Tram Tram in San Lorenzo: like lunch at grandma’s

A place that knows how to project you back in time, with Mrs. Rosanna and her daughters Fabiola and Antonella capable of restoring you with affectionate and familiar ways so as to make you feel like "at grandma's house", kitchen included. 

Rome, San Lorenzo district, one of the places of the "movida" with its swarming of trendy places that open and close like mushrooms ... but not here, by Tram is since 1991 that the family Di Vittorio, with mother Rosanna and her two daughters, Fabiola and Antonella, lead to firm reins this tavern from the solid Roman-Pugliese cuisine.

When you enter, you feel as if you've been dragged back in time more or less eighty years, even though they've been here for just over thirty. A long and narrow passage between the bar on the left and wooden tables in a row on the right. On the floor those beautiful little grit tiles and high ceilings like in the houses of grandmothers of old. Simple, a bit bare, with old photos of memories on the walls, the wooden refrigerator at the end of the room, the immaculate white curtains and that intense and intoxicating scent of good things that hovered forever, of sauces cooked over a gentle fire for hours, of cookies and freshly baked donuts. An unforgettable aroma that permeated everything until it became confused with the very scent of the house even when the stove was turned off. 

This is Tram Tram. "Grandma" Rosanna with her white coat who comes to the table to suggest the dishes of the day, who wants you to taste the puntarelle just finished dressing (and shows her hands still black from the work of cleaning the vegetables). Then comes smiling, sunny and prepared Fabiola, with her passion for wine and generous and affordable menu. 

The tables on Sunday lunch are all full (and it's nice to see them so finally), the atmosphere is familiar and relaxed. The dishes follow each other robust and all very balanced, executed to perfection by years and years of experience. A home-style cuisine that is now increasingly difficult to find. 

Rome dominates the menu with artichokes and puntarelle, the classic first courses and the unmissable desserts, but you can see immediately that here there are Apulian roots. I ask and in fact Mrs. Rosanna was born near Foggia and here is among the off-menu of the day the tiella of rice, potatoes and mussels.

Let's start then with the legendary puntarelle that only here in Rome you can find so good, crispy, well curled and seasoned with a very good chopped anchovies, garlic, oil and salt. The sublimation of simplicity and craftsmanship. Accompanied by a slice of bread with a crispy crust and nice "mushy", taken from the oven opposite, are a show. An invigorating entrée. We continue with the codfish mantecato on a chickpea cream and crispy polenta wafer. The golden fried anchovies are delicious and dry, so good that they go down one after the other like cherries. 

The triumph of taste continues on the first courses: absolutely unmissable Spaghetti with fresh anchovies, tomato, breadcrumbs and pecorino cheese. A flavor I hadn't found in years and I wasn't in Rome but in my Apulia. The Gricia Sbagliata is also exquisite, mezzemaniche with guanciale, pecorino and zucchini. The Gnocchi al sugo di spuntature (gnocchi with snack sauce) are substantial to the right point, strictly homemade, well soaked in the thick and tasty sauce, sprinkled with a generous handful of Parmesan cheese and with a snack placed on top to complete the dish. Here the scarpetta is not an option. 

Sated but not tamed, we order a sliced beef and eureka: I like it a lot. I'm not a fan of flab, and every time I'm disappointed by the pompous cuts and varieties of breeds from beyond the Alps offered at prices that are anything but modest by many restaurants. This time I was left open-mouthed, in fact, full! The meat was cooked exactly as it should be, with an intense flavor, succulent and not at all stodgy to the bite. The fat and the fibers melted and almost sweet taste. We accompanied it with artichokes alla romana which were the death of it.

As every Sunday lunch commands, we close with a rich and abundant cup of Tiramisu, good and creamy really super even if I prefer when the cookie has a little 'more consistency but was well balanced by flakes of dark chocolate put to decorate.

To draw the conclusions, here in the years have passed the wagons of the streetcar line that rattling right here in front to make a constant background, the cars have changed their appearance and even the attendance of the neighborhood is different but the reception of the family Di Vittorio Tram Tram has not changed over time, is always there, stable, and no matter if you are long-time customers or occasional patrons, whether you are gentlemen in age or kids, Mrs. Rosanna with Fabiola and Antonella will restore you with those ways affectionate and familiar enough to make you feel like "at grandma's house", including the kitchen.

Tram Tram
Via dei Reti, 46
00185 Roma
Tel. +39 06 490416
info@tramtram.it
http://www.tramtram.it/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/TramTramOsteria
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/fabiolissimasultram/
Closed on Monday

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