18-10-2013
Roma Beer Company, in Piazzale di Ponte Milvio in Rome, tel. +39.06.3337048, the new beer temple with a rich selection of draught and bottled beer from all over the world, plus hamburgers and tapas. A nice news among the many in the capital
No matter how you see it, Ponte Milvio is indeed the capital’s new food district. It is in this young-generation chaos where those who fly too high often fall down (and fast) that the most interesting openings in Rome’s gastronomic scene are concentrated this autumn of 2013. The main event is expected in November, with the opening of Trapizzino. This will be a new mini-restaurant by Stefano Callegari named after his most beloved creature, the triangle of pizza bianca filled with the most typical Roman tradition: picchiapò, amatriciana sauce, squid and peas, vaccinara, chicken cacciatora. This street food delicacy, which until now was only offered in the small shop in Testaccio, is ready to conquer North Rome.
Stefano Callegari: waiting for his brand new Trapizzino to come, opening next November at Ponte Milvio
Another area which, after decades of sleep-inducing restaurants, is now living a perhaps even too lively phase, is Prati with its “hinterland”. The brand Settembrini is a typical example of this: different places one after the other, an offer that often overlaps but is almost always convincing. Now, to celebrate its tenth birthday, a new concept store is to be added to the series (it will be called Officina Settembrini in Via Avezzana) as well as the agile Birra e Porchetta, which offers panini in two sizes (large for 5 euros and button-sized for 2) of the aromatic pork and a non-banal selection of pints and bottles.
Antonio Bonamini, Oscar Chef, via Gualtiero Serafino 16
Let’s change area. In Corso Rinascimento, Brad is promising. Here the slightly untidy talent of Dario Tornatore, previously at Palatium, gets wild: if he’ll learn to turn down the volume a little, he will give us plenty of satisfaction. For now, let’s enjoy the excellent quality-price ratio. At Garbatella there’s L’Ambretta, a slightly futuristic winebar-bookshop-restaurant at the back of Teatro Ambra which aspires to be a multi-sensorial and multi-purpose laboratory. A fascinating project though usually we’re wary of places that believe they need a manifesto.
L'Ambretta, wine food books, on Garbatella neighborhood (photo by ilcrudoeilcotto.blogspot.com)
As for the chefs’ star-system, this is a wavering season. The only true news is the arrival at Majestic of Massimo Riccioli - who by the way also remains at La Rosetta - after Filippo La Mantia left. The presence of Danilo Ciavattini, who months ago - together with patron Luigi Picca - moved Enoteca La Torre from Viterbo to Villa Laetitia, a luxury hotel owned by the Fendi family, has now stabilised.
Reviews, recommendations and trends from Italy, signed by all the authors of Identità Golose
by
Roman, now living in Milan, sommelier, he's reporter of Il Giornale. He's been writing about taste for years