Thanks for all the recommendations! I will look out for all the places recommended for mozzarella. I would really like to try the gelato made with buffalo milk too.

Has anyone tried Ristorante Nettuno? http://www.ristorantenettuno.com/star...
It looks like it has the potential to be touristy because it overlooks the ruins but I've read some pretty good reviews elsewhere. They're only open for lunch when we are there and I thought it might be a good option before/after touring the ruins.

Thanks, we will check it out!

Restaurant recommendations anyone?

We'll be in Paestum for 2 nights in October.

Looking for recommendations on where to have dinner and possibly a lunch near the ruins.

We also plan on visiting some of the farms which produce buffalo mozzarella so any advice on that would be appreciated.

Thanks!

Wow, maybe I should have looked at this when I was in Japan, but I just got back yesterday. Wish I'd known about Kuromon.But we had a fantastic time anyway.
Our first night we walked around the hotel and there was not much open at all by 10 PM so indeed, we ended up at Denny's. But yes, the menu was 100% Japanese (no Grand Slams there!) and we each had a bowl of ramen and a beer and called it a night. Not bad.
Once we learned the different areas around the station, we found plenty of other options, but that first night we were tired and clueless, so it was hard to figure it all out.
When I recover from my jet lag, I'll return with a dining report on another thread, but in general we ate nothing but Japanese food for 8 days and loved almost every meal. We didn't do any high end dining but ate in plenty of small local places and really enjoyed ourselves. Very happy not to have cancelled our trip.

Still planning on going to Japan, in about 2 weeks, so I thought I'd bump this up in case anyone else had some recommendations.

I'm planning my first trip to Japan for next month and am pretty clueless about Japanese food beyond the basics. I recently bought a book called "Food, Sake, Tokyo" by Yukari Sakamoto and have really enjoyed it. The detailed breakdown it gives on the various types of cuisines, etiquette, and where specifically (restaurants, markets, shops) to go has been really helpful.

Thanks for the advice. I'll check them out.

Anyone else?

My husband and I are going on our first trip to Japan in April. Our flight arrives at Narita at 7:15 PM on a Saturday night so I figure we probably won't be checked into our hotel, the Tokyo Hilton in Shinjuku, until around 10pm.

I'm sure we're going to want to go out and get some food. I don't know anything about the area around the hotel and was hoping someone could recommend something within walking distance.

We're looking for something inexpensive and easy for our first jetlagged meal; maybe a good bowl of ramen, or...?
I'm open to all suggestions, and still trying to learn about the food and culture of Japan, so forgive me for not knowing exactly what I want in advance.

Going to Panama for a week next month, though not exactly sure where yet beyond Panama City.

Looking for any and all new recommendations, especially for Panamanian food and Food Markets.

My husband and I were in Vietnam for 2 weeks in July, 2009.

Below is a review of some of the best places we ate at in Hanoi. I will post separate threads for the other destinations or it will get too long.
We ate everywhere; street food, markets, local restaurants and some tourist-oriented places. In Hanoi we stayed and the Elegance 4, on the edge of the old quarter and cathedral district, and most of these places are within walking distance.

Quon An Ngon Restaurant
We went here for our first meal with two young women from a group called "Hanoi Kids". They are college students who give free tours around the city in order to practice their English. It's very crowded when we arrive and we are seated inside and upstairs. Quan An Ngon is in a large, villa style house, and has numerous food stations which mimic street stalls. You can order from the stalls or do as we did, order from a large menu. This place is very popular with both tourists and locals.
As we were still pretty jet lagged, we let the girls order for us; Pho ga (Noodle soup with chicken), Pho xao gion (Beef with greens and soft noodles -what they called “dry pho”), Mi xao hai san (seafood noodles) and Nem cua be ( fried spring rolls). All that with 1 beer, 2 sodas and 2 cha drinks was 250,000 VND (about $14.20). The meal was good, but as it turns out, no where near the best one we’d have. Quon An Ngon (18 Phan Boi Chau St.)

