Today was a long and grueling day of walking on pavement, cobblestones, and whatever else the…read moreRomans used 2,000 years ago. As a Southern American trying to navigate Rome, I'm still completely confused. I cannot for the life of me figure out north vs. south or east vs. west in this city. Every street somehow looks historic, beautiful, and exactly the same.
By 9 PM, after walking more than 10 miles today and standing in countless lines -- one for over an hour -- I was exhausted. I was close to my hotel and started looking for somewhere to eat. I had already passed Sofia earlier and really didn't want to backtrack even a few blocks. But after going the wrong direction again and somehow ending up right back near it, I figured that was a sign.
So, Sofia it was.
My ordering skills in Italy are still not exactly professional level. I really need a local Italian to help me. Yeah, I'm slow... remember, I'm from the South.
I ordered the Mezza Maniche Carbonara. I mean, you can't really go wrong with noodles, cheese, and pork, right?
A few minutes after ordering, they brought out this little appetizer-looking thing that I'm still confused about. It was this tiny little ball about the size of my thumb. I took one bite and it was absolutely delicious. Honestly, I'm not even sure I want to know what was in it, but at that point I was hungry enough not to ask questions.
Then the pasta arrived.
Drumroll...
First bite? Absolutely divine. Rich, creamy, cheesy pasta with perfectly cooked pork mixed throughout. Fantastic. I devoured the entire plate, chased it down with a Coke, grabbed my glass bottle of water, and walked down the street carrying it like a Roman wino.
Great food, great atmosphere, and a perfect little outdoor dining setup on one of Rome's tiny city streets