Although I did have a bit of a hangover after that delicious and fun night at Parlor Dim Sum, I had a busy Sunday in and around Pittsburgh. Sunny and warm, a perfect day. I rolled into my hotel mid-afternoon and dealt with some trip logistics for tomorrow early in the morning. I need to stop doing these Monday early AM flights…
But I was looking forward to a good dinner tonight at the very highly-rated DiAnoia’s Eatery. I first had to return my car to the airport, which was all good, but the crazy prices on rideshare into town. $80 on Lyft, really? I luckily found something a bit less on Uber, but this is ridiculous.
We rolled into the city and I walked into DiAnoia’s on a busy Sunday night. It was still hopping, and they squeezed me into a bar seat. I’m hoping it will go as well as last night! A cocktail in hand and I looked over the menu and ordered. I relaxed and some bread came out.
Not bad to fill my stomach with this cocktail. Soon after my starter came, carciofi.
These artichokes were excellent, wonderful texture and flavour, yum! I’m quite excited for this dinner now…but where is it? I shifted to a nice wine and kept waiting. And waiting… At about the half hour point I was starting to get annoyed, then I noticed they tried to deliver some food to the wrong people…
That’s my food. But wait, why two plates?
They brought my primo and secondo out at the same time. You gotta be kidding me. So they took the secondo back. And when I looked at the primo, my pasta dish, my heart sank. I thought this place was supposed to be good with Italian food?
They clearly messed up somewhere because this cacio e pepe is more like a soup. What a mess. They took a half hour to make something that most Italian restaurants would be horrified to bring out?
Look at this, it’s like I’m eating soup noodles or ramen or something.
This is how much liquid was left over afterwards. They should have called this cacio e pepe con acqua.
And when they brought my secondo out, the server just spilled the jus all over the place with no care in the world. Seriously, really?
As you can see the plate is flooded with the jus, a total soggy mess. This is their take on porchetta. Fine, but frankly this probably sat under the heat lamp because they screwed up the pasta and order, so it was really meh. I ended up pairing this with a grappa because I lost my appetite and want to forget about this evening.
Now the staff have made themselves scarce. After last night’s wonderful service by the city’s friendliest FoH crew, now I get a set of people who don’t care, and have really turned what could have been a salvageable night into one that I will remember for all the wrong reasons.
They took the pasta off the bill, as they should, because it was a joke. But with the bad food that took forever to come out, throw in the dismissive attitude of some of the staff, it sucked. I can’t believe people rave about this place. Maybe it was a bad night, but frankly I’m too tired to deal with bad nights anymore.
Over the holidays I had found an unusually priced flight to Paris direct from Chicago, so I went with it. It’s been a few years since I’ve been to Paris, a town that I truly have not agreed with during my previous visits. From bad Michelin experiences to perpetual issues with RER-B from CDG, each trip was more exhausting than the previous.
So when I headed there late last week for an extended weekend, I had minimal expectations, even with the food stops I had pre-arranged. A short red-eye flight was met by luggage delivery issues, and – évidemment – RER-B problems. I literally had to run from the RER-B station to my hotel to drop my bag and run to the Metro to get to my lunch destination, Le Rigmarole.
Many in the food world mourned the closing of Le Rigmarole in the fall of 2022, but its rebirth a year later has sparked a joy in the same dining community that valued the restaurant for quality and creativity. The return of Le Rigmarole came only upon the owners-chefs-partners-parents making a decision to value their work-life balance. This mean Le Rigmarole is only open for lunch on Wednesdays to Fridays, so if I had missed this opportunity it wouldn’t have worked for me on this trip.
I just didn’t anticipate it taking so long to make it from CDG as I still barely made it despite landing almost 4 hours earlier…
I relaxed as I took a seat at their busy but small counter. Quickly I relaxed when Chef/Owner Robert Compagnon leaned over the counter and asked how hungry I was. I wasn’t as honest with him as I should be for this Friday lunch. I was HANGRY. I had not eaten since Wendesday – the ridiculously poor dimsum at MingHin Cuisine. Yes, it’s been over 1.5 days since I’ve eaten! I had forgotten to eat lunch on Thursday and I don’t like eating before flights, especially long ones, so I just hung on until now.
So I told him I was hungry and gave him my dining preferences. He asked for allergies or restrictions, and what I said to him endeared me to him for the entire dining experience: “I doubt you’ll use it, but please no edible gold.” He laughed and went straight to his partner Chef Jessica Yang and repeated what I said.
