Is AYCE pasta the next step?

That's right. Take the DWARF'S CHALLENGE!

"Can you eat our Florentine steak (a.k.a. generally about 1.5-2 lbs.) in JUST 5 MINUTES??? Then YOU WON'T PAY!!!"

Well, I suppose you won't pay monetarily speaking. Gastronomically speaking is anyone's guess.

Oh, man.

Yes, I'll admit, I laughed out loud before whipping out my ever-present camera, but frankly, seeing something like this in Rome makes me just a little queasy. Whatever happened to the Slow Food movement? I'm now having flashbacks of huge billboards on Interstate 40 (former Route 66) from the Big Texan Steak Ranch. And I quote:

The FREE 72oz. STEAK dinner is still flourishing at the Big Texan. More than 40,000 people have attempted to consume the Free 72oz. Steak dinner since 1960. About 7,000 have succeeded. People from all over the world continue to visit us to take the challenge and claim the bragging rights.

Just in case you can't visualize in ounces, that's four and a half juicy pounds, or about 2 kilos. But at least at the BTS you get a whole hour to consume your steak...

Anyone for ham and cheese?

Winner for one of my favorite window displays of food in Rome.

Roscioli is an upscale deli where you can also sit down and eat. The prices aren't high-end, but they aren't budget, either. For lunch you'll probably spend anywhere from €20-€30 per person. And mind you, this isn't the place to go for a nice, steaming plate of carbonara. For that, of course, go here, and as an aside, hurry... it just got put in a guide book so all hope of it remaining a secret is lost. No, Roscioli is the place for things like a lovely cheese plate with fruit compote, or a chocolate fondue with strawberries.

It's also an enoteca, or wine shop, so inside you'll see the walls are made up of huge wine cubbyholes that reach to the ceiling. Definitely worth a look.

And, not to be missed, a phrase from their website in typical Italian style:

In the bakery our pizzas follow only risings of more than 12 hours, that make it very digestible because the yeasts have fully developed their activity.

I haven't talked much about this on the blog, but the bold on "digestible" is their emphasis, and Italians can spend HOURS talking about food digestibility. I don't know about you and how things are where you live, but where I come from in the States, I'm 99.9% sure I never had even ONE dinner conversation that revolved around how I digested food.

But hey, maybe that's just me?

Antico Forno Roscioli
Via dei Giubbonari 21 (not far from Campo de' Fiori)
They also have a bakery on Via dei Chiavari 34

Desire Taken By The Tail

[It's Food Week at AHIR: all food, all drink, all week, leading up to World Nutella Day on February 6! You do realize that "Food Week" is just a shameless gimmick to generate support and love for WND, no? That being the case, I now urge you to prepare your entry in exchange for my sacrifice of consuming so much food for this week's festival. Ok, I didn't consume it all this week, I confess. But remember, it's all up to your creativity and you don't have to have a blog to participate!]

Ah, so poetic. Nestled in the corner of a street called "Dove Alley" (Vicolo della Palomba). This little gem is a find that one of my closest Italian girlfriends, Eleonora, discovered. She is a freelance art director who formerly worked for Rome's most sought-after graphic design agency (last time I was at her house she was making Garofalo pasta and showed me how she had designed the package), and she is therefore one of the most creatively talented people I know. So leave it to her to pick "Il Desiderio Preso per la Coda" as one of her favorite restaurants. This time we went to celebrate her recent birthday.

This is a funky, trendy kind of place, tucked away in a good hiding spot not far from Piazza Navona. There aren't many tables, and the ones that are there are all kind of squished in together. The placemats are on brown paper bag material, hand-stamped with the restaurant's logo. The menu comes encased in a florescent, neon-colored plexiglass holder. It's what you would call "molto trendy."

The food is equally d'avantguardia. You'll probably have to ask multiple times what the heck the things on the menu actually are. For example, it will say something like "Utopia" with no explanation, so everyone at the table starts asking everyone else: "Do you know what the "Utopia" dish is? Is it fish? Is it meat?" Then the waiter comes and someone asks, and he explains. But other people were talking, so then they all ask him to explain it too. Pre-dining amusement and fun will certainly be had by all.

Once you actually get over the hurdle of ordering, you are in for a treat. Here was my first course, something I have fallen madly in love with since I moved to Italy and discovered it: zuppa alla zucca--pumpkin soup.

Did I mention that the plates are all very beautiful hand-painted ceramic, but all very mismatched? It's that whole artsy thing again. Molto trendy.

Now, granted, this pumpkin soup was not at the same level as that made by my resident chef, Alessandro. I have to admit that he does a pumpkin soup without using any recipe that is literally "il fine del mondo." But, until he opens his restaurant one day, this soup is an excellent stand-in and was absolutely delish. They even sprinkled toasted almonds on top which was an interesting and creative touch.

I also had a lovely salad, but what I REALLY want to show you are the desserts. People, this is another thing I have discovered in some Italian restaurants: what I personally like to call the "chocolate volcano." It's a decadent little chocolate cake fatta espressa, or made when you order it, and cowering inside is a whole lotta hot fudge that slowly makes its appearance when your fork hits the cake. Oh. This. Is. Good. Stuff.

