fun if you can deal with the noise level. They don't take bookings so expect to stand in line or push in (as many do).


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Sora Margherita Trattoria
066874216
Piazza Delle Cinque Scole


When you first wander into this piazza there may appear to be no restaurant anywhere to be seen. The clue here is the single door graced with a red pompom curtain, a lantern above the door frame and a few rickety chairs for waiting patrons. If you're looking for elegance this tiny no-frills trattoria is definitely not the place. Expect unstable tables, barely comfortable folding chairs and elbow to elbow seating. However, food here is always exceptional and I'm always mystified by the variety of marvellous dishes that emerge from the kitchen which is the size of a cupboard. If you are not familiar with Jewish style Roman food, this trattoria is by far the best introduction. In winter it is the coziest place in the city and the tortellini in brodo will keep you warm for the rest of the day. Artichokes are a specialty as are their fresh fettuccine with ricotta. Needless to say, booking is essential. Did I mention there are no windows?

An Exceptionally Good Restaurant

LeManiInPasta

Osteria

Up to the day the movers sadly (for me) whisked all my belongings away from Trastevere, I could say I was one of the regulars at LeManiInPasta, having lived for several blissful years in picturesque Vicolo Dell'Atleta around the corner. Now that I live on the distant other side of the river, 6 long Rome kilometres away, I am no longer a regular (boo-hoo) but it's still my eatery of choice, never failing to impress. An osteria with a following of aficionados who regularly pop in for lunch is no small feat in Trastevere where competition is fierce and locals prefer generally not to eat out.


The fast moving and dynamic chef is Sardinian and his island's culinary traditions are evident in several of his signature dishes. A wall of glass separates kitchen from seating so you can watch him artfully juggling frypans, tossing pasta and swirling sauces and he looks out for you as well....

Specialties include marinated sea bass with shaved truffles (an unusual combination that works), a superb seafood antipasto by far superior to any I've had elsewhere, a selection of shellfish to have with or without pasta and top cuts of grilled meat. Ingredients are unfailingly super super fresh (I've watched suppliers create traffic havoc with their vans each morning in narrow Via Dei Genovesi).

The atmosphere is feel-good and relaxed and the waiters are friendly and attentive. You can even eat here on your own without feeling awkward in the slightest.

LeManiInPasta

Via Dei Genovesi

Tel: 065816017

(closed Monday)

Isola Tiberina

Rome's picturesque little island, l'Isola Tiberina (pictured above during winter flooding), bears some obvious similarities to the twin islands located in the Seine in Paris, the Ile de la Cite' and Ile Saint-Louis. It may not at first appear to have all the pomp and substance of its French counterparts. They are, after all, actual neighbourhhoods and are home to many grand monuments, the most well known being the cathedral of Notre Dame. I've read too somewhere that Paris's most romantic street, in a city positively brimming with romance, is on one of the Seine's islands. But as you walk across the Ponte Fabricio, Rome's oldest bridge, and approach the Isola Tiberina, you will feel positively charmed. Anyway, in my opinion, Rome too is extraordinarily romantic, and its island is a VERY romantic place. It's just that Romans don't boast about it.


Personally, I've always felt a particular attraction to this quaint little island and can't help but wonder how the thousands of people who are born on it must feel. This is another of Rome's idiosyncrasies. A significant percentage of the city's inhabitants are born here, surrounded by the swirling waters of the Tiber, in the maternity ward of the Ospedale Fatebenefratelli (Do Good Brothers ... seriously), which stands above the grounds of a Greek temple.


Numerous evocative legends regarding the island's history have circulated since ancient times. This is the one I like best.