I think I’m gonna like this place.
Soon Chef Yang came by and poured me a delicious orange wine as the food started to arrive. First up was some pickled vegetables.
Definitely interesting. I love beets, so that worked, but the star was the garlicky carrots. Really good appetite opener, not that I needed one.
Then some fried butternut squash. As a person who is usually indifferent to squash, this was sublime. Execution was perfect, making each bite even better. You rarely see something like this done so well outside of Japan.
Then we have some grey mullet. This was delicious, nice and fresh, not needing much help to bring out its deep flavours. Fabulous.
Then oyster swimming in a delicious broth. Mmmm, so good. Despite being in Paris I think a lot of this trip will be focused on seafood as the quality is so good. Chef Yang, who seems to be extremely busy with the full tables, rushed back to pour some more good stuff, like this Mondouze le Chateau, as the food kept coming.
Oh goodness this red mullet is fantastic. Love the char, cooked absolutely perfectly to squeeze the natural goodness out of this fish. I especially enjoyed this dish, which is saying a lot considering this excellent, almost flawless start so far. Even drank the broth, to which Chef Compagnon joked, “we don’t judge.”
Then he presented the chicken loin. Beautiful stuff, nearly raw throughout. I’ve not had raw(ish) chicken since Japan, and it’s something I miss. Lovely flavours definitely, one that it’s hard to describe because it’s not like undercooked chicken. It’s something different when it’s designed that way. So good.
Next up is some ravioli with ricotta. Delicious little packages that went so well with the last of the wine as Chef Yang came to switch out this with a generous pour of Albahra.
The wines have worked really well with the courses coming, which is quite something considering many of the diners were having different items due to their stated preferences, and she was on top of everyone of them. This is well-oiled partnership you can see, and it’s almost like they read each others’ minds sometimes. The best pairing of the day.
Next up is one of my favourites, gizzards. So lovely, the texture is just perfect. When gizzards are done right they are so darn good, and this was done very, very right.
This was followed up by scruptious pasta, bathed in a very rich and decadent ragoût. The quality of the pasta was stunning, again executed with absolute perfection. I’m starting to feel full, but this food is so good I had to continue…
Puntarelle, something not seen too often. For some it’s an acquired taste, but I love it. Delicious and fresh, the way vegetables should be.
Meatball! It also makes me miss Japan even though this is one of the items I almost never order when there. This was absolutely delicious, again executed perfectly. One thing that says plenty about this place is that nothing has been mis-executed, not even close. It has been nearly a flawless kitchen output for me.
Chef Compagnon then brought out some chicken tails for me, having overheard that it was my favourite part of the creature. These were so good it made me almost tear up – from how good it was, and from truly missing Japan. I was full now, and I don’t think I can eat much more…
A very nice dessert focused on the grilled banana. Not too sweet, which is a perfect ending for me.
Then a chocolate and coffee later, I was completely and utterly satisfied. It’s clear that this lunch will be on my “10 Best” list for 2024, and I’m so glad it happened so early in the year!
What blew me away was the flawless execution by this kitchen. Not one dish missed even by a tiny bit. Fabulous service despite a very full house made it all an exemplary dining experience.
I thanked the chef-couple and headed out and towards the Metro. Now that was spectacular! I’ve all but forgotten about the bad, sleepless red-eye flight or the RER-B issues, and I’m starting to feel very optimistic for the rest of this long weekend in Paris.
Has my Paris luck changed for good? Wow, this was ridiculously good. Heavily recommended!!!
Le Rigmarole 10 Rue du Grand Prieuré Paris, France
I woke up early this Monday morning, my last full day in Italy on this wonderful trip. Still fuelled by the wonderful dinner last night at Osteria Fernanda, I headed out for a very busy day.
Knowing that the city was inundated by visitors, I purposely chose a few destinations that are less visited. First, I made a return trip to Cimitero Monumentale Verano, where I was a few days earlier just before heading south to Napoli. Wanted to visit a far section, including the old Jewish section. That was a wonderful long walk, as I was happy to get another 15,000 clicks before hopping on a bus back to the centre – and into the crush of humanity.
I had time before lunch, and knew a few churches I could visit that are amazing but generally off the paths of most tourists. Basilica di San Lorenzo in Lucina was surprisingly empty, as was Chiesa di San Luigi dei Francesi. Amazing how people just walk past these gems…
But it was getting close to midday so I headed towards the Pantheon. And the crowd there reminded me of mid-summer. Ridiculous. I was going to go in to hide from the growing heat (it is cool in there, usually…) and revisit a few historic tombs, but there was probably a few thousand people waiting to get it with the queue snaking around the entire square, so that’s out.
