Monday 31 January 2011

Pizzeria La Montecarlo

As you can see from the picture, the pizzeria La Montecarlo looks anonymous from outside but it is a real true-roman pizzeria. It is full of charm and ideal for the visitors of the centre of Rome for its location. Expect to see not only tourists but also plenty of romans who go to eat a thin and delicious pizza cooked in a wooden oven. Paper tablecloths, photos of celebrities who visited this pizzeria and a tipical rushing atmosphere are the main charateristics of this lovely place. The prices of the pizzas range from 5 to 9 euros. The address is Vicolo Savelli 11-13, close to Corso Vittorio Emanuele II. Enjoy!

Thursday 27 January 2011

The Capitoline Wolf

The Capitoline Wolf is a bronze statue realised by the Etruscans in the V century B.C. During the XV century the twins, made by Pollaiolo, have been added. This wolf is the symbol of the city of Rome and of its birth because, according to the legend, the vestal virgin Rea Silvia was raped by Mars, the god of war, and gave birth to two twins. Few days later, the grandfather of the twins, Numitore was dismissed by his brother Amulio as king of Alba Longa, a city not far from where Rome would be eventually born. So Amulio, who wanted to avoid the two nephews of Numitore, once grown up, could have taken a revenge, he decided to put them in a basket and throw them in the Tiber. The basket stopped at the beginning of a small hill and it was found by a wolf who suckled them. Eventually the twins were found by a shepherd called Faustolo. Traditionally the twins, Romolo and Remo, are the founders of Rome and thanks to the wolf they survived. This is why the wolf is the symbol of Rome.

Saturday 15 January 2011

Mondo Arancina


Who loves sicilian specialities and wants to taste exceptional recepes even in Rome, shouldn't miss a visit to Mondo Arancina (Arancina world). The name comes from the "arancine", balls of rice (like the ones in the photo) wrapped in a very delicate fried layer and available in 15 different flavours. They are exceptional! It worths a try also other sicilian specialities like "pane e panelle" (bread and few layers of chickpea flower), the sardins, the cassata and the delicious sicilian cannolo (a great sweet speciality). Mondo Arancina in the last few years had an unbelievable success and so they could open several shops in Rome and one even in Notting Hill, elegant residential area in London. In Rome the first shop opened in 2002 and it is in Via  Marcantonio Colonna 38, few meters from the metro A station Lepanto. A dip into a kind of culinary world totally different from the traditional roman one but surely not less good!