A ship carrying a Greek statue of the god of healing, Aesculapius, was nearby when a serpent hiding on the vessel was seen slithering overboard and heading towards the reeds which then made up the island, little more than a bank in the river. Of course, in those times everyone was always on the alert for omens and this one was considered particularly auspicious, snakes being symbols of rejuvenation because of their periodic shedding of skin. This was around 300bc and the Romans were in dire need of a good omen and new cult after a long period of unrelenting pestilence. So, hot on the heels of the omen, a temple to the god was erected and the entire island was encased in travertine in the form of a ship. Bizarrly, even an Egyptian obelisk was installed strategically to represent the mast. This was removed long ago and relocated to another part of the city. All that remains of this impressive construction is part of the travertine stern with the familiar carving of the Aesculapius serpent wound around a sword. Nowadays the sword and serpent are on the insignia of the American Medical Association and have been adopted as a distinguishing symbol in many other medical fields.


Interestingly, Rome has another island dedicated to Aesculapius. This one is located in the "laghetto" in the Villa Borghese gardens where a small, graceful temple was erected in the late 18th century and can still be admired today.


The Isola Tiberina is a perfect location for a long, uninterrupted kiss, as you can't help but notice if you hang around more than 10 minutes keeping an eye on all the couples. And the miniature island in the Borghese Gardens with its little temple is without a doubt a very tempting place as well. So no need to go to Paris.

The Isola Tiberina's romantic charm fades a little in summer when the film festival, l'Isola Del Cinema, envelops the island with its two screening areas and refreshment stands, a pleasantly cool place on hot evenings. Foreign movies are generally dubbed in Italian so unless you want to confirm that your knowledge of the language is pretty dismal, it would be wiser to simply enjoy the many bars and eateries that line the banks.

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Irresistible Take-Out

Rosso Sapore
Largo Argentina (behind the newspaper stand)


Rosso Pomodoro is adjacent to its mother restaurant and shares the same kitchen. Here you can pick up the delicious snacks which you see on the streets of Naples: pizzette rosse, suppli', calzoncini and sometimes panini


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Ré Calamaro! (King Squid)

Piazza Delle Vaschette 14
(San Pietro area, off Borgo Vittorio)


In a city where take-out food is a relatively new concept and has generally been limited to pizza and suppli', and more recently to kebabs, this little business seems almost revolutionary. Here, on the way to the Vatican, you can pick up a paper cone filled with the freshest fried calamari rings (or just the tentacles if you prefer your food to be wispy), prawns, cod, potatoes, sometimes vegetable tempura and more. Prices very reasonable.



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Mondo Arancina

Via Marcantonio Colonna 38
Tel: 0697619213
www.mondoarancina.it

Open 20 hours a day and not to be missed, Mondo Arancina is the closest you will get to fried-food heaven. It specializes in Sicilian arancini, (a close relative to the Roman suppli'), huge deep-fried cones of saffron rice filled with luscious, oozing centres, each one named for a Sicilan locality (Stromboli being my choice). If you were to spread one out on a plate with a fork, you would have a more than generous serve of risotto. Also try pannelle, sfincioni, pitoni (pythons?) and of course, pizza alla pala. There's nowhere to sit unfortunately, not even a panchina outside, but their stay-warm, keep-fragrant paper bags do exactly that so you can take your bulging parcels down to the nearby Tiber embankment where the city's turkey sized seagulls will entertain you.

Apartment Rentals in Rome

One of Rome's few and most frustrating disappointments, unless you're staying in a luxury hotel, can often be a hotel room not up to one's expectation. How utterly depressing when, with a forced smile, you hastily come out with an apologetic "we'll be out most of the time anyhow". Apartments on the other hand can have you bouncing on the beds with enthusiasm. I've actually seen an entire family do this (no, not mine).

Sometimes located in grand palazzi still owned by the Roman nobility, holiday rentals here are highly sought after. You could find yourself in a medieval building, a baroque palazzo or a 19th century tenement, perfectly and often quite strikingly renovated. More often than not period details such as wood beamed ceilings, wall frescoes and antiques have been skilfully restored sometimes after long periods of neglect.

A good reason to book an apartment is to experience the everyday shopping for food the Italian way, in one of the many vibrant outdoor markets scattered around the city, then returning "home" with the delicious booty and seeing how much better everything tastes here than back home (it really DOES taste better here). This is also the ideal way to chit chat with some hardcore romani and polish up on your Italian.