And goody, there’s a queue at my lunch destination already. Now I know Armando al Pantheon has always been popular, but now it’s just become crazy due to the hype. And there were people desperate to make bookings on the spot but the bright sun is making it hard for them to use their phones. I have my booking. So when one staffer came out and asked who had a booking, a small number of the crowd indicated they did and we were seated pretty quickly.
I relaxed as I looked over the menu. Decided to do things a little different today than last time, but still very roman. I ordered and relaxed. Soon bread and my bottle of red appeared, and all was good. The place filled up but clearly a few tables were saved for later bookings. After a little, my antipasto arrived.
A cute bottoncino di pane, filled with offal. Not bad, but the bread wasn’t the best, which shocked me. I think the bread on my table was better than this, which tasted like it sat there. A rare miss.
I relaxed with wine and enjoyed some of the comedy from tables of confused tourists. If you fight so hard to get a booking here, why don’t you learn more about what they serve? It just shows me people are going because of hype and not because of food. Sad. And I got sadder when my pasta arrived.
Now pajata is a specialty of Lazio, so I expected plenty. Wow, the pasta was not cooked well. There were rigotono that were so off-balanced it was way past al dente on one side and barely cooked the other. This is just sloppy, like a kitchen that’s overwhelmed. But the place wasn’t even full. Sigh. Frankly I’ve had better pajata elsewhere, and this was nowhere near what quality I would expect from this place.
I was starting to get that sinking feeling now, that this wonderful place has been ruined by hype and tourism. However, when my secondo arrived my mood changed drastically.
Oh, now this is a lamb dish. So good, cooked perfectly. The offal still connected to the rest of the lamb, this was a tour de force. I’ve also noticed I’m the only person eating this, and I’ve had a few people from other tables glance over at what this amazing plate was.
That was good, and it rescued what could have been a very disappointing experience. I felt a bit more confident so actually had a dessert as I finished my wine.
Nice wee nibbles from Giolitti, a clean and easy dolce for today. A grappa and coffee later, I relinquished my hold on the table for more confused tourists.
I headed out to find a bus back to my hotel, but was a little dazed by this experience. The crowd that I had to fight through to get to the bus stop says plenty about what may have caused my lunch to not reach expectations, showing that even the best of the best can fall victim to hype and overwhelming tourism demand. Ah, the story of Roma, right?
It’s great to be back in Roma, but honestly the hordes of tourists have driven me crazy already a few hours back. If I didn’t have a somewhat solid grasp of the bus system here, I would be pulling my hair out…
After that pretty good (and lazy long) lunch at Bottega Tredici, I made my way by a bus that’s less used by tourists, saving my eye from being poked by relics of this Palm Sunday (see previous post). Went back to my hotel and unpacked and chilled out a little. Had to do some re-planning seeing this incredible swell of tourist.
I eventually headed out and dropped by one of my favourite places, Santa Maria degli Angeli e dei Martiri. Not much of a crowd on this early Sunday evening, thank goodness…but, of course, the part of the church I most wanted to revisit was under renovation and blocked off. Wonderful.
I headed out and caught a bus to Trastevere in a roundabout way, to avoid as much of the crowd as possible. Made it and was a little early. The area wasn’t as busy as I thought it would be, the rain certainly playing a part. But I didn’t care, my dinner tonight was booked and I know it will be solid, as it’s a trip back to what has become an oasis for me in Roma.
For one thing, I was so glad it survived the pandemic. I didn’t say much about this, but considering how hard Italy was hit with the initial wave, I never through I’d see this place again. So when I walked in, I was so happy. And when Signor Marini saw me, we exchanged a “so good to see you after all these years” look before he had a chance to come to my table to say hello.
In the meantime, I looked through the menu and decided I was a little tired for a full tasting menu, so went with ala carte for the evening. Signor Marini came by to offer some wine suggestions as he always does, and we agreed on something that should go well with the full dinner tonight. Ah, all coming together…
I nibbled on some bread and enjoyed some of the wine before a set of amuse arrived.
A good selection, from the ink chip to the everpresent liver. Throw in a refreshing liquidy treat and I’m ready for more! The rain was now coming down hard, but the crowd kept drifting in. It got quite busy as the night started, which is wonderful to see. But I was awaiting my antipasto, and it was worth the wait.
