La Reginella is a new addition to the Jewish Ghetto. Being one of the newest kosher restaurants in the area, it didn't have as large of a crowd as some of the other places, but that is also why we chose it --Ba'Ghetto seems to have a monopoly on all the block and we wanted to support the underdog. We also wanted authentic Italian food, not the steak and potatoes that Jews are used to eating. We can get plenty of kosher steak and potatoes in New York but what we can't get is authentic kosher Italian food, so that was our goal of going to La Reginella.
5/5 -Tagliere di Affetteri (mixed cured meats) -We loved this dish because we can't get cured meats anywhere else. The presentation was also lovely. Our favorite meats were the dried beef and salami. The smoked turkey and the pastrami were good but not necessary the Italian meats that we were craving.
4/5 -Carciofe alla giudia (fried artichoke Jewish style) - I knew this was going to be overrated but when in Rome...It was good but greasy. I would have preferred it to be a little less deep fried. It was similar to potato chips. Pretty to look at but we got it mainly for the experience rather than the gastronomic qualities.
2/5 - The bread -Skip the bread and order more of the good stuff. There was no oil or anything to dip the bread in. The bread was nothing special. Get the bread in France. Skip the bread in Italy.
5/5 - Spaghetto alla carbonara di carciafi e carne secca (Spaghetti with egg sauce, artichokes, dried beef, and black pepper). When we asked our hotel concierge what the Roman specialties were were, he said: artichokes, carbonara, squash/ pumpkin blossoms, and pork cheek (which we obviously can't eat). With the dried beef made to imitate pork cheek, this dish included 3 of the 4 foods that Rome is known for and we really loved the flavor of it. The spaghetti was so rich and creamy just from the egg, it really tasted like a dairy-cream sauce. The dried beef added complexity and even more flavor to the dish. Everything about this dish was perfect.
4/5 -Wine - I can't recall what we got but it was a local wine. There's something romantic about drinking red wine in Italy with a platter of cured meats.
5/5 -Service -The waiters were really attentive and nice. We didn't have to wait long for anything. The restaurant itself was very large. We had no idea how big it was in the inside until we went inside to use the restrooms. It's like a maze! It can probably host parties. read more