Al Grottino in Sacrofano

I have now been to Al Grottino twice and I am starting to think that it is one of my favorite restaurants in the greater Rome area. It is located in a small medieval town called Sacrofano, which is about 20 minutes north of Rome along the via Flaminia. This place was recommended to me by my business partner, John, and his suggestions have always been a safe bet. Unfortunately, I do not have any photos. I am embarrassed of the photos I take because my digital camera is a piece of junk. I think it has been dropped too many times. I'd kind of feel like a jerk sitting there taking photos of all of the dishes as they arrived.

Al Grottino is a very rustic trattoria, so don't come here if you're looking for nicely decorated dishes of refined cuisine. Be prepared to eat a lot, a whole lot, I'd even recommend skipping breakfast and eating a light dinner the night before. It is one of those no-menu restaurants, which means that they bring you the courses that they've prepared for the day. The only thing that was lacking was perhaps a bit of variety, as I remember that they served us the exact same things as we ate back in April. The wine list was non-existent, and we were served the house wine as soon as we sat down. I thought about asking, but it just didn't seem like that type of place. Usually the house wine in Rome is barely drinkable, and in some cases chilled to protect you from the harsh taste, but theirs was pretty good, I liked it. You see, at these type of places, "take what we give you" trattorias, you usually know what you're getting only what they give you and you're expected not to complain about it.

We started off with porcini mushroom paté spead over toasted bread drizzled with olive oil. I am a porcini fanatic, so needless to say I was very happy. Then, there was your usual dish of prosciutto (Parma ham) and Lonza, a pork cold cut. Nothing special, but very fresh. There was also a dish of beans, which were delicious, but somehow I think we could have done without them. Just when we were relieved that the appetizers seemed to stop arriving, they bring out a big plate of fried eggplant. Not sit-in-your-stomach for 2 weeks fried, but likely fried in a light oil.

Then, they started bringing the primi (first courses). There were 4 in all, and they were all excellent. First, they bring everyone a dish of tagliatelle pasta with porcini mushroom sauce and olive oil. Then, the gnocchi with tomato sauce. Once your gut has been busted by the gnocchi you're expected to shovel down a big tray of polenta with tomato sauce and hunks of spicy sausage. At this point we were begging for mercy but the flagship dish arrived, the papardelle pasta with wild boar sauce. I know, it doesn't sound so appetizing in English but it was absolutely delicious. An excellent combination of all of right herbs, spices, and diced veggies mixed into homemade pasta.

I then removed my belt and tossed it into the trash, as I knew I would never be needing it, ever again. The second course was more humane as it consisted of several grilled meats such as sausage, lamb, pork chops, steak and chicken livers. They were all great, cooked just right on the outside and juicy and tender on the inside. The chicken livers were especially good. Usually in out of all of the people I am with I am the only one crazy enough to eat them, but this time I had a contender, a fellow liver lover, so we divided the big hunks evenly. At this point, we were ready to pass out, but then a big bowl of goat stew arrives. The groans turned into "hmmms" and we each picked at it a little bit, but when I saw how much of the goat had actually been consumed it was clear that there was just no room left in our stomachs.

The dessert was a bit weak. A plate of cookies and cakes. But it is more symbolic when you think about how much you've just eaten. Eventually, 5pm rolled around and the owner came over and said "You can stay if you want, actually, I am happy if you stay, but I have to go, so please pay" and he seemed like a very nice guy.



Overall rating: 9.3 out of 10 (highly recommended)
Cost per person: €35.00 with house wine
Will I be going back?: Oh yeah, but I can picture myself getting bored of it if they always serve the same thing. Well, now that I think of it, I don't think I'll ever get bored of that wild boar sauce!
Contact / Arrival Details: Al Grottino, piazza XX settembre 9, 00060 Sacrofano (RM) tel 06 9086263 / 06 9086012. There is plenty of space but it never hurts to ring up and book in advance. From Rome, take via Flaminia for about 20 minutes until you see a sign for Sacrofano. Turn left on that road and continue for about 15 minutes and you'll eventually get to the center of town, where the restaurant is located.

My favorite Roman Trattorias

Roman food has a reputation for being greasy, heavy, and made up of questionable animal body parts. Some of the principle pasta dishes are Bucatini all'Amatriciana (hollow spaghetti with pancetta, onion, white wine, and tomato sauce), Spaghetti alla Carbonara (Bacon, Egg, and Grated Pecorino Romano Cheese), and Rigatoni alla Pajata (Pasta with calf intestines still filled with the mother's milk). The principle main courses are Saltimbocca alla Romana (veal cutlet rolled with prosciutto and sage leaves), Coda alla Vaccinara (oxtail cooked in tomato sauce with lard and vegetables), and Trippa alla Romana (tripe cooked in tomato sauce).