Oooh, maialino nero. This was ridiculously good, the crisp crispy, the fat fatty, the juice juicy, the meat meaty. The perfect formula. Just loved every nibble of this dish, and the earthy wine worked surprisingly well. Chalk it up to Signor Marini for the inspired recommendations.
I relaxed and nibbled on more bread (as I mentioined, I am so gonna miss this readily-available good bread thing when I head back to Chicago) as it takes sufficient time to do pasta right. And it came out right that’s for sure.
Cappelletti di coda di bue. My only criticism? Too few! These were excellent, the oxtail rich and strong, but the pasta package kept it together and balanced. It’s heaven in a bit, but only half a dozen of these tantalising moments of time. Fabulous stuff, I’m so glad to be back here!
I relaxed and was enjoying the ambience of the full and energetic restaurant. Lots of locals, a good number of visitors too. Shows the appeal of this place at the quieter end of Trastevere. However, my thoughts returned to food when my secondo arrived.
I love eel, and everyone who reads this blog knows it. Remember my infamous “terzo” at Pulejo when I first stopped in Roma a few days earlier? This was done differently, but was also quite delicious. My energy level has dropped a little on this trip now nearly a week into it, perhaps that’s why I was full after this.
I was asked about dolce and I agreed to something despite being full. I just have to! As I was slowly finishing up the last drops of my wine, a perfect time for the pre-dessert to drop.
Delicious, also helped to cleanse my palate for the main item, which arrived soon…
Oh this chocolate treat was just what I needed (and didn’t need!). So rich, it was almost enough to put me into a full-on coma! I love when chocolate taste like chocolate, not just sweet. It needs that deep richness for it to be real for me. I’m not a dessert person, so it takes a lot for me to really like it – and I really like this.
Mmmm, that was a wonderful dinner. Soon my grappa and coffee arrived, and a few nibbles, and fuelled me for the trek back across the river.
But before then, Signor Marini – as usual – brings that gigantic bottle of grappa and pours me another huge one. Honestly, seeing this moment, not sure if I’d ever experience this again considering what has happened the past few years, made me a little emotional.
After enjoying that second giant grappa I thanked the crew and especially Signor Marini, and promised to return sooner than 4 years. After all, this is my oasis in Roma.
I woke up with slightly less energy than I thought I would this Sunday morning in Napoli, sad that I am leaving this energetic city. That was a wonderful final meal at Sottocoperta last night, one that needs to fuel me for the trek back to the madhouse that is Roma.
Of course some morning drama, as every ticket machine at Toledo Metro was broken and no ticket booth. Let’s say I don’t trust the touch payment system on the turnstiles with a foreign card, so I was scrambling. No tabacchi were open at this hour on a Sunday either. Luckily some dude finally showed up to sell tickets just before I had to really run…
Got to the train station and we were soon on the ultra fast train back to Roma. Rolled into Termini and I quickly headed out into the insanely busy city. Wow, in a matter of a few days, the place was absolutely overrun with tourists. It being Palm Sunday (with an ill Pope) the city was just too crowded.
I walked to my hotel near Termini, a place where I’ve stayed before – Hotel Nord Nuova Roma – and dropped my bag and hopped onto a ridiculously overcrowded bus towards the center. I kept getting whacked by branches (it being Palm Sunday) carried mostly by American tourists. I actually hopped off earlier as I didn’t want to lose an eye…
Walked to my lunch destination of Bottega Tredici. This was a last-minute idea when I was planning this trip, as Sunday lunches are not easy to come by in Roma. And with this being Palm Sunday, knowing it also was an overlap weekend of Spring Break travels, I didn’t risk it and booked. I’m glad I did.
I was seated and it was a little bit of a touristy place, but a good number of locals were there too. I ordered and relaxed, enjoying some of the wine that showed up soon. A deeper local white, which worked with my order.
The place was getting busy with a lot of confused foreigners, which humoured the few tables of locals. Soon my starter arrived, fassona.
Excellent beef quality as you can imagine, done rather well here. If you’ve had fassona, it’s probably the best of the “lean” beefs you can find. Lovely texture from the cutting too, perfect size morsels. A good start.
I chilled out sipping on wine and snacking at bread (oh, how I am gonna miss nibbling on real bread when I get home…) and watching the comedy with both people unable to close the bathroom door and a local family not being able to find enough places to fit their baby strollers. That was interrupted by my first, which arrived.