The photo is kind of washed out because I had to use the flash, but ... I think it requires no additional verbal elaboration.

My friend sitting across from me, Cristina, got this:

Also photo-worthy, wouldn't you say? This is similar to the crema pasticciera we had in Pescasseroli. Lots of sweet, crispy millefoglie with custard cream inside. In a word? Yum.

I think we each spent about €25 or so per person, including two fantastic bottles of red wine, which is actually quite a good price for such an elegant and unique meal here in Rome.

Ok, so you won't be able to get a steaming plate of pasta alla carbonara or that crowd-pleasing Roman favorite of oxtail stew, but hey, that's not what Desiderio is all about. We're talking trendy, people, trendy...

Il Desiderio Preso Per La Coda
Vicolo della Palomba, 23
Tel. 06 68 30 75 22
Closed Mondays

Ahò, e daje! Magna a Taverna de' Mercanti!

[It's Food Week at AHIR: all food, all drink, all week, leading up to World Nutella Day on February 6! It's going global, folks: RSVPs from Argentina to Australia; Nutella Day Parties already planned in Houston, San Francisco and Milan; and we've even got a fan singing the joys of Nutella in French, all the way from Paris!]

Forgive me, I lapsed into Roman dialect in my title today, but it's only because where we're going now just brings it out in me. This place, IMHO, wins hands-down for Rome's most fun and authentic period building and atmosphere to dine in. Naturally, it's in Trastevere, where else?

First off, it's in what I consider one of the most charming piazzas by night: Piazza de' Mercanti. Imagine those places that Disneyland or some other theme park tries to recreate: a cobblestone square surrounded by quaint houses with flower boxes in the windows; big, hulking medieval buildings with flaming torches out front; ivy lazily creeping down the sides of the brick walls. Eating at Taverna de' Mercanti is definitely like stepping back in time, and even though they do play up the uniqueness of their location (most likely a former stable building from the 1400s or thereabouts, although I'm not really sure on this), luckily it doesn't feel too "touristy" or put on.

Take the front door, for example. After you walk through the heavy door whose entrance is flanked by two flaming torches, you climb this staircase to reach the dining area.

See what I mean? It's one of those places that looks fake because it is so authentic. Does that make any sense?

Now take the menu. When you arrive at your table, you'll find this rolled up into a scroll, waiting for you on your plate. It's about 2 feet tall by 1 foot wide.

I can't tell you how many times I've taken mine home with me, intending to frame it and perhaps hang it in one of our vacation apartments here in Trastevere, but I've never gotten around to it (yet). The fact is though, it makes for a special (and free) souvenir. It's printed on really nice paper and has sayings in Roman dialect.

As for the food, well, it's always excellent. Nothing too fancy. They specialize in "carne alla brace," grilled meats, and they have a large open grill in the dining room, so there's a real rustic feeling to the place, in addition to the period furnishings they have hung on the walls and from the ceiling.

(I can assure you that their chefs are not under the influence of anything; I just happened to catch this poor guy at the wrong moment.)

They also have a nice range of pizze (yes, folks, that's how we say "pizzas" around here). Per esempio:
Now, this is a pizza that's got way too much going on for me to ever eat it (I mean, hello, fried egg in the middle?) but Ale loves it. It's the capricciosa. Usually it's half of a hard-boiled egg, but who knows, I guess they got creative here.

I didn't manage to get a shot of any of the waiters, but they wear traditional period dress, complete with blousy shirts and neckerchiefs.

All in all, it's a fun night out, and a great place for couples and families alike. The place is huge, so reservations generally aren't necessary, but in the summer it gets crowded so you might want to go by early (7:45-8 pm) or call ahead. One of the most coveted spots is a table on the piazza--definitely worth it if you can manage to book one. Pizza is a bit pricey, ranging from €10-€15, while the meat dishes go from €10-€48 (and you can even have grilled quail if you really have a craving). We usually end up spending about €25-€30 per person including the house wine.

TAVERNA DE' MERCANTI
Piazza de' Mercanti 3/a
Closed Sundays
Tel. 06/5881693

Chronicle of an Abruzzese Dinner

This week, in a grand lead-up to World Nutella Day, I am declaring Food Week over here at AHIR: all food, all drink, all the time. At least this week. (By the way, I do trust that all my fearless readers are getting their entries ready for WND? Don't wait until the last minute! The clock is ticking!)

Allora... we've got to start Food Week with a bang. So where do we turn but Abruzzo? Home of hearty mountain cooking. It's freezing there, people! They have to eat lots and lots so they can stay warm. It's like bears going into hibernation for the winter. Remember when we went hiking (ok, hiking is a big word. Let's say walking.) in the Parco Nazionale? That was to burn off the calories from our previous night's dinner. Abruzzo food=comfort food. Hence the cozy fireplace at Plistia, hidden haven of cucina Abruzzese in Pescasseroli:

And no, you won't go thirsty, just look at that mantel!

