Italiano
Name of the game: Sharing
The panorama of quality restaurants in Rome grows day by day with new and interesting offerings. Last but not least is Retrobottega which opened its doors last December 23 on Via della Stelletta 4, in the heart of historic Rome, between Piazza Navona, Montecitorio and the Pantheon.
Alessandro Miocchi and Giuseppe Lo Iudice , young chefs with ample experience in the best kitchens in Italy and abroad, came up with the idea for this “gastronomic laboratory”, a decidedly convivial place that offers a natural and genuine cuisine in which innovation has an eye on tradition and the chef interacts with the clientele. Also involved in the enterprise are two other talented young men, Gabriele Di Lecce and Matto Magagnini.
The basic idea is to bring the chef out of the kitchen and allow clients to be involved in the preparation of the dishes they have ordered, without the need of a waiter intervening. Giuseppe explained that the inspiration for this came from his experience in Japan and the restaurants there where people consume their meals directly at the counter, often standing, while the chef prepares their meals in front of them and serves them directly. This arrangement brings the chef and the client closer together and allows the person cooking to get an immediate response from the person consuming the food. Clients set their own table as they would at home after a basket is placed in front of them containing two water glasses, cutlery, napkins and a paper bag with bread. A large blackboard on the wall lists the menu of the day and meals take place at a counter that sits 14 people and where the food is served on original bark or stone plates. If you prefer, you can sit at a table with others situated just as you walk in or in a lovely little room at the back. Keep in mind that here ‘sharing’ is the name of the game.
All the food is strictly Italian. The vegetables come from a farmer in Albano, the fish is from a local fisherman in Fiumicino and the meats are supplied by select Italian producers. The wines and craft beers are also Italian and only the soft drinks come from a small German producer.
The materials used for the furnishing are for the most part recycled and much of the walls are exposed to show the original bricks that date back to the 15
Dulcis in fundo the menu: I was privileged to be able to sample a variety of dishes all prepared using ingredients with respect and expertise according to traditional and often almost family recipes, some of which brought back fond memories. The octopus head in a reduced tomato sauce with toasted bread and the spaghetti served with the same sauce were exactly like my grandmother’s, who never wanted to waste anything. The rigatoni with Roman broccoli and anchovies were prepared the way my mother did when she came home at night. All the pasta is homemade.
The other courses were equally as good, be it the braised jowl with green sauce, poached fish (depending what was caught) or even the fantastic and simple omelet and chicory sandwich or the veggie burger. The desserts are tasty, balanced and not too sweet.
Retrobottega (Backroom) is open from 8am to 10pm offering food for any time of day, starting with breakfast with cake and cookies to go along with coffee or tea, organic juices and those made using a centrifuge.