You’d think I’ve had enough baccalà the last few days in Napoli, but nope. A nice ravioli with baccalà here, perhaps a little too “creative” that wasn’t necessary. The ravioli were cooked well and tasty, so that’s all it mattered. But I miss honest, clean flavours that I was getting in Napoli, and I’m hoping my palate can re-adjust to (over-)cheffed cuisine here in Roma.
The comedy with the bathroom door continues and ended up chatting with a Dutch couple next to me who were also humorously annoyed by it. Then my second came, a special of the day that caught my attention when my server talked about it.
An excellent polpo here that’s for sure, perfectly cooked. Wonderful texture and flavour, simply done and absolutely delicious. I love octopus, especially when done well. I always tell people who hate octopus that they just got scared off by a bad first experience that they need to try it when done well, and this was done well. An excellent lunch!
The wine was done, and the restaurant was starting to clear out of tourists who don’t follow Italian dining customs, especially on a slow, relaxing weekend. They hurried out, so leaving mostly locals at the end.
I did a simple dessert of mango and lime, which was just what I needed after a filling meal. A grappa and coffee later, I headed out the door. I think I needed that mango and lime to fight the crowd back towards Termini. Oh Roma, I love you, but not when you are bursting at the seams like this…
For the first time on this trip I didn’t sleep well. Sadly, that’s the jetlag catching up with me, probably not helped by that short nap yesterday afternoon. Nevertheless a busy day, and I was awake around dawn. I had a busy day planned that has me in opposite sides of town, so it will be a challenge to my feet and to navigate the bus lines.
I spent most of the early morning re-visiting Poggioreale, the gigantic and historical cemetery of the city. Sadly, the cemetery has been in the news for all the wrong reasons, following two massive collapses of multi-story mausolea, leading to extreme anger from the family affected – rightly so, the horrific photos show coffins dangling off the edge of buildings, exposed human remains and more. But I was visiting the historical part, which ironically was in far better shape.
After a few hours there I climbed my way out and went by bus back towards the centre of town for a quick stop at the Duomo. It’s been eight years since I visited, but wanted to have another look before the tourists all woke up. Somewhat successful, but it was too late in the morning to avoid all of them.
It wasn’t late enough, however, for my lunch on the other side of town, so I went back to the hotel for a little. BTW I was spending my days in a small, comfortable, and convenient place called IStayToledo.
I zipped out to maneuvre myself on a multi-bus journey to lunch on the coast. A bunch of misbehaving children annoyed the hell out of an older gentleman, so that comedy that played out was worth the day transport ticket that’s for sure!
I was perfectly on-time and walked into Il Miracolo dei Pesci for lunch. I had booked ahead because it’s popular with locals and it’s the weekend. With the weather so nice, I was doubly glad I booked. I was first, but definitely not last.
By the time the bread and water got to my table, two other tables were occupied. I ordered an antipasto and first, as well as a bottle of white. It’s Saturday, and I have the feeling I’ll be here for awhile.
I enjoyed the bread and wine, relaxing. Although I’ve had more white than I usually do, it’s not having any adverse effect on me as they can sometimes with acidity. I think I’m just eating too well on this trip to balance it out, and that continues today when my antipasto arrives.
Wow, this certainly ain’t no April Fool’s joke, this is some serious crudo. Again, lovely to have all the fruits there as a wonderful side. The crudo at Pescheria Mattiucci the other night was serious about the fish and shrimps; today’s is a good balance with shellfish as a prominent member. Both perfect, but different. The oysters were quite good, as was the spigola (branzino). The shrimp was also nice, but it was the clams that really stood out today. Lovely selection!
The proprietors looked amused as I ate this plate, but also cleaned off the arugula. One thing I don’t take for granted is how nice and fresh and delicious this humble local staple is – a vegetable that I eat as a snack when I am home (sadly of lesser quality). Oh that was nice!
The wine went well with this crudo that’s for sure. I relaxed and nibbled at a little more bread when my first arrived, and I smiled even more.
Ooooh, spaghetti al riccio… Perfectly cooked pasta, lovely sea urchin, and you got a local favourite and a winner in my book. Delicious. Oh, I am certainly no April Fool today for coming here!
Although that was a large plate of pasta, I felt I could have a little more. When the proprietress came by, I asked what we can do for a second. She suggested a few off-menu things that they can do simply, and I opted for one of them. I sipped my wine and anticipated this closing number, and it arrived after just enough time for that generous helping of pasta to digest.
