Few words about the International Cuisine, Rome, Italy

    

European Cuisine is one of the finest

Italian cuisine as the national cuisine known today has evolved through centuries of social and political change. Its roots can be traced back to the 4th century BC.

Ingredients and dishes vary by region. There are many significant regional dishes that have become both national and regional.

Cheese and wine are a major part of the cuisine, playing different roles both regionally and nationally with their many variations. Coffee, and more specifically espresso has become highly important to the cultural cuisine of Italy.

To really discover Italian gastronomy, you have to make your way down the whole boot of Italy, from Piedmont to Sicily, dawdling in each region, exploring the streets and alleys in order to better understand its roots. Every region has its own gastronomic traditions, cultural habits and specialties, like so many individual signatures and perfumes.

The region of Latium is the home of Rome, where you'll find many restaurants offering sophisticated fare. However, the native cooking style in the average home in the Latium region is direct and unpretentious. Part of the holiday pleasure in Rome is discovering your very own favorite trattoria. In our opinion, it's hard to eat badly in Rome. But for those who'd like some guidance, here are our suggestions.

Good tourist choice: Navona Notte

There's nothing flashy or fancy about this pizzeria, which makes it ideal for tourists on a budget. There is a wide range of good, cheap pizzas, no extras are added to the bill, and the tables inside and out are usually full.

One of the local favorites: Da Tonino

An old-fashioned Roman eating place, with a few, sought-after tables, no pretensions at all, and good, cheap pasta.

Quite smart: Enoteca Antica

A small wine-bar-restaurant with a cozy atmosphere. The pizzas are good and reasonably-priced, and for dessert they serve gorgeous chocolate cake.

French cuisine: France lays claim to a culinary heritage so rich in tradition that it would be impossible to present it on a single plate. Think of it instead as a gastronomic buffet in which each region presents its specialties, products, culture and unique touches.

Classic French cuisine (haute cuisine) is one of France's greatest glories. However, it is not the only significant cuisine of France. Far less than 1 percent of the dishes eaten by the French are prepared according to the dicta of classic French cuisine. These rich and elaborate dishes are usually consumed in expensive gastronomic temples such as Taillevent where the average French person simply cannot afford to dine.

Much of the cooking in France, like with some other national cuisines, is strikingly regional in character. Each local cooking style has its own set of rules, philosophies, and basic ingredients - often in marked contrast to those of other regions.

Classical cuisine is cooked in distinguished restaurants in many places in France, but it is mainly concentrated in and around Paris.

You plan a trip to Paris and you want to know more about the finest tables of the city either for lunch or dinner? Paris offers an exceptional concentration and diversity of restaurants... Either looking for a gourmet or romantic restaurant, a bistro or a brasserie you will find it in Paris.

Taillevent restaurant

Nestled in a townhouse built in 1852 in the Champs Elysees district, it was once residence of Duke of Morny. A cosy interior and a comfortable dining room, one of the greatest wine list of the city (The restaurant is said to own a treasure of about 800.000 bottles of wine...) and a cuisine of exception orchestrated by Chef Alain Soliveres.

Lasserre restaurant

Among Lasserre's regulars were Salvador Dalí and André Malraux, for whom Lasserre named one of his dishes, pigeon André Malraux (still on the Menu today). Lasserre won its first Michelin star in 1949 and won his third Michelin star in 1962. Even if the restaurant has lost one star it remains one of the best places to eat in Paris. A very romantic table nestling just off the Champs Elysees Avenue for a dinner to remember. Reservation is mandatory - The chef is Jean-Louis Nomicos.

A taste of South America

When we think of Argentina, our mind immediately travels to the pampas, conjuring up images of the huge herds of cattle that produce some of the world's best beef. Cattle raising is carried out intensively here: in this ocean of grass and vast fields of wheat, corn, sunflowers and alfalfa, these noble bovines can graze to their heart's content before eventually ending up under the gaucho's fork. Beef is popular throughout Argentina in all its form, cooked over the coals and served with the traditional "achuras".

Argentine food is influenced by cuisine from Spain, Italy, Germany, France and other European countries, and many foods from those countries such as pasta, sausages, and desserts are common in the nation's diet. Argentina has a wide variety of staple foods, which include empanadas, a stuffed pastry; locro, a mixture of corn, beans, meat, bacon, onion, and gourd; and chorizo, a spicy sausage. Other popular items include Dulce de Leche and mate, Argentina's national beverage.

The dining options in Buenos Aires are endless. This is a city that takes dining seriously, and meals can easily last a few hours. Like the national norm, nobody here really starts eating until 9pm. Main courses usually consist of an asado, a barbecue of excellent quality beef. Beef is dominant, and it also comes in the forms of bife de chorizo (sirloin steak) or empanadas (meat pies). The local wine is also good, especially the reds.

Brasserie Petanque Restaurant

Newly made with the intention of looking old, the walls are soft yellows with old advertising posters and other decorations, such as French flags, politely tucked into corners. The stunning tile floor was redone in a turn-of-the-last-century style. The menu is in French and Spanish, and offers such specialties as steak tartare, lemon chicken, trout with almonds and beef bordelaise.

Cabaña las Lilas Restaurant

Widely considered the best parrilla in Buenos Aires, Cabaña las Lilas is always packed. The menu pays homage to Argentine beef, which comes from the restaurant's private estancia (ranch). The table "cover" -- which includes dried tomatoes, mozzarella, olives, peppers, and delicious garlic bread -- nicely whets the appetite. Clearly, you're here to order steak: The best cuts are the rib-eye, baby beef, and thin skirt steak. You eat in a handsome wood-and-leather room in the redeveloped Puerto Madero docklands area, and drink from a wine-wall stocked with fine Mendoza reds like those of Nicolas Catena.

Culinary Tours - overview

1. Mar 2, 2008 The cuisine of the United States (New York)  ( 2)
2. Mar 3, 2008 Few words about the International Cuisine (Rome)  ( 4)
3. Mar 4, 2008 Healthy but tasty cuisine in Boulder (Boulder)  ( 4)

Start from beginning | 1 - 3          Journal overview


Read about Rome in our travel-guide
Attractions in Rome