When In Rome, Do As The Romans Do
When in Rome...
My fiancée and I were in Rome because I had to get a visa from the Canadian Embassy.
We arrived just after dark with no place to stay, and for once decided not to strike out on our own and instead stopped at the deserted "hotel information" office in Roma Termini (the main train station). The guy behind the counter asked me if we were Swiss. I said yes. Of course, I could have told the truth, but I wasn't asking for a dirty job nor was I holding him at gunpoint (perhaps the most well-known "Albanian" activities in Italy) and most of all, I just didn't want to disappoint him in his ability to guess our nationalities. After a few quick phone calls, he found us Swiss a place to stay very close by, in via Marsala.
The place was called, very imaginatively, Hotel Marsala. It was a basic and inexpensive three-star hotel - already a big plus. The thing is, in Rome, if you arrive after dusk, you have to deal with additional "evening taxes". Such as, the hotel's night porter might add a little of their own "spice" to the already spicy Rome accommodation prices. To get a fair price, all you need is to speak fluent Italian or hand over an Albanian passport when checking in (I just happen to have one).
After we dumped our luggage in the room, we went for a little spin looking for a place to eat...
..do as the Romans do
The pasta was delicious and it went down perfectly with the wine. The waiter kept coming and going, always wanting to make us eat something else.
Meanwhile, the place was filling up with late-night diners who looked like Roman regulars. Our semi-random choice of a dining spot was being proven to be a good one. Finally, the waiter came up with an offer we couldn't refuse: some grappa and limoncello which, combined, totally "killed" us. We returned to our temporary Roman home tipsy but happy.
The day after I got the visa and so we went out celebrating.
First, we got some wine at a liquor store and drank it right in Piazza di Spagna - famous for being the last place where John Keats was last seen alive as well as for being pickpocket central and extremely lovely all the way around. I don't really remember how we managed to get there, but what's certain is that we found ourselves at the Fontana di Trevi when the night was still young. The rest of the night, I can't be so sure about...
Next morning we headed south, but that's a different story...
For those interested, here's the recipe from Il Molo:
Linguini ai frutti di mare also known as Pasta allo Scoglio, or Spaghetti alla chitarraOh, yes:
It's actually very easy to make. You need fresh seafood: clams, mussels, squid, shrimp and a bunch of scampi (those funny little lobsters that swim around in the Mediterarrean). . You also need a bunch of fresh Italian parsley , tomatoes (I add a tiny bit of oregano) garlic , salt and pepper and of course olive oil. Cut the garlic and parsley very small and start cooking it in medium heat for a few seconds .Put in the squid and cook it for a while.
Add the rest of the seafood (you need to wash the clams and mussels really well in order to have a good result) and tomatoes. Add some spices, cover the pan and leave it to cook for 5-10 minutes. Meanwhile, you've boiled salted water and you're cooking the pasta. Once both are done, mix together and cook for 30 seconds on high heat.
Ristorante Il Molo
Via Castelfidardo, 12
00185 Roma (RM)
06 4874165
