Great Escape
A Taste of Rome
Two Italian envoys to Lebanon explain what to eat and where to go for the best of la cucina romana
Can you name a couple of traditional Roman dishes that you love to eat?
Roman cuisine is very simple, not elaborate but quite tasty. My favorite Roman dishes are bucatiniall’amatriciana and carciofi alla giudia. Bucatini is a variety of long pasta typical from Rome. The noodles are thicker than spaghetti, and in the center they have a small hole ( buco in Italian, from where the name of the pasta comes). Amatriciana is a sauce made with guanciale (pork cheek), a dash of crushed chili pepper, a splash of white wine, and pecorino cheese. Some cooks also add tomatoes. Artichokes are very popular in Rome. Carciofi allagiudia, meaning “Jewish artichokes,” is a recipe from Rome’s ancient Jewish community. The artichokes are fried until they become crispy.
Which restaurants would you recommend for a typical Roman meal?
It is very diff icult to answer this question. There are so many places where you can eat good Roman food. My only advice is to avoid restaurants frequented only by tourists: you risk eating badly and spending far too much. In any case, one of my favorites is Hostaria al 31 (Via delle Carrozze 31), just off Piazza di Spagna. It’s a very small trattoria run for more than thirty years by two cousins, who came to Rome from Umbria: Angelo (who serves at the tables) and Umberto (in the kitchen). When artichokes are in season, they serve scrumptious carciofialla giudia. For bucatiniall’amatriciana, try Pierluigi, (Piazza de’ Ricci 144), located just off Piazza Farnese and Campo de’ Fiori.
Which restaurant in Rome would you recommend for a special occasion?
For a special occasion, I would recommend a fairly new restaurant, Molto (Viale Parioli 122), which has a modern interior design, a good selection of wines, and a fresh interpretation of Italian cuisine. If you are fond of f ish, try Il San Lorenzo (Via dei Chiavari 4), off Piazza Farnese – raw fish starters and spaghetti with sea urchins are just a couple of the specialties here. Both for meat and fish, try Tullio (Via San Nicola Tolentino 26), a restaurant just off Vvia Veneto that is frequented by many politicians.
Can you tell us about one of the restaurants that you look forward to dining at when you get back to Rome?
When I go back to Rome and I am looking for an unpretentious but nice place, I often go to La Pariolina (Viale Parioli 93), not far from where I live, in the Parioli neighborhood. It is mainly a pizzeria and there are so many variations: pizza with mozzarella cheese, zucchini flowers and anchovies, or pizza with pachino tomatoes, buffalo mozzarella and masses of fresh basil. Pizza can be either typically Roman thin crust, or thick crusted - the traditional Neapolitan style. All are delicious.
Raised in the Castelli Romani, a clutch of small towns, castles and lakes just southeast of Rome, Giannini grew up on a traditional Italian diet of spaghetti and fettuccine, and these foods continue to be what he eats most. Another favorite is spezzatino - a hearty beef stew cooked with white wine, prosciutto and rosemary. “I am always very glad to eat it. It’s a very flavorful dish that should be eaten with lots of bread.”
For home-style dishes like these, Giannini recommends La Taverna dello Spuntino (tavernadellospuntino.com). Located in the village of Grottaferrata in the Castelli Romani, this atmospheric restaurant sets its tables before a warm fire on cool days, and legs of prosciutto dangle from the ceiling. La Taverna is perfect for a cozy meal on a day trip to escape the crowds of Rome. Those too comfortable to head back to the city after a satiating meal can book a room at the Taverna’s adjacent hotel. Back in the heart of Rome, Giannini suggests dinner at Assunta Madre ( assuntamadre.com) near Campo de’ Fiori. “It’s been open for many years, and it’s famous for its fish – as well as for the people who go there,” he says. Seafood is the specialty, with a wide selection ranging from tagliolini pasta with crayfish to calamari risotto. Take your camera - Sylvester Stallone, Morgan Freeman, Al Pacino and Francesco Totti are just a few of the stars that have been spotted here. “In the center of Rome, there is also a restaurant called Ginger ( ginger.roma.it) that has been very fashionable for the past two or three years. It’s always filled with lots of young people – and the not-so-young too,” adds Giannini. Part deli and part restaurant, both the atmosphere and the cuisine at Ginger are modern and light. Innovative dishes, such as terrine of anchovies and quinoa salad, are on the menu alongside more traditional ones, like braised beef cheek and pasta allacarbonara (with eggs and bacon). Its location near the Spanish Steps makes Ginger perfect for a break while shopping the posh stores of Via Condotti.