CAFFÈ CIAMPINI
Piazza di San Lorenzo in Lucina, 29
00186 Roma
When in Rome, let’s do as Romans do! Recommended by a passionate staff from AESOP, CAFFÈ CIAMPINI at Piazza San Lorenzo is the perfect place to take a scoop of gelato break, gaze the spectacle of international tourists and locals intermingling.
During a lunch break on a burning hot sunny day in October, we kick off from Roma Termini to Fountain Trevi, walk down Via Sistina to the Spanish Steps, and then continue along Piazza San Lorenzo to see what lay beyond this local hub of tourist activity.
The extensive view of pastel-tone apartments and bell towers mingling among terra cotta rooftops encouraged a desire to linger. Drooling at the CAFFÈ CIAMPINI gelato counter, the professional manufacturer spends every morning making the fresh dairy ingredients following the family tradition. Gelato literally refers ‘frozen’, contains 4% to 8% of butterfat, much less than those 14% butterfat ice cream in the United States; therefore, gelato freezes less solidly than those commercial ice cream to melts in our mouth faster.
Furthermore, gelato has a much higher flavor density comparing to those mixing with air and water to increase volume and weight. In Italy, it is illegal to overrun the air and water during the manufacturing process. Even more, that artisanal gelato shall be frozen immediately in small batches to keep its fresher and higher quality in order to be eaten within a couple of days of being made.
My choice of the day at CAFFÈ CIAMPINI is Swiss Chocolate—limited daily without any chemical preservatives nor artificial colourings—the crunching dark chocolate with 70% of cocoa combining together with crispy biscuit cone, no doubt an instant remedy under the 30 Celsius-degree day, a dream truly fulfilled from the childhood, and surely the pure pleasure in Rome.
RISTORANTE TRATTORIA ANTONIO
Via dei Pastini, 12
00186, Roma
Randomly spotted through Google map, bustling street next to the Pantheon, RISTORANTE TRATTORIA ANTONIO is an enduring trattoria serving elevated traditional Roman dishes in an elegant, tranquil setting. Its yellowish ambiance, interior and décor, with a fresh glass of SPRITZ, the history of the restaurant tracing back to the Basilica of Marciana once stood, Sor Antonio opened a rotisserie in 1934, soon its house made spaghetti and carefully selected Italian wine conquer the palate of countless diners, including Prime Minister Fabrizio Preti, till the current moments.
Jenny orders homemade spaghetti with mixed seafood while I always fall for the Primi di Mare—Octopus with potatoes and citrus mayonnaise—tender, juicy but yet fresh and salty sauces offer the ultimate Italian food experience. We reach to the final agreement that the homemade spaghetti from TRATTORIA ANTONIO is far yet the most prime version we’ve ever tasted—smooth and chewy, with a sense of wheat flavor.
Last but not the least, tiramisú is the must-have on foodie’s bucket list! Traditional tiramisu contains a short list of ingredients: savoiardi, egg yolks, sugar, coffee, mascarpone cheese, and cocoa powder. A common variant, such as we order, involves soaking the savoiardi either in dark rum, brandy, amaretto or a coffee liqueur, topped with Irish cream and cocoa powder, layers within yeasted panettone. At the first scoop of tiramisu, are soft and slightly cold touch from the top, secondly spongy and airy in the middle, and base crust gives out the rather strong alcohol odor.
Solo mio! How could you ask more of Italian food?
Special Thanks: Jenny
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