Eating Like A Roman.

Of all the major cities we've been to, Rome seems to be the most resistant to haute cuisine. Before we left the states, we made reservations at what our research told us were some of the best restaurants in Rome. And, yes, that did include a three Michelin star restaurant with a dazzling panoramic view of the city.

But that has not been the best meal so far.

Don't get me wrong. the setting and the service were spectacular, the food was terrific, with many imaginative and delicious touches. But most of the other restaurants on our list are neighborhood trattorias. And the food they offer is down home and to die for. And we've had the best food in them, at half the price or less.

Romans like Roman food. Sure, you can find Thai restaurants and sushi bars, but they are few and far between. Almost all the restaurants serve the same few Roman dishes, and they do them very well.

We have enjoyed pasta dishes like cacio e pepe (homemade spaghetti with pecorino cheese and black pepper), (it sounds simple, but it is incredibly delicious),  spaghetti all'amatriciana - a classic Roman staple - with guanciale (cured pork jowl), carbonara with pancetta and egg, gricia (pasta with pork jowl, pecorino cheese and black pepper), and, of course, simple thin-crust pizzas.

Romans are especially fond of what they call the "fifth quarter," of their meat animals--which means offal-- trippa alla romana (strips of beef tripe cooked with tomato and mint), coda alla vaccinara (braised oxtails in a rich tomato sauce), brains (as one menu put it "lamb cerebellum"), or animelle (sweetbreads) prepared a a variety of delicious ways.

There are a few regional and specialty restaurants. Today we had lunch in the Ghetto district, where there are several spots dedicated to kosher Roman cooking. This might seem an almost impossible task, since Roman cooking relies heavily on pork and bacon, as well as taboo combinations of meat and dairy, but it was quite good. Eggplant and artichokes replace meat in many of the cheesy dishes.

Tonight, we visited an Umbrian restaurant, the Golden Ass, that features a lot of game dishes.

Baffo alla salvia, pancetta fried with sage and just a hint of vinegar that oddly both cuts and enhances the richness of the bacon. Simple, but delicious.

And cinghiale al cioccolato, (boar stewed with chocolate and vinegar), very close to a mole sauce, but with a hint of orange rather than chile and cinnamon. Deep, intense flavor.

Tomorrow we visit a Sicilian restaurant that specializes in fish and on Saturday, a Sardinian place, so there are culinary adventures still to come.

P.