The owner here (I think his name is Ciccetto, or at least his nickname is Ciccetto), really went all out. Once he saw the "americana" whip out her camera, he put on a show. I have photographic evidence of all dishes consumed. There's nothing like a crackling fireplace in a rustic Abruzzese restaurant with just a few tables, stuffing yourself with dish after delicious dish, when it's freezing outside. I literally felt like a guest in this guy's home, partly because our friends know him, partly because he's just like that with everyone.

(CUE the boxing round bell....DING! And no, there will be no bikini-clad women holding signs on my blog). Round One:

Most Abruzzo restaurants will first serve you an appetizer of local cheeses and cold cuts on a wooden board. Plistia? Check. These were the cheeses for that evening, slices of which were served to us along with prosciutto and salame.

DING, DING! Round Two:

No, we didn't get the whole thing. It was more for show. But we did get the first piping-hot slices. It was a flaky, phyllo-like pastry crust filled with spinach and cheese. I can't even remember what kind of cheese. I was already nearing food coma.

DING, DING! Round Three:

I'm such a bad blogger. I think I blacked out at this point from food overdose, because I can't even remember what was in this soup. I have a faint recollection of hearing "cotechino," which is a pork sausage traditional around the New Year (we were there in early January), but folks, shame on me. You'll just have to guess from the shapes floating in the bowl. Gnocchi? Potatoes? Boh! (All-purpose Italian word for "who knows!")

I'm about to throw in the towel, but no! DING, DING! Round Four:

Now, these ravioli I definitely remember. They were something special. Red turnip ravioli filled with ricotta and walnuts. Speechless. Ravioli with ricotta and walnuts in general are heavenly, with just a touch of olive oil and fresh parmesan.

And just like Rocky, we push onwards. Yo, Adrian! DING, DING! Round Five:

At this point you'll just have to start describing the dishes yourselves... running out of steam... must keep going... there was some green stuff... and some grated cheese on top...

DING-DING! Round Six: (Attention vegetarians: Hide your eyes! Look away! Look away!)

As if we needed a nice, juicy steak on top of everything else. And folks, please note that this was not a communal steak but just my personal plate (or personal huge wooden board, if you will). Often in Italy I've found that meat is served "al sangue" which is rare, to bring out the flavor. You'll never find a menu here like the one I once saw in the States, basically telling you that if you ordered anything less than medium you were at your own risk, the State Health Department didn't recommend it, etc... no, here most of the restaurant owners either butcher their own meat or know the butcher and get it fresh, so it's less of a worry.

Oh, people, the end is near! When our friend called in the afternoon to make a reservation, the owner asked us if we wanted crema pasticciera for dessert. This was freshly homemade that day, warm confectioner's custard oozing out from crispy, sweet millefoglie wafers and powdered sugar. Can you say YUM? Yes, there was still room left for this. How can you resist?

And Ginkers, this was the photo I was talking about, just for you. The owner pulled out a box of his "special" grappa, this one from Nannoni, an unopened bottle, pointing out to us that the license number was 000001 or something like that, meaning that these were the first producers to ever acquire the license the government put into place for grappa producers. Ginkers, you could probably explain it better, but after all, it's the drinking of it that counts, as I'm sure you'd agree? Ale and I were actually the only ones brave enough to try. Me likey.

With this, our Abruzzese food battle is over. We've lost; we were really no match for these dishes in the first place, but we leave contented anyways. I don't know if I'll ever get back to Plistia, but if you ever go to Pescasseroli sometime, I highly recommend it. And ask Ciccetto what that green stuff was, will you?

Ristorante Plistia
Viale Principe di Napoli 28
Pescasseroli, Abruzzo
Tel. (0863) 910732

Waiter for a Day

I have so much good stuff backing up in the post pipeline that I think I'll take the day off to sort it all out. I haven't even shared my colossal dinner in Pescasseroli with you, and that alone will take a while, sorting out all the photos of each dish! Get your appetites ready.

Meanwhile, how's this for efficiency? Here's the only restaurant in Rome where I've seen something like this. It's called Pizzeria San Marino and is a bit out of the way from the center--if you know Rome at all, it's over in the Corso Trieste area off of Piazza Istria (north Rome). When you arrive, you find this list with a pen on your green checkered tablecloth:

That's right, folks. DIY ordering. Just browse the list, put the number you want of each item next to it, and when your waiter comes by you hand him the list.

Just make sure everyone at your table is in agreement. Ale went first and put "4" next to supplì (pronounced "soo-PLEE", a fried rice ball filled with mozzarella...worthy of its own post) and there were four of us, without even asking if anyone else wanted one. So as the list made its way around the table, there was a lot of: "FOUR supplì? I don't want a supplì, I want a bruschetta!" I guess he figures that a supplì is a necessary part of any healthy pizza-balanced diet, and in Rome, I guess he would be right!

Pizzeria San Marino
Via S. Marino 52
Tel. 06 85 58 439
(Closed Sundays)