Today Let's All Have Lunch in Rome

When I remember Rome I first think of La Montecarlo

with its large patio on Vicolo Savelli. We were regulars here.

I adore their Margherita pizza -- tomato sauce and mozzarella. 

And their Quattro Formaggi -- four cheeses. Binaca o rosso? Bianca -- without tomato sauce.

Then another restaurant appears in my mind -- Luzzi -- two steps from the Colosseum.

I had a margarita pizza with arugula and tomatoes. I cut it in half and folded it over -- it's a grilled cheese salad-sandwich. 

Restaurant staff soon learned our beverage preferences which never changed: bubbly water, a large beer and a quarter litre of red wine.

Before leaving for Rome most recently I drew up a list of the dishes I would order. Cacio e pepe -- pasta in cheese sauce was at the top of the list.

Gino al Parliamento surprised us one day with this offering: fettuccine al limone -- freshly made noodles in a delicious garlic lemon sauce.

Bill had the limone I had the spaghetti with fresh clams. Both were unforgettable!

Bill always likes greens with his meals. We discovered broccoletti, above, 

and agretti, both delicious, and habit forming.

We both had the traditional lasagne at Alfredo e Ada: layers of pasta and cheese with ground beef and tomato sauce.

And Bill rediscovered an old friend at Enoteca Corsi: Pollo alla Romano -- chicken with sweet peppers.

We rarely had room for dessert after one of our sumptuous lunches, but when dessert called to us it was often in the form of a tiramisu. 

Gino al Parliamento serves their tiramisu in a cup. Augusto in Trastevere serves a wedge.

We who are about to nap first prefer a few spoonfuls of sweetness.