I love when chefs let the quality of the seafood shine. Pesce spada, always a staple of this part of Italy. I love swordfish, I make it all the time, and this was fabulous. So simple, so good. I still remember being in Sicily over a decade ago and asked how fresh the swordfish was, and it was literally in the kitchen being broken down having come off the boat just hours ago. This is what makes me love this part of the world.
I was ridiculously full, but the proprietress talked me into a dessert…
Maybe a little too much food for lunch, but it was delicious! A grappa and coffee and I was renewed again! I thanked the proprietors and headed out the door, feeling the like I’ve literally fooled April on this one. So good. So recommended!
Oh, perhaps I needed that short nap. I was only out for an hour or so, but it was needed after that wonderful lunch at Le Zendraglie that I’ve dreamed about for 8 years. Now with a bit more energy, I wandered back out in the late afternoon just as the pedestrian traffic picked up.
The energy of this city always makes me smile, even if some of it I can’t understand. Napulitani drive like madmen on the roads, yet they are slow as turtles while they walk. For me, it’s easier to walk through 4 lanes of busy traffic than the human traffic on Via Toledo.
It being Friday night on a busy weekend, I smartly booked ahead for dinner tonight. When I was waiting for Le Zendraglie to start serving lunch (when the proprietress told me to come back in a bit), I walked to Trattoria Nannì and booked a place for dinner. I arrived and they were ready for me.
I see them moving tables, including for big groups, so I imagine it’s gonna be busy tonight. I relaxed and looked over the menu. Water and bread already presented, I quickly ordered. My server smiled as he didn’t expect me to speak Italian, and also asking him about one or two of the dishes. I also made the odd decision to have a second as my antipasto, for which he approved.
Soon a nice bottle of red showed up and I relaxed. I sipped at it and enjoyed some bread as the place started to fill up. I noticed a lot of tourists at the beginning, and some locals. Clearly this place is popular and has a good following on social media and beyond.
After a little, my starter arrived. Technically a secondo, but who’s checking?
One of my favourite things to eat, alici fritte. I love fried small fish of all kinds, but the local anchovy is just lovely. Perfectly and simply seasoned and fried, this was a treat. It’s not easy to fry a small fish perfectly so there’s plenty of meat and flavour yet devourable whole, and they did it perfectly. A delicious and big “antipasto” to start.
Loving this dinner so far, I enjoyed a bit more of my wine anticipating my first. I smiled when it arrived.
Scialatelli alla pescatora…oh my more seafood joy for me! This was absolutely delicious. First of all, the pasta is as expected super good, perfectly cooked. The seafood selection was generous and tasty, the richness soaked into the pasta perfectly without messing with the texture. This is a spectacular example of pasta and seafood together done right!
I left just the shells, having mopped up the last of the seafood essence with my bread. My wine was still good as I was nursing it a little today, so I can enjoy the last of it with my main. The restaurant was now completely packed but service was still solid. And soon my real second arrived.
Maialino, pretty good. I usually don’t eat much meat when I’m in this part of Italy, but was intrigued by this on the menu. Plus I technically had a seafood second already, albeit as an antipasto. Nice sauce for the last of my bread as well.
That was good! Wine’s done, and I feel full and happy! My server, who by the way was an exact twin of actress Eve Hewson, talked me into a dessert. How can I resist, I sat next to it all evening!
Pastiera, about as local as it gets. Nothing says dolce napoletano than pastiera. This tart was lovely, a great way to close the evening. Of course I asked for a coffee and grappa, which they happily brought. When I finished the grappa they poured me another when they brought the bill. I love this place. I thanked the entire crew and let them have the table back for a busy night, and wandered into the night.
I have a long day tomorrow, so decided to just stroll around the area before heading back in. This has been a wonderful day in Napoli!
Got up early in the morning, feeling refreshed. Strange that jetlag has not really affected me so far on this trip. Hope that continues, but I know myself and it won’t, sadly… Maybe it’s all the amazing food so far, like dinner last night at Pescheria Mattiucci!
I headed out the door early to explore a few places; sadly some museums were completely sold out of tickets even before it opened. Crap, this is the problem with visiting during a busy weekend.
But there were plenty of targets for visits and re-visits on this trip, especially in the centre of Napoli, so I had plenty to do all morning. But I was getting hungry, so headed to Le Zendraglie, a place I found during my last visit and a place I dreamed about re-visiting for 8 years.
