Oh the eternal city! Rome is one of the worlds most popular tourist destinations and for good reason. There’s something remarkable and quite magical about a city built upon ancient ruins. I guess I can also call Rome my second home, after Florence of course, since my boyfriend is Romano and his family lives there. Here are some of my favorite snapshots from my numerous visits to Rome over the last four years living in Europe.
Vatican City: St. Peter’s Square/Basilica and the Vatican Museum
Colosseum and Roman Forum
Pantheon
Trevi Fountain
Spanish Steps
Piazza Navona
One of the Many Beautiful Bridges.
Castel Sant’Angelo.
Altare della Patria.
So what do you do after exploring the city all day? Mangia aka time to eat! One of my favorite trattorias in Rome is La Campana that serves traditional Roman fare.
Carciofi alla Giudia, Fried Artichoke (8/10).
Gnocchi with Ragù (7.5/10).
Ravioli stuffed with Meat served in Tomato Sauce (7/10).
Roasted Lamb with Roasted Potatoes (7.5/10).
All the food at La Campana is always delicious and so satisfying (7.5/10). The carciofi alla giudia, fried artichoke, is a must at any Roman trattoria. Some of my other favorite Roman dishes include bucatini all’amatriciana (pasta with cured pork jowl and spicy tomato sauce), cacio e pepe (pasta with Pecorino Romano cheese and black pepper), and saltimbocca alla romana (veal wrapped in prosciutto and sage). There are plenty of trattorias in Rome but here are some of the fine dining restaurants I’ve tried so far. Two years ago, I took my boyfriend to Il Convivio Troiani, a one star Michelin restaurant for his birthday. We ordered the degustation menu in order to try several dishes.
Amuse Bouche.
Assortment of Breads.
Chickpea and Scampi Soup with Lemongrass (6/10).
Potato, Baccalà, and Artichoke Millefoglie with Fried Onion Rings (7.5/10).
Amberjack Carpaccio with Green Apple and Pomegranate (5.5/10).
Tagliatelle with Duck Ragù (7/10).
Veal Cheek with Brussel Sprouts and Orange Gorgonzola Sauce (6/10).
Pre-Dessert.
Dessert (7/10).
Petit Fours.
Birthday Boy!
My favorite dish of the night was the potato, baccalà, and artichoke millefoglie. Beautifully presented with great technique and perfectly cooked onion rings, yum! However, I was slightly disappointed with the meal as a whole (7/10). None of the other dishes “wowed” me and a few were lacking in seasoning. Another restaurant I tried was Antico Arco. This restaurant is the perfect place for a date night or special occasion and is slightly cheaper than Il Convivio Troiani.
Amberjack Tartare with Ginger and Puntarelle Salad (7/10).
Onion Pie with Saffron and Parmigiano Reggiano Cheese Fondue (8/10).
Tonnarelli with King Prawns Ragù and Ginger (7.5/10).
Rigatoni all’Amatriciana (7.5/10).
Beef Tenderloin with Porcini Mushrooms, Taleggio Cheese Sauce, and Potato and Black Truffle Pie (8/10).
My favorite dish of the dinner was the onion pie with Parmigiano Reggiano cheese fondue, out of this world delicious! Overall, my experience at Antico Arco was very satisfying (7.5-8/10) and I would love to go back someday. Also check out my review for Metamorfosi, a fine dining restaurant in Rome. Rome is by far one of my favorite food cities and every time I go back I’m always looking to try new restaurants! If you have any favorite restaurants in Rome, don’t hesitate and comment below, grazie!
4 thoughts on “When in Rome.”