Feeling a little adventuresome on the last evening of my business trip to Rome I scoured the reviews of area restaurants. Il Covo caught my eye. The very good reviews were mixed in with a fair number of pans, so I was initially ambiguous of the place. What sold me with the ability to book my reservation online plus the fact that they are open early. Most of the good restaurants don't open before 7:30 or even 8:00. Il Covo is open for lunch and the dinner servings begin at 6:00.
The menu made for fascinating reading with dish ingredients such as olive oil ice cream (in a savory dish), coconut bread, songino salad, licorice, etc. Also fruits are a common ingredient in several savory menu items. (Not to fear, they do have many more conventional Italian offerings).
I started with a "zucchini flan with teleggio (cheese) sauce and blueberries". It was for me at the time, the perfect appetizer: on the light side but still rich and flavorful. The flavors came together in exquisite form with the zucchini not overshadowed by the flan base and sauce.
Prices here are moderate with a wide selection of entrees in the 15-20 euro range. However, there were a couple specials with a notably high price tag reflecting the premium that white truffles adds. One of these was a steak with shaved white truffles. Extravagant at 45 euros, I couldn't resist. After of week of fish from the wonderful Sardinian seafood restaurants in the neighborhood, red meat sounded was worthy of a splurge, especially with the promise of white truffles. I could not identify the cut of meat (there some fat and gristle that I trimmed away), but the meat was nicely medium-rare and extraordinarily flavorful, reminiscent of those great Tuscan steaks. Together with the richness of the truffles, I came away delighted.
A food combination that I would not have put together but that Italy introduced me to is cheese and honey. A dessert alternative offered was a selection of cheeses with honey. The plate came with several slices of 3 cheeses with two types of honey. One of the honeys was mixed with a flavored vinegar. It was OK, but not that interesting. The second honey was delicious, especially when teamed with those cheese. It was a great way to end a great meal.
My server, it should be noted, was especially friendly and helpful. read more