Roman fare is back on the menu

GREGOR GARBASSEN takes a culinary tour through the Eternal City


Tourists come to Rome for the Spanish Steps, the Vatican and the Colosseum, rather than for the food, which in the past was dismissed by some as a disappointing "menu turistico".

But the Eternal City now has extremely good cuisine on offer, providing the visitor shows discernment in the choice of restaurant.

Far from the former image of "poor man's food", the trattorias, osterias and ristorantes to be found on almost every corner have improved their fare.

Even aspiring gourmets need not be disappointed, provided they stay away from offerings of over-cooked spaghetti with last week's greasy tomato sauce.

Trastevere, which has gained in style and popularity over the years, is one part of the city where decent food at a reasonable price can be found.

This quarter at the foot of the Vatican, once home to dock workers, now exudes the homely feel of the village, offering opportunity for a stroll through narrow streets past drying washing.

Here the hungry visitor readily finds a tasty meal of Spaghetti Cacio e Pepe (pasta with cheese and pepper) or Vignarola, a soup of beans, artichokes and ham.

Testaccio, on the banks of the Tiber River south of the Circo Massimo, is another quarter for traditional and unadorned Roman cooking.

There's not much here in the way of sights, but this is compensated for by a high density of excellent traditional trattorias seldom visited by tourists.

Walk in brandishing a tourist guide and the waiter may say the tables are all taken. A tacit rule reserves these eating places for locals, not for visitors, especially foreigners. Reasonably fluent Italian is a decided advantage under these circumstances.

But usually the simple sentence: "Un tavolo per due, per favor" (a table for two please) suffices. Another drawback for the uninitiated is that menus are in Italian only - if they exist.

It's worth the effort. Da Felice at Via Mastrogiorgio 29, for example, is an unassuming trattoria, where classical Roman food has been served for decades without the fuss associated with the tourist venues.

Bucatini all'Amatriciana (pasta with ham, pecorino cheese, tomatoes and hot peperoni) is recommended, as is Chicken alla Romagna with peppers.

In the city centre, close to many tourist attractions, finding a decent meal can be a chore. Cafes and restaurants are crowded with tourists, prices high and the fare often mediocre.

The discerning should avoid the Piazza Novena, despite the loveliness of its baroque facades, churches, palazzi and fountains.

Those prepared to take a little more trouble can find something more comfortable and reasonably priced in the side-streets nearby.

Rome's first winebar, the Cul de Sac, is on the Piazza Pasquino. Here 1400 different wines are on offer, and a full range of home-made pasta dishes.

Although the Caffe Greco was made famous by Goethe when he lived in Rome in 1786, it's not recommended now for discerning coffee drinkers.

There's nothing wrong with the coffee served at this cafe on the Via Condotti, but it's packed with coachloads of German, American and Japanese tourists cheerfully paying €4.70 ($8.60) for an espresso.

Go instead to the Caffe della Pace, a coffee house with a long history, but whose largely youthful and local public ensures that an espresso costs just €2 ($3.60).

The true gourmet with cash to spare beats a path to La Pergola, a small establishment at the top of the Cavalieri Hilton, which offers a panoramic view over the city, as well as cuisine that has earned two Michelin stars. A reservation is essential.

The chief chef here buys most of his produce locally, for example in the Volpetti at Via Marmorata 47 in the Testaccio quarter. This small shop carries a range of olive oils, balsamic vinegars and cheeses, as well as less well-known Italian specialities.

Norcineria Viola offers a vast range of processed meats, salamis and hams hanging from the ceiling.

- NZPA