21 April 2020*
I somehow manage to wake up for this 13th day of my #imaginarytrip, surprised yesterday’s excessive feasing — both in the day, and certainly also in the evening — didn’t do me (and my #imaginaryaorta) in… But I had to hurry and run off to Barajas to fly out…
Sad part of leaving Madrid is leaving all the food. Best part of arriving in Rome is all the food… Yep, day 13 I arrive in Fiumicino after the short flight and quickly jump on the train to Termini. I’m back in Italy, and it feels fantastic…
I get off the train at Termini and I go and dump my bag at my hotel near the station and jump back into the Metro to get to San Giovanni. I start there and walk north-west, quickly visiting San Giovanni di Laterno.

I walk towards Colosseo, not really stopping as I rather admire it from a distance, to get the full perspective. Then a quick pivot north and I go and visit a few churches en route to lunch.
I drop into San Pietro in Vincoli to see the beautiful Mosè di Michelangelo. Every time I see this piece, probably the least-visited masterpiece by Michelangelo, it stuns me. Don’t use your coin to turn the stupid lights on, it makes it look gaudy; donate that coin instead.

Then I step north to the less-visited Santi Dodici Apostoli, which is surprisingly beautiful inside. Then I move west and stop at Ignazio di Loyola in Campo Marzio and the beautiful tomb of Pope Gregory XV designed by Pierre Le Gros.

Then finally, the lovely organ in Santa Maria sopra Minerva… But I’m hungry (despite yesterday’s #imaginaryfeasts) so luckily my lunch destination is just around the corner, Armando al Pantheon.
Now people call this place a tourist trap, just because of its history, popularity, name, and proximity to the Pantheon. But rarely does a “tourist trap” has such awesome food, and I was happy to return here for my #imaginarylunch…
My server leads me to a table in the middle of the room, almost like a throne for a single diner. I love this. I ordered, and he nodded his approval. So good to be able to speak freely again; a few days in the Iberian peninsula where I was labouring through my awful Castillian and even worse Catalan, I can happily talk somewhat normally to people in Italian now without stressing… And soon, a nice bottle of house red arrives, a little cool, which is perfect, with my starter…

Coratella d’abacchio… Again, when I travel I order things I Want — and can’t get at home. This dish of lamb offal includes pluck like haggis, which means it’s illegal (or, well, “not fit for human consumption” in the “Land of the Free”) back home… So I get to enjoy it here, and it’s lovely… What an offaly good start here! Next up, a true local dish, spaghetti alla gricia…

When the quality of the pasta is this good, you just can’t have less than one, frankly… So amazingly good… Sadly I had to stop at one, as I need my secondo, and it’s another local staple — trippa alla romana…

Lovely serving of tripe, and the sauce has a bit of a zing here, which is quite nice. Oh, I can eat this meal almost on a daily basis and not grow tired of it…so absolutely delicious…
Ah, that was fantastic. The bottle of red was also done, so it’s time for my usual espresso…and a glass of grappa. I so miss my grappa…so good, I asked for a second (to fortify myself to plough through the tourist hordes outside) and they comped it. So cool…
I thanked my server and headed on out, feeling refreshed — and nicely fuelled for the afternoon. I walk south through the tourist hordes and after hanging out with the feral cats at Largo di Torre Argentina (I love spending time here), I head west to make a few more church stops. First up, right next door, Sant’Andrea della Valle. Such a beautiful church…

Then Santa Maria in Monserrato degli Spagnoli, where the Borgia popes are exiled in the afterlife, it’s also a spectacular church that few visit (aside from those intrigued by the Borgias). Then I walk back south-east, towards Galleria Spada, to enjoy some art…

Of the museums in Rome, this is one of the lesser-visited, which is beyond me why. Stunning pieces of artwork, all crammed into the relatively tiny historic space, but…

One of my art museum pet peeves is BAD LIGHTING, and sadly this place is one of the worst perpetrators of it. Some of their finest pieces are impossible to view clearly at any angle due to the amateurish lighting, such as Reni’s Ritratto del cardinal Bernardino Spada…

And Guercino’s stunning Morte di Didone is even worse. It’s sad that they can house such amazing pieces of work and can’t spend the time to deal with the lighting issue to make it possible ot appreciate the art. But frustrations aside, a lovely small art museum that you’ll spend too much time in — and hurt your neck because of the angles — but it’s time to head out.
It’s gone dark since, and I can start slowly making my way towards Trastevere to dinner. I always love looking at Ponte Sisto when I’m walking along the river.

