I have one night in  Rome and I’m on a food quest. I just flew in from Sicily eating mostly seafood  the whole time. Mind you, I do love the finned delicacies found in those beautiful Sicilian waters but tonight I must find a great “cacio e pepe.” If you missed my Sicily posts here are the links: PART 1 and PART 2. 

Anthony Bourdain wrote,…“If I’m in Rome for only 48 hours, I would consider it a sin against God to not eat cacio e pepe, the most uniquely Roman of pastas, in some crummy little joint where Romans eat. I’d much rather do that than go to the Vatican. That’s Rome to me.”

Check out the video of Anthony Bourdain’s “No Reservations” show on Rome and …..cacio e pepe.  It has numerous commercials/R language but is very interesting!

Finding your hotel in Rome can take a little work, especially if it’s a tiny boutique place like I seem to gravitate toward. The “Argentina Residenza” is located upstairs in an apartment building. I had to walk up to the first floor reception to check in. The elevator in the entry only services hotel floors 2 to 4. Once I got used to the idiosyncrasies I found the hotel quite charming and full of unique style.

The courtyard leading to the Via di Torre Argenina in the front of the hotel. I had a few hours to visit a few historic sites so I must put food out of my brain for awhile. Cacio e pepe will just have to wait.

Right in front of my hotel is the Largo di Torre Argentina, an archeological site close to where Julius Caesar was killed. 

I headed toward the Piazza D’Arcoeli, near the Altare della Patria.  Romans often find the building excessively grandiose and call it “la torta nuziale” (“the wedding cake“).

“No matter whose Rome it is, yours, mine, or Frederico Fellini, it’s beautiful, as beautiful as everyone says it is.” Anthony Bourdain.

The Piazza del Campidoglio  is up the “Cardonata”, Italian for “graded ramp”, rising majestically on the right. The Capitoline Hill, the most important of Rome’s Seven Hills, was the center of Roman life since the founding of Rome.

The ancient columns of the Temple of Apollo Sosiano and the Theatre of Marcellus on the left. 

Beautiful ancient sites of Rome are on display as I walk down the Via del Teatro di Marcello. The amount of antiquity that exists in Rome distinguishes it from most cities in Europe.

The distinctive bell tower of the Santa Maria in Cosmedin.

The iconic Roman Forum is a site to savor and contemplate ancient Rome of the past.

Walking toward the Campidoglio and the Capitolone Museums from the Roman Forum.

The beautiful Piazza del Campidoglio designed by Michelangelo.

The statue of Marcus Aurelius is a copy erected in 1981 with the original in the Capitoline Museums to protect it from the elements.

The famous SPQR inscription  (“The Roman Senate and People”) at the Campidoglio.

A statue of Pollux  with his horse and the  Cardonata below. Time to head back to the hotel for a shower then study how to find my restaurant.

I left the hotel using the Sygic GPS Navigation app on my iPhone. Starving, I made an unfashionably early 7:30 reservation for “La Gattabuia” in the Trastevere area of Rome. Trastevere is a truly fascinating area of Rome with a labyrinth of enchanting lanes, some of the oldest churches, and many interesting little restaurants. It was once a center of the Jewish community as well.

I walked past the Via del Portico d’Ottavia which has numerous Kosher restaurants on my way to Trastevere.

Walking past the Great Synagogue , the largest in Rome, I crossed the The Pons Fabricius  (Romans call it Ponte Fabricio)  the oldest bridge in Rome still existing in its original state. Built in 62 BC, it spans one of two bridges necessary to cross the Tiber River. 

After many twists and turns I found the restaurant! I read about La Gattabuia on The Roman Foodie, a great site for restaurants in Rome.

La Gattabuia has a nice mix of locals and tourists. Reservations are a must as many people popped in without one and left disappointed.

I settled in with a nice glass of wine and perused the menu. So many choices but a decision must be made! I ordered an insalata mista, warm focaccia with rosemary,…then my CACIO E PEPE,….and for my secondi, the Saltimbocca alla Romana,…just because! On this night “gluttony” was definitely my middle name! I was one very happy guy!

Walking home on the Piazza Mercanti I heard music in the distance. It was a wedding at a restaurant and the bride was happily dancing with the band. (Click on the link for my video.)

Walking on the Via del Vascellari I found crowds of people waiting to get into “Da Enzo” a popular Trastevere restaurant. This is crazy!

I love the lanes of Trastevere!

Time for breakfast before my flight to Denver. The Residenza Argentina has touches of surprising style.

I sat and savored a second cup of great Italian coffee and thought about my last 10 days. It was a Sicilian and Roman adventure, an exploration of new cuisine, exploration of ancient Greek and Roman ruins, camaraderie with old and new friends, great cycling, and simply wonderful Italy!

Photos: Dick Gentry