Pho 10
For dinner, we walk down the street from our hotel and found “Pho 10″ (10 Ly Quoc Su, at corner of Chan Cam St), a simple street front place. I always thought pho was just for breakfast in Vietnam, but I guess I was wrong. This place, which does about 10 versions of beef pho only, was packed with locals slurping down their dinner.
The kitchen is a glassed in cube staffed by very young men serving up soup and a couple of fried noodle dishes. The servers are all young women in matching t-shirts with the restaurant’s name on them. As typical in most storefront restaurants in South East Asia, the owner, a woman of a certain age, sits at a desk near the front door, watching over all.
We both ordered “Pho Tai Bap” (Beef Filet Noodle) and a Bia Hanoi. All excellent. Unlike in the US, this pho was not served with a plate of herbs and vegetable garnish. Instead, it was simply garnished with fresh mint and there were crocks of chili sauce and pickled garlic slices on the table. A perfect, easy first dinner at 80,000 VND total. Highly recommended.
We ate here again a couple of nights later and it was just as good the second time.

Bun Cha Dac Kim
I still dream about this place and how good the bun cha was...
We go in and are ushered to a small room up a very narrow set of stairs. There’s no menu; we’re asked what we want to drink and then the food is brought to us. On the table already is a massive plate of greens and herbs, a plate heaped high with cooked rice noodles, and a bowl of sliced chilies and chopped garlic.
They bring us each a bowl filled with grilled pork patties wrapped in herbs and sliced grilled pork, swimming in a sweet/sour vinegar sauce. There’s also a huge plate of Nem Cua Da (fried pork filled spring rolls).
One of the women working there senses just the barest hesitation on our part and jumps in to show us how to eat everything. Some noodles in the empty bowl, top with a couple of spoon-fulls of pork and sauce from the other bowl. Add some garlic and chilies and a bit of greens. Mix it all up with chopsticks and enjoy! Later, we are relieved to know we’re not the only ones to receive such instruction; the Japanese couple who sits down next to us get the same.
Lunch for two (with a massive amount of food, too much to finish), 2 sodas, 130,000 VND. Bun Cha Dac Kim, #1 Hang Menh St, Hanoi. It's right in between Yen Thai (where the HE4 is) and Hang Non street.

Hang Be Market
Finally, we make it to the food market which is at the corner of Cau Go and Hang Be streets and forms an “L” about 2 blocks long on each side. It is outside, covered with tarps and awnings.
All kinds of food is sold here; meats, vegetables, seafood, flowers, cooked and prepared food. I am impressed with how clean it is. I’ve seen a lot of “wet” markets and this one is surprisingly tidy. It does not smell (which is a testament to how fresh everything is), there’s no slop on the ground, and very few flies even though there is plenty of meat sitting out unrefrigerated. Yet, this is clearly a local’s market, not one set up for tourists. In fact, as far as I can tell, we are the only non-locals there, which earns us a few curious glances, nothing more.
We wander through, checking out everything and stop at a woman near the center of the market making banh cuon. These are glutinous rice crepes, steamed on what looks like a piece of cheesecloth stretched over a pot of water. The woman spreads out the mixture, then lifts lets it rest for about 10 seconds and then lifts it up with a pair of chopsticks. The crepe is then filled with a mixture of pork and mushrooms. We decide to sit on the tiny blue stools and partake, right there in the market. We get one order, which is a plate of about 6 crepes served with a dipping sauce. They are wonderful and cost 10,000 VND for the plate.

Bun Bo Nam Bo
For a mid-afternoon snack, we go to one of the places for which I have a recommendation for Bun Bo. This place is right around the corner from the hotel, and even at 3PM has a fair amount of people in it, slurping down noodles. These were really tasty; dry rice noodles with beef, lettuce, green onions, and topped with fried shallots and peanuts. There’s a bit of sauce in the bottom of the bowl too, so it’s not completely dry.
Bun Bo Nam Bo, 67 Hang Dieu, Hanoi

If you'd like to see photos of all the food, or more about what we did in terms of sightseeing, it's all on my website at http://www.wired2theworld.com

I've eaten in both, as recent as last year.
I have a special place in my heart for ar Galletto having eaten there a couple of times in the 90's, including on my honeymoon, and then again last year. My husband wanted to go again, for sentimental reasons. I was concerned it wouldn't be as good as it once was, but we had a very nice meal. I even got to try pajata there which I'd wanted to try, but had not had the chance.
As for Armando's, we two very good meals there last year. Both solid.

For sure neither place is fancy nor "spectacular", but I think if you are looking for a good, strong, choice in the tourist center, you can't go wrong.

If you'd like to see pictures of the meals and read about what we ate (because I'm a food geek like that) you can see it on my website, www.wired2theworld.com
Click on the Rome 2008 trip.

Oh, btw, I am going back in October with the same friends we went with last year and we all agreed we wanted to eat at Armando's again (on Thursday, when they do the oxtail dish).

