We woke bright and early on our first full day in Rome, partly because my pillow was like sleeping on a bag of cement and partly because I can’t go to bed without an alarm set regardless if I’m on holiday.  We had a light breakfast in the hotel, well I did.  Espresso coffee and some fruit was plenty for me whereas old Fatty McFat Fat aka my other half stuffed himself with danishes, croissants filled with cream cheese, ham, fruit and more cheese.

Brekkie view in the garden at our hotel – Hotel Ponte Sisto

We had a Skip the Line Tour booked at the Colosseum booked for later that afternoon but figured we would go and see a few of the other sights before then.  Campo Dei Fiori where there was so many delicious things I wanted to buy but figured I am going to be in Florence later next week, then the Pantheon which we literally stumbled upon.  It’s a pretty awe inspiring place especially when you just stumble around the corner not expecting to see it.  Next up the Trevi Fountain.  We threw a couple of Euro over our shoulder – apparently there is more than 3000 Euro thrown into it a day.  God knows where it all goes but a good friend of mine said that last time she was there she saw a homeless lady fishing some of it out with a pole with a magnet on the end.  I must say I’m impressed with her ingenuity and DGAF attitude.

By this time it was about lunchtime so after a toilet stop – and by toilet stop I mean having a coffee at a café with the ingenious disguise of wanting to use their restroom we found ourselves near the Colosseum at Angelino ai Fori – a restaurant within close proximity to the start of our tour.  It did look like a bit of a tourist trap and considering how close it was to the Colosseum it most likely was but it was the best looking restaurant in the area so we gave it a go anyway.  Are expectations were extremely low but we actually really enjoyed it and even went back a second time a couple of days later.  Go figure.

Antipasti and Aperol Spritz for lunch at Angelino ai Fori

Three and a bit hours later we finished our epic Colosseum tour and headed back towards our hotel with a short stop at a restaurant that I well and truly had my sights set on, hoping to get a seat.  The waitress told us that the place was completely booked for the evening much to my despair but said we could come back in 45 minutes and try our luck.  45 minutes later and boy was I lucky.  Straight in and straight to an upstairs table at the highly regarded Roscioli.

My sister gave me a book called “Where Chef’s Eat” a couple of years ago (there’s a new edition every year) and I finally decided that I would have a look through it before this holiday.  I earmarked a heap of restaurants, cafes and patisseries in the places we were visiting and Roscioli was one them.  After doing some Googling there isn’t a blogger that comes to Rome that doesn’t go to Roscioli so as they say, when in Rome.

Love this cooking philosophy from the opening page of the menu at Roscioli

The menu is literally mouthwatering!  There were so many things on the menu that I wanted to eat and still now I am kicking myself for not getting the burrata (some of the best in Rome) but our entrée of Zucchini Flowers Stuffed with Roman Oxtail Stew and Peppered with White Cheese Fondue washed down with a glass of Italian Pinot Noir was a decadent and tear inducing hot start to our dinner.

Zucchini Flowers Stuffed with Roman Oxtail Stew and Peppered with White Cheese Fondue

Main for me was the Big Spaghetti with Albacore Tuna Marrow, Wild Fennel, Minced Tomatoes and Olives (19 Euro).

MS had La Carbonara with Crispy Cheek Pork, Malaisian Black Pepper, Paolo Parisi Eggs and Roman Pecorino Cheese Dop.

In the menu it states that all pasta dishes are cooked ‘al dente’ which is a little hard for my liking but again ‘when in Rome’.  Plus I don’t believe in changing dishes at restaurants.  You eat them how they are meant to be cooked and served.  So far this is our one and only pasta meal in Rome so we really have nothing to compare it to however my tastebuds know a good meal when they taste it and they were beyond content.

I am glad that I did some research of places that I wanted to dine at before we visited Rome because to me it seems like there are more tourist traps that great places to dine.  It does take a little bit of time to research but it’s so much more rewarding finding the hidden gems.  Plus it saves aimlessly walking in circles trying to decide which place to go to.  As for Roscioli, some reviews have said that the restaurant is too squishy inside but I actually really enjoyed the atmosphere and layout of the place plus being that close to the table next to us admittedly allowed me to eavesdrop on the miserable American couple next to us that clearly weren’t having a great holiday together.  The pasta was excellent, the service I found to be exemplary.  Whether this trip or another Roscioli is somewhere that I without a doubt want to go back to!