Choosing the right neighborhood in Rome is as important as choosing the right hotel.
We chose the romantic ambiance of the Pantheon neighborhood.
We chose to stay at the Hotel Portoghesi. It’s a classic hotel with 27 colorful rooms in the medieval heart of Rome. It’s peaceful, quiet, and comes with a delightful roof-terrace – though you will pay a bit for its location. Here is the website: www.hotelportoghesiroma.it
Here is the photo dump:
Where we ate:
Romans take great pleasure in dining well. Embrace this passion over a multicourse meal at an outdoor table, watching a parade of passersby while you sip a glass of wine.
Roman meals are still lengthy social occasions. Simple, fresh seasonal ingredients dominate the dishes. The cucina is robust, strongly flavored, and unpretentious – much like the people who’ve created it over the centuries. It is said that Roman cooking didn’t come out of emperors’ or popes’ kitchens, but from the cucina povera – the home cooking of the common people. This may explain the Romans’ fondness for meats known as the quinto quarto (“fifth quarter”), such as tripe, tail, brain, and pigs’ feet, as well as their interest in natural preservatives like chili peppers and garlic.
Rome belongs to the warm, southern region of Lazio, which produces a rich variety of flavorful vegetables and fruit that are the envy of American supermarkets. Rome’s proximity to the Mediterranean also allows for a great variety of seafood.
Ristorante da Fortunato
This place is an Italian classic, with white-coated, black-tie career waiters politely serving good meat and fish to the politicians, foreign dignitaries, and some of us low lives. It was fun to peruse the photos of their famous visitors – everyone from Prince Charles to Bill Clinton. They are all pictured with the late Signore Fortunato, who started this restaurant in 1975 and was a master of simple edible elegance. His son Jason now runs the show.
www.ristorantefortunato.it
Taverna Trilussa
What an excellent meal. Brothers Massimo and Maurizio offer quality without pretense. With a proud 100-year-old tradition, this place has the right mix of style and informality. The service is fun-loving, yet professional. The menu celebrates local classics and seasonal specials – as well as their award-winning pasta amatriciana – and comes with a big wine selection. The spacious dining hall is strewn with eclectic Roman souvenirs. Outdoors, Trilussa has an actual hedged-in terrace rather than just tables jumbled together on the sidewalk.
www.tavernatrilussa.it
Filetti di Baccala
This was our favorite no-frills spot in Campo de’ Fiori. It’s cheap and basic Roman classic, where regulars cram in at wooden tables and savor the fried cod fingers and other delicacies. Study what others are eating, and order from your grease-stained server by pointing at what you want. Grab a seat on the little square. If you’re not into greasy spoons, avoid this place. 🙂
This little restaurant was just down the street from our hotel. I am sorry, but I can’t locate the name! But it was fantastic – one of our favorites for atmosphere, attentive service, and excellent food!
Another place I did a horrible job on – also did not note the name. But it is right in front of the Pantheon, and some snacks, wine and a nibble or two served as great partners with the people watching happening all around.
Final fun tidbit – our flight back was the first for the newly discovered “Rome to Detroit” non-stop flight on Delta. Note the “Welcome Back” – so it was there before… had been discontinued… and now was back. Nice piece of cake and a glass of sparkly.
Arrivederci to Italy. We had a blast. We will return. 🙂