You might want to check out the Pak Klong Talat market. It's located alongside the Chao Phraya river, right next to the Memorial Bridge Pier (Tha Saphan Poot).
You can see my pictures of it here: http://www.wired2theworld.com/Cam2007...
It's a working market, not set up for tourists at all.
Also check out the little Bang Rak market shown on my link.

I've been to Aw Taw Kaw twice. It's pretty, and there's good food to be had, but it's a long trek out there because it's right next to the weekend market.

Hi Curt-

This place looks great. Very pretty setting too.

Can you recommend any specific dishes?

Is it not walking distance from the pier?
Do you think it would be easy enough to find if you don't speak any Thai? What do you think about timing it for an early sunset dinner; take the express boat up and a taxi back to hotel?

I had the pleasure of having lunch at Cordeillan-Bages in Pauillac in early October.
We were staying in the Dordogne and drove there on a day trip with a group of 10 friends and reservations for a tour at Ch. Lynch-Bages winery. Unfortunately, the GPS in the lead car took us the wrong way and we all got lost and separated so we arrived too late for the tour.
Instead, we had lunch (with no reservations) at Cordeillan-Bages.

This is from my journal:
The dining room is light, airy, and very gracious, with french windows overlooking the vineyard. The service is absolutely impeccable and everyone, from the servers to the bussers to the Sommilier speaks perfect English and can answer questions in detail about anything on the menu. The only awkwardness in the service was a Sommelier who seemed at a loss on how to recommend a "reasonably" priced bottle of wine.

And the menu! Whew! It's presented in a small blue square card stock cover which opens to a black and white photo of a slice of onion. Then, it opens further and there's the menu on creamy white paper, in French only with appetizers ranging in price from 40 to 48 euro, main courses 45-60 euro and desserts at 25 euro. Somehow, that makes the 3 course menu (any two courses plus dessert for 90 euro) seem like a relative bargain. We all opt for the menu since that's what the other guys are doing as well. Because the menu is only in French, we are taken through each offering by the server with a full description in English. The meal ends up being much more than the 3 courses we each order; there are multiple amuses, plus 2 extra desserts, plus petit fours. By the end (heck, by my main course) I am stuffed to the point where I cannot even contemplate a "wafer thin mint". I really tried to pace myself, but it's so hard not to try everything.

I did not take notes, but I did take photos of almost every course and plate. I also have a copy of the menu which I have scanned.
The Michelin guide describes the cuisine as "inventive" and it was! The table ware, most of it in blown glass bowls was fantastic too.

Here's what we had:
Amuse #1: Yam puree with steamed seabass, foie gras mousse with balsamic,
cold cauliflower soup. I generally do not like cauliflower, but I think this could make me change my mind. It was just so "fresh" with a hint of sweetness.
Amuse #2: smoked eel with apple gelee served on a spoon.
My first course; goat cheese souffle-"Souffle chaud sans cuisson Sainte-Maure et navet"
Mom's first course: Foie gras and dark chocolate and passion fruit. "Foie gras <<Choc>> Passion" This was amost more of a dessert with layers of chocolate ganache and foie gras. Completely decadent.
Amuse #3: Abalone with truffle foam
My main course; "spaghetti"-Looked like a baseball wrapped in string. The noodle was wrapped around a chicken breast and inside that were veal sweetbreads. On top was a slice of black truffle, and on the bottom, cepe mushrooms."Le Spaghetti au ris de veau, cepes et truffes" Incredible, rich and very filling.
Mom's main course; Duck with lemon verbena, with a turnip ravioli. "Homard, vapeur de verveine citronnelle, pulpe de navet et citron confit." Beautiful plate presentation with a smear of green sauce which looked like a banana leaf.
Friend's main course; smoked beef with potatoes. This was a facinating presentation-the beef was smoked on a plate wrapped in plastic only for the time it took to bring it from the kitchen to the table. The plate was then unwrapped tableside which let the fragrence and smoke out into the dining room. All heads turned when this was presented. "Filet de boeuf fume aux sarments, pommes de terre confites au jus a quintessence."
Other Friend's main course; Quail in a cone shape, with coriander. "Caille conique, saveur tajine". Looked like a little christmas tree.
Petit fours and the first dessert amuse: I don't remember much by this point. There was a little bowl had some sort of lime mousse or sorbet, and a little ball on a stick which had ice cream inside.
There was another "dessert" amuse, but this one was oddly savory and had basil and tomato in it.
My dessert; deconstructed citrus tart. "Tarte au citron destructuree"
Friend's desserts;
Chocolate, chocolate, chocolate
and a crunchy something with Campari, pineapple and eucalyptus. "Craquant givre Campari, Ananas a l'eucalyptus "
Mom's dessert; pear with white chocolate. "Poire belle Helene inversee"
After these desserts, they trotted out one more dessert; a full cart laden with all sorts of chocolates, tortes and macarons. I could not partake, but it certainly looked incredible.

