Veni, Vedi, Vici
I would like to add this sentiment to our first sojourn into the Roman night, but I don't think it would be accurate. First off was the intense heat, even after the sun had dipped below the tallest buildings (no idea where the horizon was in reality), secondly Rome is like any other international tourist destination these days and there were always a plethora of itinerant Hawkers selling all manner of pointless goods. Although the one that caught my eye was a collapsible condiment tray.
We just decided to gently investigate the local area and see if we could spy a suitable place for our first meal in Italy. Around Rome Termini there are plenty of options it transpired. This was also where the largest collection of hotels were centered so restaurants also followed.
We first had to make a visit to see the lovely dog that seemed to spend the night on the flanks of Termini station. It was a friendly dog and it's owner was indulgent so we were able to say a big North East hello.
In front of the Termini is a bus interchange along with a small market area. On either side of the station run two streets and these contain a range of hotels and restaurants, behind these streets lies a grid of streets all lined with restaurants, hotels and shops. Just about every taste is catered for. Having not been to Italy before we really wanted to sample Authentic Italian Cuisine. After some tramping around the lanes to find a flavour of the local environment we plumped for a restaurant just around the corner from our hotel. I will be honest here. I dont recall the actual restaurent we visited however the Antica Taverna Alba on Via Milazzo looks like the one we went to and is in roughly the right place. So lets say that was it.
We sat out side in the warm Roman night. Very warm Roman night! Did I mention the heat already?
My wife had recently made the decision to become vegetarian, we were unsure if the Continental attitude to life would stretch to accomodate vegetarianism but we needn't have worried.
For her main course my wife selected a vegetarian lasagne and subsequently rated it as one of the best meals she had on the entire holiday. I forget what I ordered. Not very good travelogue material but there you are. I write this at some distance in terms of time. I think I chose a pasta dish as not only do I like pasta but I really wanted to see how the authors of the food stuff are prepared to eat it. I tend to overcook it, smother it in a jar of prepared sauce from the supermarket and then heavily cover in grated cheddar. It is not, I discovered, the way a Roman would eat it. Their way is much better. The pasta is a little firmer and a lot more than a supermarket jar went into the sauce. I think I had something like Alfredo or it may have been Carbonara.
We drank well chilled white wine and ate a gentle pace. As we settled the bill we realised the restaurant had packed up the rest of the outside dining area and we were the last to leave. This would be a theme for me. I think Italians dine earlier if they dine alfresco. Just seemed everywhere packed up around us. It did not spoil our enjoyment and not withstanding that they tidied up around us we were not in slightest encouraged to move or eat faster. They were perfect hosts.
One reason for a close location to the hotel was that after indulging ourselves in Roman cuisine and viniculture we would only have a few steps to waddle back to the comfort of our air conditioned bedroom.
Did I just say air conditioned? Hmm... well it was like this...
We got the first bit right but I would say that the airconditioning was almost, but not quite entirely switched off when we arrived back in our room. Being strangers in a strange land we assumed this was as good as it got. We did get comfortable, sort of, but both suffered a heat and food fuelled uncomfortable doze all night long.
In front of the Termini is a bus interchange along with a small market area. On either side of the station run two streets and these contain a range of hotels and restaurants, behind these streets lies a grid of streets all lined with restaurants, hotels and shops. Just about every taste is catered for. Having not been to Italy before we really wanted to sample Authentic Italian Cuisine. After some tramping around the lanes to find a flavour of the local environment we plumped for a restaurant just around the corner from our hotel. I will be honest here. I dont recall the actual restaurent we visited however the Antica Taverna Alba on Via Milazzo looks like the one we went to and is in roughly the right place. So lets say that was it.
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| Our first Restaurant of the holiday! |
We sat out side in the warm Roman night. Very warm Roman night! Did I mention the heat already?
My wife had recently made the decision to become vegetarian, we were unsure if the Continental attitude to life would stretch to accomodate vegetarianism but we needn't have worried.
For her main course my wife selected a vegetarian lasagne and subsequently rated it as one of the best meals she had on the entire holiday. I forget what I ordered. Not very good travelogue material but there you are. I write this at some distance in terms of time. I think I chose a pasta dish as not only do I like pasta but I really wanted to see how the authors of the food stuff are prepared to eat it. I tend to overcook it, smother it in a jar of prepared sauce from the supermarket and then heavily cover in grated cheddar. It is not, I discovered, the way a Roman would eat it. Their way is much better. The pasta is a little firmer and a lot more than a supermarket jar went into the sauce. I think I had something like Alfredo or it may have been Carbonara.
We drank well chilled white wine and ate a gentle pace. As we settled the bill we realised the restaurant had packed up the rest of the outside dining area and we were the last to leave. This would be a theme for me. I think Italians dine earlier if they dine alfresco. Just seemed everywhere packed up around us. It did not spoil our enjoyment and not withstanding that they tidied up around us we were not in slightest encouraged to move or eat faster. They were perfect hosts.
One reason for a close location to the hotel was that after indulging ourselves in Roman cuisine and viniculture we would only have a few steps to waddle back to the comfort of our air conditioned bedroom.
Did I just say air conditioned? Hmm... well it was like this...
We got the first bit right but I would say that the airconditioning was almost, but not quite entirely switched off when we arrived back in our room. Being strangers in a strange land we assumed this was as good as it got. We did get comfortable, sort of, but both suffered a heat and food fuelled uncomfortable doze all night long.
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