I got there a little early, and the proprietress said to come back in a little bit. So I walked around, explored the outdoor seafood markets. Oh, so good, I wish I lived here… After a long loop around, I headed back to the trattoria and they happily sat me.
No printed menu here, and again I’m glad my Italian hasn’t gone bad over this long period of personal deluge. I decided to flip things around and do my second first, and they humoured me. Soon a mezzo of red showed up with my water and bread and I chilled out, so happy to be back here.
As you may know, Le Zendraglie is one of the last of the traditional tripperia of Napoli, and I’m glad it’s still doing so well. The place filled up despite the relatively early dining hour. And soon my 8 years of waiting was over…
Oh, this is about as good of insalata di trippa as it gets. The various stomachs and other organs generously added to the plate of greens. There’s actually far more goodies on this plate than the photo shows, as the veggies acted as a tarp over a sizeable portion of offal. There’s quite a bit of snout here too, which I absolutely love. This plate is absolutely heavenly for me…
It was definitely worth the 8-year wait. So simple, so good. I finished it to the last piece of lettuce. The proprietor smiled as he took the plate away, asking if I wanted more – I reminded him of what I wanted, and he simultaneously grunted and smiled and headed to the kitchen.
I enjoyed more wine and bread and eventually my pasta dish came, pacchieri con baccalà.
They love their cod here, much like their Bourbon brethren across the sea. Beautifully cooked pasta with excellent fish. Again, simple but absolutely delicious. I finished this and was FULL, thanks to the gigantic salad.
This was ridiculously cheap and I headed out after thanking the proprietors. As I wandered through the central part of Napoli, it suddenly hit me. Jetlag. I got tired very suddenly so I headed back to my hotel. Oh, why now?
Oh well, after that amazing lunch I could use a nap!
This was definitely worth the 8-year wait! It better not be another 8 years before I come back!
I was up before dawn, having had a surprisingly good sleep after the red-eye the night before. Maybe it was that amazing dinner at Pulejo that helped me to wind down! But I had a lot to do this morning as I headed out the door just as the sun was making its appearance.
I went back to my hotel to wash up and check out, and left my bag there as I headed out. I had a relatively good window of time before my train to Napoli, so I went to lunch. I wanted to stay near Termini so I don’t need to rush, so I returned to a place where I had a wonderful lunch in the past, and a place I’ve heartily recommended to others: Antica Boheme.
Last time I was here I had just received news of a death of someone important to me after an eerie visit to the Vatican that morning; ironically I’m writing this after finding out about a death of another person who was important to me…
That wonderful lunch kept me going as I was also headed out of town that day. I knew this place was good, so came back for another good lunch.
However, this time my mood was completely different. I was joyous and energetic as I strolled around the area before walking into the trattoria. I was not even the first there despite the early hour (12 midday). They seated me ironically right next to the photo of Luca Zingaretti – the star of the film adaptations of Il commissario Montalbano. Odd that I visited it’s creator Andrea Camilleri’s grave just yesterday.
I didn’t want to tempt time, so I ordered and soon a mezzo of red showed up. I relaxed with some bread, eavesdropping on two older ladies having a strange conversation (and giving the servers attitude). Made me chuckle. But what didn’t make me chuckle was when my pasta arrived. I drooled…
Gricia is SO SIMPLE but so easy to do wrong. And this was perfect, with the interesting addition of artichokes. The guanciale makes it gricia, and a real and good one is so good. Perfect pasta, rich and true flavours. This is life.
I finished that generous serving and again, thanking the stars that I had the chance to make it back to enjoy Italy. And soon my second arrived.
Again, Lazio loves their offal, so we have some rognoni. These kidneys were done extremely well, lovely flavours and texture. They certainly know how to cook this dish. Fantastic. Mopped up the sauce with more bread.
So good, and I polished off my wine as well. Although I hadn’t planned on dolce, my server talked me into it.
A nice little treat, which helped me with a grappa and coffee too. I thanked my server and headed out the door and back to my hotel to get my bag.
Again, this is life. I’m so glad to be celebrating life here over a wonderful lunch instead of death like last time. I headed out full and happy, and satisfied that my timing worked. Off to Napoli!
I was still dreaming about that wonderful lunch at Piatto Romano as I slowly wandered around Testaccio. I decided to just hop on a bus back towards Termini as it was mid-afternoon and I needed to do some logistical stuff and check into my hotel. Got there and they already put my bag in my room, how nice.