For full copies of the menu and photos, course by course, go to my website:
http://www.wired2theworld.com/PARIS20...

Yeah, my fault. it never even occured to me about the carry on part of it. Probably because I did not think of it as a "liquid".
I did read those threads before I even made my original post, but I still wasn't sure. it was those threads which made me worry about not declaring it.
Even the US gov't website still says "maybe", so I don't think anything is 100% if you declare it.
Sigh. Hubbie was disappointed.

Follow up:
The TSA in Paris confiscated my can of Foie Gras before I could even get it back to the US!
They could not exactly tell me "why".
First, it had something to do with it being in a "can" and "cans" are not allowed. Really?? Because they are supposedly "dangerous" because they can be opened and the metal is sharp. My question; how can the can be opened (with what??) if they are doing their jobs?
Then it was a "liquid" (no, it's not).
Lastly, it was because it was 200 grams, with 100 grams being the max allowed for liquids. (Still, it's not a liquid).
Into the bin it went.
I had carry-on luggage only and it would have been too late at that point to check a bag anyway.
They guy at US passport control said I probably would not have been able to bring it in, but he was not a customs agent, so who knows?

Thanks for the replies. The can does not say if it is cooked or not, but it does NOT say "mi-cuit". Also, (and unfortunately) I just noticed it's not goose foie, but rather, duck. I picked up the wrong can! Oh well, I'm sure it will be good and if it gets confiscated, I guess I'll get over it.

Has anyone recently brought back foie gras from France and declared it to US customs? I'm in Paris and bought a can of foie gras de oie which I'd like to bring home. I want to declare it because with my luck, I'd be caught and fined (and it's a BIG fine). Plus, even if it's legal, and I don't declare it, they will confiscate it because I will have lied on the form.

The US Customs website is a little unclear on what it will and will not allow. It says,
"Fois Gras - If cooked and in a hermetically sealed container, maybe- see Matrix. Otherwise, no." I really can't tell what the 'matrix" is, as the link is to a page with a bunch of other links (http://www.aphis.usda.gov/import_expo...).

I'll be going through customs in DC, though that probably does not matter.

I have a day left here and I really wanted to bring the can home to hubby rather than make myself sick eating it here!

Souphie- do you know if it's possible to reserve Chez l'Ami Jean online? I can't find a website for them nor can I find definative open/close hours and days. Different websites have different information.

From what I've found, most of his ice cream recipes call for 1 cup cream, 2 cups milk, and 5 eggs. You can reduce the fat for sure, but the problem is that it sometimes results in a harder ice cream. The salted caramel never gets really hard- I think it has something to do with the added salt and the praline pieces.

It's a great website. He has a wonderful sense of humor and I enjoy his insight on life in Paris.
I've made the Salted Butter Caramel ice cream from the website 3 times now and I think that it is possibly the best ice cream flavor ever. It's sooooo good. I've also made his Peach Sorbet off the website and it's fantastic.

Karen-Lovely report. You were there alone, right? Nice of them to take such special care of a solo diner.
I had a similar experience there in 2005. The man himself came to our table and posed for photos with my husband, father in law and me. Then I was asked if I wanted to see the kitchen and got to meet his exec chef. I thought this was because my FIL told him I was a chef. I also saw no one else go back to the kitchen (which was immaculate btw) and got the signed menu. The meal was fabulous too.
Maybe we are just special? ;-)

Hi-Ostia Antica is about 30 min by local train from Rome. It's on the coast and it's the port city of Ancient Rome. The ruins are excellent. You can see more about it on my website.
No, no other markets to recommend other than the ones I listed. I think I liked Testacchio the best of the ones we saw.

mbfant-I'm sure there are plenty of places in the area. I don't know if she's "out of her mind" but she didn't have any recommendations. I wasn't trying to discourage people from eating in the area, just relaying my experience.
Oddly, Hostaria Nerone and Cavour 313 were the only places I had in my notes for that area. But at the time, but we weren't in the mood for a wine bar and Hostaria Nerone was just too much of a trek back in the opposite direction from where we'd exited the Forum.
Also, what's missing from my report here (but is on my website) is that we were soaked from touring 3 hours in the pouring rain and tired. We needed to go change our clothes before lunch.

