Let me start by saying that this was the great splurge of the entire European adventure. This meal…read morefor 3 cost more than our lodging in at least two countries, but it was worth every last cent.
Let's start with arrival, since this place has atmosphere! This is an old house converted into a multilevel dining experience. Each table in this establishment has a unique view, whether that be romantic garden balcony or the clean, bright dining room we were seated in. While our party did include a local quite fluent in Italian, the staff kindly brought us menus in English as well (since my American accent is unmistakable). Our waiter was also fluent in English, which made asking questions much simpler.
Alas, the tale of the eponymous Angelina was not available in English, so only one of us could read the full details there. Not to worry, since our first courses zipped out of the kitchens quickly, moreso since we arrived well before the crowds. We can't recall the details of two of our appetizers, only that they were completely amazing. One involved some of the best roasted eggplant I've put in my mouth to date. Pictures are included, but I think they were seasonal specials since I can't identify them from the online menus as I review after the trip.
For the second course, Raz and I ordered some of their pastas. Raz doesn't generally do pasta, but he was awed by the Carbonara. I went for the Cacio e Pepe, which is a simple dish of noodles, hard cheese, olive oil, and black pepper. The pasta was fresh, though, and that makes all the difference. I tried Cacio e Pepe every place that I could, and this was my favorite by far.
Our third courses were slow in coming, as is expected, since European cultures tend to take more care over dinner conversation than we do in the states. To that end, I have to mention the acoustics of the place, which were excellent in that we weren't deafened by the echo and reecho of the myriad conversations from a house that was completely packed before our main courses arrived.
That wait was worth it, as the dishes were even more impressive than our anticipation, especially Raz's octopus, which became our favorite in the world at the very first bite. Our local host had a tuna steak that was absolute perfection, and I went for the scamorza with prosciutto, which I think was technically a side, but completely a meal in itself, and decadent beyond imagining in its smoky, cheesy goodness.
To top off our feast, we enjoyed the hazelnut and chocolate surprise of the tartufo, and the tiramisu which is right up in the top 5 that we've had in our lives. All in all, a stellar experience that we would recommend to anyone as a one-time splurge if they make it all the way to Rome