There are numerous online booking companies. An excellent selection of choice apartments in unbeatable Rome locations is offered by www.rome-accom.com, owned and operated by local husband and wife team, Jill and Leon Kammer. They are personally familiar with each property (and have already discarded the ones you wouldn't want to set foot in) and have created an impressively fluid website with unusually accurate descriptions and plenty of good quality images.

www.rome-accom.com

Rooftop Restaurants in Rome

Rooftop dining in this eternal of cities is definitely a tad pricey, but you ARE paying for the view from the top of a minimum 5-star hotel, with an elegantly decorated dining area and more likely than not, a renowned and much sought after chef in the kitchen. Some of these restaurants now offer reasonable "budget" menus in an attempt to recession-proof their businesses.

Hassler Hotel Roma

Imago Restaurant– Chef Francesco Apreda

Piazza Trinita' Dei Monti 6
Tel: 06699340
http://www.imagorestaurant.com

Rome's most celebrated terrace restaurant located in the prestigious Hassler Hotel at the top of the Spanish Steps.

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Rome Cavalieri Hilton

Via Alberto Caldolo 101
Tel: 0635091
http://www.romecavalieri.com/index.php

La Pergola – internationally acclaimed restaurant in a luxury setting with multi award winning chef Heinz Beck

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Grand Hotel de la Minerve

Piazza Della Minerva 69
Tel: 06695201
http://www.grandhoteldelaminerve.com/5-star-hotel-in-rome.htm

La Cesta restaurant operates during the summer from the roof terrace which is the closest view you will ever have to the Pantheon's magnificent dome

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Hotel Majestic

Via Veneto 50
Tel: 06421441
http://www.filippolamantia.com/profilo.htm

Ristorante La Mantia - opened just this month and named after resident chef Filippo La Mantia, well known for his original twists to Sicilian cuisine. For one, he has banished garlic and onions in favour of Sicily's light but heady fragrances including a very skillful use of lemon and orange peel throughout his cuisine. The restaurant is situated on the first floor terrace overlooking Via Veneto

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Hotel Sofitel

Via Lombardia 47
Tel: 06478021

Terrazza La Bellavista – actually a lounge bar noteworthy for its unrestricted views of the city, food comes directly from the restaurant downstairs, Le 49, where chef Omar Agostino spins his magic

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Hotel Splendide Royal

Via Di Porta Pinciana 14
Tel: 0642168838
http://www.mirabelle.it/it/photo_gallery

Commanding views from the positively chic Ristorante Il Mirabelle – Chef Bruno Borghese

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Hotel Eden Terrace

Via Ludovisi 49
Tel: 06478121

Chef - Adriano Cavagnini

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Casina Valadier

Piazza Bucarest on Pincian Hill
0669922090
http://www.casinavaladier.it/

This graceful early 19th century classical villa is situated in one of Rome's most panoramic and romantic locations in the Villa Borghese gardens. Its lovely terrace restaurant overlooks the city and you really do have a rooftop view. Perfect place to be wooed but fine for lunch with friends as well.


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Hotel Forum

Via Tor de' Conti, 25-3006.6792446
Tel: 06.6792446
http://www.hotelforum.com/en/restaurant.htm


In winter the restaurant is indoors and the decor being what it is, (the word dreary comes to mind), its best to stick to warm days and summer when the restaurant spills out onto the magnificent terrace where you have one of Rome's best views of the ancient Forums. Granted, there ARE big windows.

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Forty Seven Hotel

Via Petroselli 47

Tel: 066787816

http://www.circusbar.it/index_2.swf

Circus Bar Roof Garden is an ideal place for a relaxing drink at sunset, a' la carte dining or Sunday brunch with views from the Aventine Hill to the ancient bell tower of Santa Maria in Cosmedin, home to the intimidating Bocca Della Verita', and across to Trastevere with a peek of St.Peter's dome. For those of you who love to plan absolutely everything, the menu is available online.

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