Monday is Lentil Day at Augusto

On any Monday in Rome you will probably find Bill and me at Augusto in Trastevere because Monday is lentil day.

Augusto has always had tables outside under large umbrellas, but during the pandemic they, like so many other Roman restaurants, expanded their outdoor seating.

On our first visits Bill and I sat under the umbrellas adjacent to the restaurant in the centre of Piazza de'Renzi.

On our third visit, in the midst of the spring heat-wave, staff suggested we might be more comfortable in the cool of the interior, within the thick stone walls. 

They were right. It was cooler indoors by the open door. 

And we had a good view of the comings and goings of customers and staff.

Sometimes we would start our lunch with the lentil (lenticchie -- len-TEE-kee-ay) soup.

Second course for us usually involved a meat course with vegetables. I always enjoy an insalata pomodori -- tomatoes in a light vinaigrette dressing.

If you don't know it let me introduce you to puntarelle (poon-ta-RAY-lay) -- a kind of chicory flower -- in an anchovy sauce -- light, fresh and delicious.

You will always find roasted coniglio (ko-KNEE-lee-o): rabbit, on the menu -- a tasty, white meat, with a surprising amount of eating on it.

All of the meats go well with a side of roast potatoes (patata al forno). Be careful though, they are very filling.

I can recommend the delicious slices of pork roast (arrosto di maiale -- my-AH-lay) in a light gravy.

But we come for the lentils and sausage (lenticchie con salsiccia -- sal-SEEK-ee-ah). These lentils have a very different seasoning from the soup. Once I had the soup followed by this dish. The server did an admirable job of concealing from me that she thought I was pazzo.

The food at Augusto fills Bill and I with an almost religious sense of joy.

On lentil day at Augusto heaven takes on material form to give us mortals a taste of the divine.

Vicolo de' Renzi, 15.  Bon appetito!