Rome restaurant guide

SPANISH STEPS - TREVI FOUNTAIN

ALLA CORTE DEI BORBONI in Via di Ripetta 43/44, (Tel. 0636004681). For lunch and dinner. Beginning from Piazza del Popolo it is approximately 150 meters (165 yards) to the left. Be sure to book before on weekends. A well appointed and characteristic hall introduces you to this craftwork restaurant, where food is prepared with passion and competence - "where cuisine is culture" is their genuine slogan. In fact you will find the kind waiters welcoming you with authentic 18th century Neapolitan garments, and the food is prepared according to the many cultural criteria of the Mediterranean cuisine explained above.

Kind maitre Luigi welcomes hosts

The restaurant pizzeria has many variety of pizzas, naturally including the ones with mozzarella di bufala (buffalo milk mozzarella, the best), and cherry tomatoes. What is the difference between the Roman and the Neapolitan pizza? They are nearly totally different things. The Roman is thinner, the dough is prepared in a different way because it is not left aside to raise. The pizza is slightly less dressed too. There is an eternal dispute on which is better. Given the name of our company ("Roman Homes") we should support the Roman. Actually we prefer the Neapolitan, which is the authentic Italian pizza.

The Borbone court

We recommend to try also other dishes, notwithstanding pizza here is at its best, because this restaurant prepares the complete Neapolitan cuisine, which is a full-fledged variant of the Mediterranean cuisines. It is very imaginative, prepared with ancient wisdom and millenary traditions. It is extremely varied and based on vegetables (and also on sea products), and healthy. The most courteous and friendly maitre Luigi will present to you the large variety of "piatti del giorno" (dishes of the day, which every Italian would ask for). We recommend in particular: - starters "antipasti". You can serve yourself at a speficic table, or ask that them to be brought at the table. In this case the starters are different. The waiter will bring you delicious "Pizzette e' mammà" (Mom's small pizze), Mozzarella di Bufala, marinated eggplants with filling, pizza with scarola (a lettuce), and Muscardini (little fried fish, if you are not vegetarian).

The table with the antipasti (starters)

- the "Pennette allo Scarpariello" with tomato sauce, season cheese (in particular Caciocavallo), and (just a nuance) of chili pepper.
- "Sfizi Fritti" ("fried niceties", an imaginative way to cook zucchini flowers, mozzarella cheese etc) prepared usually at night.
- "Mozzarella di bufala": mozzarella prepared from buffalo milk, a delicious original Neapolitan variety of the cheese. Try it to experience the great difference with cow milk mozzarella.
-"Spaghetti pomodoro": the tomato spaghetti prepared in Naples are perhaps the best. Fresh tomato flavour, spaghetti "al dente" (the Neapolitan are the best in Italy), and appassionate cooking contribute to the success.
-"Sfogliatelle alla ricotta" (large sweets dumplins with ricotta cheese).
- "Pastiera" (a cake with orange blossom flavour) and "Babà al rhum", the traditional Neapolitan pastry soaked with rhum.
-"Caffè": the Neapolitans believe their "espresso" is the best in the world. It is absolutely true.
- "Limoncello": a recent innovation. A delicious liqueur with lemon flavour, you will love it, but don't forget it has a high alcoholic degree.
If you still have room... ask for Sicilian sweets or gelati (like the "Cassata"), among the most *genial* and original in the world.
Expect to pay around 25-40 US$ // 20 - 36 Euros) for a meal, depending also on the dishes you take. If you show this page printed, or if you mention that you saw this page in the Roman Homes site, the chef and Luigi will pamper you.

There are similar Neapolitan restaurants in this area, of which we recommend "Zio Ciro Mangianapoli" (Uncle Ciro Naples eat) in Via della Propaganda 22 (Tel. 066786093).

If you seek a fine, classical Italian restaurant, we recommend "Al 34" (it takes the name from the street address, in Via Mario Fiori 34). As mentioned, in Italy you will find generally regional restaurants, and the few offering an ample selection of dishes of all the regions are very expensive, and rare. This restaurant is an exception, as you will find all the main Italian recipes, a very fine service, a good ambience, at reasonable price. To reserve call 066795091. Closed on Mondays.
		"Al 34", in Via Mario de' Fiori n. 34

A creative restaurant, if you respect animals and nature, is the Naturist Club Restaurant in Via della Vite 14, 4th floor (tel. 066792500). There is also a naturist tea room at the 3rd floor of the same building (luckily, there is an elevator, but beginning from the 1st floor). Both the restaurant and the tea room follow some regulations and criteria.
Between Mon. - Friday the restaurant works as buffet at lunch time (beginning from 12:30 pm), with freshly made dishes, and the price is very reaonable (8-10 Euro). At night time, Mon. - Sat. the premises work as full fledged restaurant, with a complete menu. It is best reserving. The average price is 20-25 Euro, but a vegetarian menu is offered for only 14 Euro.
To access the Naturist Club, the first time you will need to register as member, which costs 5 Euro. Roman Homes customers have a free membership (lasting one year), please bring our business card or rental contract and show it to the owners.
The cuisine is very healthy, naturist, and biological products, without fertilizers, are used. You find many interesting products (tofu, a large variety of grains etc.). Also the recipes are creative and varied.

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