When In Rome, Eat

A few entries ago I wrote about leaving the H boutique empty-handed, disheartened. When retail therapy doesn’t work, I de-stress with food therapy. Besides, it’d be a sin to blog about Rome without any mention of its culinary excellence. What is it that people say, when in Rome…eat?

So from the crowded via Condotti shopping area I get lost down the quiet alleys, one after another, in search of food as compensation for my H disappointment. As the cobble stoned streets wind into narrower corners, revealing charming doorways and inviting tables, I ask myself if it’s possible to eat 6500 euros’ worth of food–the same amount I just saved by not being able to buy that Kelly bag–right here in Rome. Maybe not, but if there’s any place to do it, it would have to be Italy for me. As you’ll see in the following photos…I give it my best shot.

What I love about eating in Italy is that the plates look innocuous enough. A little pasta here, a little sauce there. On the plate. But once in your mouth, you can taste the layers of flavors from all the secret ingredients so wonderfully blended into the perfectly cooked pasta. Subtle yet robust. I could feel my waistline going up two sizes with each bite, but I’d happily give in to a few inches for this kind of food!

And let’s not forget the sweet stuff. There are definitely other European countries better known for desserts than Italy, but hands down, Rome is where I had the best cream brulee. Ever. Courtesy of this restaurant (which has received awards by the good folks at Michelin).

I haven’t eaten dairy most of my adult life, so gelato has always been one of those things I enjoy from afar. But this time around, I encounter the artisanal gelaterie chain, FLOR, which has nondairy options in an overwhelming array of options. Kiwi, pear, bitter chocolate, and coffee to name a few.

Even if I have a gelato every hour, on the hour, it’s going to take a long time to eat through those 6500 euros…

More scenes from the city in the next entry. And one small shopping reveal.

May 23, 2012