I’m actually crossing at Ponte Garibaldi as I want to get the full view of Ponte Sisto… I cross over to Trastevere and instead of taking the tram, I enjoy the walk down Viale di Trastevere to my dinner destination, Fernanda.
I’ve had several excellent dinners here over the years, one of few fine-dining, tasting menu places in Italy I would actually visit (I usually “go local” when I’m here), because it’s proven itself so nicely. So a perfect way to finish this #imaginaryday here…
The host and sommelier Andrea Marini greets me as usual, and seats me at a nice table. I relax as he bring some bubbly to start, and soon the food starts…

Some nice snacks to start with, from cod chip to a herbal “sponge” to a cheesy croquette and finally a morsel of foie. Lovely start. Then things get flowing nicely with some cozze…

Excellent quality mussels, lovely simple like this with some herbs accompaniments. Then next up, lumache…

Some very earthy tasting snails here, quite nice. I like when snails have that earthiness, like back in Madrid for lunch yesterday, not the swimming-in-too-much-butter French style where you can barely taste the snails anymore. Excellent. Then we have a cute one next up…

It’s a reconstructed squid in various ways! The tentacles are fried nicely, and the body is a nice roll of various goodnies including roe and ink. Lovely and fun! Following that, animelle…

I honestly am not the world’s biggest fan of sweetbread, but these were quite good. I know a few people who love sweetbread to death, and it’s just not me for some reason… But these are delicious.

Next up a wonderful example of cavolo nero, delicious as the star of the dish. I always enjoy vegetables with character, and this is indeed one. Delicious. Then now we move into the pasta segment of the evening, oooooh….

Agnolotti al plin is the specialty of the house, and this version is urchin-filled…oh my, so good… That urchin is so lovely, and it’s just oozing from every bite… So good… But as I finish it, I can already smell the next dish before I could see them bringing it…oh my (I keep saying that)…

Bottone pasta filled with sweetbread, and soaking in a brodo that I cannot describe. It’s one of the most delicious things I’ve ever drank. I would drink this as a beverage (hey, it’s an #imaginarytrip) if I could…
Oh my things have been so good. Did I mention how smooth the service has been? Plus the fabulous Signor Marini has been pairing the dishes expertly with some lovely stuff from all over the country… Soon we have one of the larger dishes, triglia.

Second night in a row with mullet, a joy being so near the Mediterranean. Lovely fish, one of the items I love most about being down here. Then finally, another of this kitchen’s specialties, lingua…

This veal tongue is so ridiculously good…soft, but still enough texture to make it solid and tasty. A difficult balance, pulled off very well here. It’s not easy doing a thick portion of tongue like this, but they managed it. So good, one of the best tongue dishes ever…
A bit sad as the savouries are finished… This has been so nice… Then the desserts start…

A nice yuzu-centric dish, lovely citric touches playing well with the vanilla. Then the second dessert, and it’s definitely a wow dish…

Black garlic is the theme. Now you know why it’s last! It’s intense but so, so, SO good… This is such a wonderful way for this day to end… I thanked Signor Marini for taking such good care of me as he brings me my usual special house grappa that I always have. After a second, I head out, thanking the staff for the wonderful night of hospitality and food.
I look at my phone and ah, there’s a bus coming soon going straight to Termini. Now I have a horrible flashback to the last time I took this same bus…perhaps that’s why I have a sciatica problem now… Lucky this ride was smoother, but still fast. We get near Termini and it’s 22.50…quite early…should I? I just had a really bad idea…
So I jumped off the bus and walked half a block to see La Matriciana seems to still be open. I peek my head in there, they don’t seem too thrilled, but I tell them I just want one dish and they reluctantly let me sit down.
There were still customers so I didn’t feel bad. I enjoyed some nice house red when the one dish I wanted arrived…

Yep, cacio e pepe…it’s Roma, I had to have it. An excellent rendition. Now you may ask why I would go to the place that made the amatriciana famous to eat cacio e pepe…that’s cuz you don’t know! But this dish is so simple, the pasta so good…you need good pasta to have good cacio e pepe, and this is good.
I think my server forgave me for the late stop seeing my delight as I expertly finish the dish with gusto…oh that was a wonderful nightcap. I ask for a grappa, and they give me a good pour. As I was ready to leave, they brought me a second one on the house…
How can you not love Rome? I thanked him and head on out for my hotel a few blocks away. I need to get some sleep as tomorrow I have to wake up very early… But goodness, it’s so good to be back in this city, a feast for the eyes and stomach…
Armando al Pantheon
Salita dei Crescenzi 31
Fernanda
Via Crescenzo del Monte 18/24
La Matriciana
Via del Viminale 44
Roma, Italia
* I love Rome to death, tho this around the corner of my hotel says it all about this rather unique and eternal city…