Cacio e Pepe - da Gianni

This is probably my favorite Roman trattoria. Nicknamed "the fast food of the Carbonara", this place is literally a hole in the wall, a tiny space about the size of an NYC falafel joint. If you sit near the kitchen, the cook might even ask you to pass the salt and pepper. Most of the tables are outside, in front of the neighboring post office. At first glance, it might even seem that the post office is running a trattoria on the side. Although the inside can only accommodate a few customers, you can eat outside during the winter, as they have the big "mushroom" heaters lined among the outdoor tables. Upon arrival, you will see Gianni, the hip owner, standing out front with a large notepad and a pen. Tell him your name and number in your party. Asking someone else might delay your seating, as all decisions must be run by Gianni first. There are no menus, starters, or desserts, just straight up first, main and side dishes. The service is efficient, but don't expect smiles and small talk. I always order the Tonarelli alla Carbonara (see above - homemade "square" spaghetti - the "alla Gricia" version is without egg) or Pasta al Forno (oven baked pasta). The dishes change nightly, so you should probably ask. I tasted their Gnocchi alla Sorrentina once and it was fabulous, but only available on Thursdays in the winter and autumn. As for main dishes, I usually opt for La Parmigiana (egglplant parmesan, which is really a side dish, but substantial enough to be a main dish) or the Polpettone (meatloaf - not always available). The winelist is nonexistent, and you'll only have a choice of either the house red or white, which are just good enough to wash the grease down. When you ask for the bill, the waiter summons Gianni to your table. He asks what everyone has eaten, and then writes the price down on the paper tablecloth. Get there early, around 8:20pm (12:45pm for lunch) and avoid waiting up to an hour to be seated. You can also call and book. Keep in mind that Gianni works so hard during the week that he closes the restaurant on Saturdays and Sundays.

Overall rating: 8.9 out of 10 (Very Good)
Cost per person: €15 - 20
Will I be going back?: I go about once per month
Contact / Arrival Details: Cacio e Pepe, via Avezzana, 11 (Prati neighborhood, near Piazza Mazzini), tel 06 3217268, you can walk to it in 10 mins from the Lepanto metro stop.

Betto e Mary

This place is a little out of the way from the city center in Rome's Casilino neighborhood, but certainly worth the trip. Let me warn you, it is not for the faint of heart. Many of the dishes consist of animal parts that normal people would not even think of eating. As soon as you sit down, the wait staff sits down at your table with you and starts making fun of you while they take your order. In fact, it is not uncommon to ask for something and be told you cannot have it. It's part of their theme, so don't be offended. The walls are decorated with funny posters, such as a tie rack labeled "please leave tie here as they are not allowed in the restaurant". Instead of "no smoking", it says "they even took that away from us" over the crossed-out cigarette symbol and another one stating that they only serve mad cow. The bathroom says "cesso" on the door, which is the Roman equivalent of "sh-thouse".

The Carbonara Vegetariana (see Spaghetti alla Carbonara, but substitute the eggs with zucchini) is my favorite first dish, but the Pajata (see above) is good too. They are equipped with a huge grill which is visible when you walk in, so needless to say this is a meatlovers paradise. As far as main dishes go, I always get the fegatelli (grilled liver with bay leaves) and granelli (fried bull testicles). Yes, I was skeptical at first but they are actually really good. Anything grilled like sausage, chicken, and steak is also a safe bet. The Misto Romano ("Roman Mix") is a big hit, but I couldn't even tell you what is in it. I think I recognized oxtail and intestines. The house wine is not so good, and they will make fun of you if you ask to see the wine list. However, they do have a few good wines. We got the Casale del Giglio Antinoo white, and Shiraz red. The white went very well with the bull testicles and the red was perfect for the grilled meats. It gets packed, so it is best to book the afternoon before.

Overall rating: 8.7 out of 10 (Very Good)
Cost per person: €25 - 30
Will I be going back?: I've been there 5 times since February 2006
Contact / Arrival Details: Betto e Mary, via dei Savorgnan, 99 (Casilino / Tor Pignattara neighborhood, near viale Filarete), tel 06 45421780, you can walk to it in 10 mins from the Alessi tram (Laziali line from Termini) stop on via Casilina.

Da Marcello

Da Marcello is right near my house and usually the first choice should Federica and I decide to go out to dinner without planning in advance. The annoying thing is, they will seldom let you in without reservations. If a male is deciding the seating arrangements, sometimes we can get lucky when Federica does her Italian girl thing. The food is very good and very cheap. The ambiance is nice, with wood tables and checkered tablecloths, and is oftena good mix of families, students, and neighborhood folks. The service varies. There is one woman who doesn't speak and throws your silverware and napkins down in the middle of the table. The others are mostly student-types who are a bit nicer.

I religiously order the Spaghetti alla Carbonara or the Agnolotti con sugo di noce (ravioli with creamy walnut sauce) and one of their many "in umido" stew-type meat dishes with a side of roast potatoes. Again, there is not much of a wine list and the house wine is mainly to remove the grease from your arteries. I've found that their food goes well with beer, so don't be afraid to ask for a Peroni and a couple of glasses. That said, this is a great place to go before a night of drinking in San Lorenzo's nightlife district.

Overall rating: 8.7 out of 10 (Very Good)
Cost per person: €20
Will I be going back?: Yes
Contact / Arrival Details: Da Marcello, via dei Campani, 2 (San Lorenzo neighborhood), tel 06 4463311, you can walk to it in 10 mins from Piazza di Porta Maggiore, where many trams and buses stop.