Category Archives: Dining out!

Eating Fancy – Rome – Part 2


Part One of this blog talked about the Mirabele – 1 Michelin Star, high points for location and Romance – nice music too – and a not so hot score for the food.

Next up on my list was Il Pagliaccio. This was a 2 star restaurant – tiny, tiny, tiny and stuck in a back street of Rome so challenging to find that our taxi driver had to use her GPS. Surprisingly to me – the door was locked when we arrived. But clearly the host was keeping an eye out – before I could recover from my surprise, the door was opened. We confirmed that we had a reservation – and were ushered in. There were at most 8 tables. And I never saw one flip. So quite the difference from the packed and a bit frantic atmosphere of the Mirabelle.

Like the Mirabelle – we opted for the 10 course tasting menu. Unlike the Mirabelle – there was no matching wine tasting. The sommelier helped my husband select a white wine by the glass, and a red that he felt would go with most of the courses. We were quite disappointed by this – going with most isn’t really quite good enough at this price range.

Again there was a napkin service, this time it happened before we were served a delicious green pea soup amuse that was divine. The courses were interesting – but hard to remember because the main server’s english was so heavily accented, we couldn’t understand him. I was impressed by the continuous simultaneous service – a nice touch. My impression in thinking back on the meal was good – interesting – but not stunning. I love it when a chef makes a dish for me that astounds me – that didn’t happen here. No cause for complaint – just nothing so outstanding I’d try to tell you about it.

I felt that the kitchen here was superior to that of the Mirabelle – but the restaurant lost points for location and view. I’m not sorry we tried it – but I wouldn’t rush back.

Signing off for now – The Soup Lady

Eating Fancy – Rome – Part 1


Eating ‘Fancy’ in Rome

Unlike the intrepid traveller, my husband considers high-end dining to be an absolute necessity when we travel. So it should come as no surprise that when in Rome – we dined right.

Don’t have a least one Michelin star? You are not going to be on our list!

So the next 3 blogs will be reviews of 4 – count’m 4 – Michelin starred restaurants, Open Colanna, the Mirabelle, All’Oro, and Il Pagliaccio. They all offered tasting menus of 5 to 10 courses, and elaborate service. But there were clearly highlights – and while not low lights – at least not so great lights.

Let’s start with our final dinner in Rome – at the Mirabelle. The Mirabelle is on the 7th floor of a 5 star hotel in Rome – with footman, greeters, marble floors, elaborate decor, and attitude to match. Our taxi dropped us at the door, and we were greeted 3 times before we even made it to the restaurant. The restaurant itself earns its highest points for decor, location, and romance. It’s open to the air (but can be closed in by floor to ceiling glass panels). To say the view was spectacular would actually be an understatement. The sun was setting as we arrived and were seated, not in the first row of seats, but pressed up against a glass window. Our view was good, but not amazing. To be amazing, you had to get a table on the ‘terrace’ – and when we reserved, they were all taken.

True to its Michelin Star status – there was a napkin service (they use clippers to place the napkin on your lap, and elaborate ‘greeting’ dish of tiny amuses – mini cookies, tiny salty breads, and a delicious fried ball filled with risotto. This last was my favorite. The bread service was in two parts. Bread sticks and a seasoned mini croissants at one time, followed by a selection of various small rolls after the first course. I loved the croissants and ate both mine and my husbands. The rest of the bread was ultimately forgettable.

We choose the tasting menu of 7 courses – and my husband opted for the high-end wine tasting option that matched. Of the courses – none was knock you socks off special. I did like them – just don’t remember them. During dinner, there was live piano music – low-key American songs, sung for the romance of them. I kept thinking that a dance floor option would have been welcome – it would have been nice to have swayed to the music.

Dinner was followed by 3 desserts – a pre-desert of fennel ice cream (which I loved), and a ‘desert’ of Strawberry soup, also served with ice-cream. After that – they served a platter of friandise – always my favorite part of the meal.

Summary – high points for Romance, Location, View. Not so hot for the food. But they were incredibly busy. All the tables were full – and many flipped twice. So say what I will – they are clearly doing something right.
But on to higher points!