I wanted to enjoy Il Ragno d'Oro. Filled with animated locals at dinner during the first week of…read moreFebruary, we only heard Italian being spoken. The menu had all the Roman classics, and we ordered Pasta Carbonara, Casio e Pepe with Guanciale, Roman style artichokes, and Zucchini Flowers. After a few minutes, I was transported to the Jersey Shore. As the food arrived, that Jersey Shore analogy grew into reality. I have tasted this food before. Il Ragno d'Oro became a mediocre Italian restaurant in Point Pleasant Beach, New Jersey. However, I was in Rome, Italy and expected more. My Pasta Carbonara was heavy, stuck together, and thought al dente was a bodega in Newark. The Cacio e Pepe had coagulated into a sticky mess. The artichoke and zucchini dishes were greasy and standard fare for an Italian restaurant anywhere in the world. But I was in Rome! Roma-the home of Pasta Carbonara, Cacio e Pepe, and Artichoke preparations. Yes, everyone was perfectly nice, the prices were reasonable, and the people around me were all having a grand time. My wife, who is of Italian heritage, couldn't eat her pasta. She said her Italian grandmother would have gone into the kitchen to show them how to cook pasta. I too, usually a human garbage disposal, left most of my pasta on the table. We walked back to our apartment in Prati disappointed. This was our worst dinner in Rome. Sorry, but it's true. Maybe the cooks had a bad night, but the dishes were subpar at best.