I’m staying at a modest little place called the Hotel Marcoantonio. It’s convenient and friendly, without the frills – really just what I need. I like the Termini area as it’s so easy for transit, and I like a little grime. Plus, coming from Chicago, this ain’t grime, it’s damn nice.
I headed out for dinner on the very packed Metro, going to the popular Prati area near the Vatican. Got out at Ottaviano to get some fresh air, thank goodness. Strolled towards my dining destination, doing a few loops as I was a little early. I enjoy the early evening walk anyway, such a nice way to relax.
I was seated and I relaxed. As I always do in Italy, I escape the anglophone world completely unless prompted to (even then I still rarely revert to English). It’s a mental escape for me really, as well as a mental exercise. Had a quick chat with the sommelier about my wine, and we’re off.
As much as I was tempted by the tasting menu, one thing on the ala carte menu caught my eye and I just could not risk not having it, so I went ala carte and ordered as well.
Soon water, my bottle of white, and bread arrived. The service hear is impeccable, easily matching the level Michelin would use to demand for a coveted star before it went wonky and gave stars to carts. I relaxed with my wine and nibbling on some bread when the amuse came.
A nice selection, bringing tradition and local produce to the forefront. The use of liver is always a plus in my book, as well as different cheeses to bring out pastries. Lovely stuff to start. Unfortunately I was distracted by my phone as some work issues popped up. Luckily after this, my colleagues back home yelled at me to stop reading email. I love my colleagues!
Soon my antipasto arrived, and I smiled. One of my favourites, seppia.
Cuttlefish for me is so much better than squid, I just love it. I used to order it whenever I see it on the menu because I just so rarely get it. I still remember falling in love with Italy in the 1990s when presented a simple dish of grilled seppie. I’ve never turned back since. Anyway, this dish was done very well, you can still get the essence of ink here too. Lovely sauces, working well with the interesting addition of bottarga. An excellent start.
One thing good about Italy is that you know the pasta is cooked well when it takes time. I relaxed with the wine and bread, fully realising something good is coming. And it did come.
Delicious, tortello di cinghiale. I love how the boar works with the berries, a wonderful combination. The tortelli were cooked perfectly, not the overly soft, I-used-to-be-al-dente-10-minutes-ago stuff you get in the States. When you get strong flavours with that perfect texture, you got a winner. This is a good kitchen, and my roman Michelin curse is broken.
Enjoyed a bit more wine and relaxed, with the anticipation of the second – the reason I went with the ala carte menu. And when it arrived, I didn’t just smile, I looked like a smiling face emoji…
Oh goodness…capitone, or large European eel. This is a truly wonderful piece of one of my favourite things to eat. I’m tired of eel that is smoked or lathered with too much Japanese eel sauce. This was truly a wonderful preparation, and simply cooked to bring out the oily richness that I just love with eel. And it being that big, river eel, you really get to enjoy the texture and meat in a way you don’t with a Japanese preparation.
This was so blinding good I was just zoned out…and again, the last bite was very difficult as I finished my wine. That was ridiculously good. I sat there mesmirised and they asked about dolce, I asked for a few seconds. I couldn’t think about anything sweet. This is one of those days I needed a savoury dessert.
So I told my server I had a very unusual request…and after I told her, she laughed and said she’ll check with the kitchen. She came back and confirmed it was doable, so I went with it, and asked for a glass of a different wine now my bottle is empty. She poured a nice glass for me, smiled knowing it was not a dessert wine because I wasn’t having a dolce, but a terzo…
Yep, I had another serving of the eel. It was that good. And this one was as good as the first. I savoured every bite like it was my last, and when it was indeed my last it was borderline traumatising. However, that bite also made me realise that after all the trials of the last few years, things are finally good again. A symbolic last bite, that’s for sure.
My server joked if I needed a fourth at this point, to which I laughed but declined. No need for sweets, I asked for a coffee and grappa. Some sweet nibbles did help close the night off here…
I savoured the sips of the fiery liquid before taking my coffee to fuel the trek home. I thanked my server and asked her to thank the kitchen for granting me this favour that has completely made my day, week, month, year, post-pandemic world. I walked out into the crisp warm evening smiling, feeling so alive and absolutely bliss.
PS: Of course it being Roma that bliss only goes so far. I didn’t see that Linea A shuts down at 9pm during the week due to works, and the gates had no sign. So had to figure out how to get back by bus. Again, so glad I’m staying near Termini, as this makes it so much easier to do.
melhuang1972 