CJT-I remember seeing the Amara Averna, but I don't remember what if we tried it. I will have to ask my husband if he does and can describe the difference.

BTW, I think it's really helpful when people post prices along with what they ate. At least I know it helps me decide if I want to eat there or not, so that's why I do it! Honestly, I was shocked at how expensive some of our meals were, relative to what and where we ate, but that's mostly the issue of the low value of the dollar to the euro. If those prices had been in dollars, rather than euro, I would have been much happier.

I spent this past Easter week in Rome with my husband and two friends. Before we left I did an huge amount of research here and on a couple of other message boards as I can be a bit OCD when it comes to all things food and travel.
I really want to thank everyone for all the sharing of information and advice. I can say we did not have one bad meal. There were couple which were maybe not "great value", but no where was the food bad.

We spent 8 nights in Rome and rented an apartment so most breakfasts we ate “at home” and a few lunches as well.
Below are all the places we went. I have a website where I put all my travelogues, so if you’d like to see pictures of the food and even more specific details, go to http://www.wired2theworld.com and look at “Rome 03/08”. Yes, I’m one of those people who take pictures in restaurants.

Day 1:

Lunch was from a local grocery store; four different kinds of cured meats, 4 different cheeses, mixed olives, marinated sardines and bread. With a bottle of Chianti, it's a fantastic first meal. After lunch we walk around, check out the Piazza Navona, Pantheon, various churches and Trevi Fountain.

Gelato: We find Frigidarium on the first day and fall in love with the warm and friendly owner and his gelato made right there on the premises. We went almost every day after that. I’m not even sorry to admit we didn’t try anywhere else-it was that good.
Frigidarium, Via del Governo Vecchio, 112, www.frigidarium-gelateria.com

Dinner: Trattoria Da Luigi
This place is in the Piazza Sforza Cesarini where our apartment was located. We're all a bit out of it from the jet lag so figure it's best to stick close to home. For antipasti, we have zucchini flowers stuffed with mozzarella and anchovies. They are dipped a batter similar to tempura and then deep fried. They're wonderful, and in my opinion the best of the trip. We also have an order of Abacchio a Scottadito (lamb chops), orecchette with broccoli and pancetta, penne with tomato/vodka sauce, 2 orders of eggplant parmesan and a side of spinach with lots of garlic. Everything is absolutely fine and tasty and with 2 beers and a bottle of house white wine, dinner for four is 80 euro http://www.trattoriadaluigi.com/gally.html

Day 2:

Visit to Campo di Fiori Market in the morning. The market in the campo is in full swing by the time we arrive. It's definitely geared toward tourists, but there's still some beautiful produce, a couple of vendors who sell spices (individual and mixed blends) in plastic bags, and even a few vendors selling kitchen small wares. We also checked out the Torre Argentina cat sanctuary and go on the “Scavi” tour underneath St. Peter’s in the afternoon.

Dinner at Armando al Pantheon
This restaurant is the only one for which I made reservations in advance (via email through their web site). I'm glad I did because they only have 12 tables and all are full when we arrive. For our Antipasti we order 2 artichokes alla Romana, bruschetta a la pomodoro, and scamorza (grilled, melted cheese). The artichokes are fantastic and how is it that something as simple as melted cheese can be so good?
For Primi we order two pastas to share; spaghetti alla verde (with arugula and cheese) and carbonara. Both are great but the "alla verde" gets rave reviews by all at the table. The Secondi are (veal) Scalopini alla Marsala, Abbaccio a Scottadito (lamb chops), and Guniea Hen with olives and mushrooms. The lamb chops are the best of the three. I ask about the Oxtail which is on the menu, but we're told it's only available on Thursdays and if we want to come back, we can "reserve" an order. We make a reservation for Thursday night then and there and reserve two orders of Coda alla Vaccinara.
Even though we are planning a return visit to Frigidarium, we order the semifreddo and the homemade "roman cake", a ricotta cake with strawberries. Both are very good. We still have gelato afterward.
My husband wants an Amaro and we order the waiter's recommendation called "Lucano". We end up with 5 glasses and my friend T is hooked. For those not familiar with Amaro, it is a typical after dinner drink made of herbs and used as a digestive. This starts a trend which will have us drinking Amari after every meal. Dinner for 4 with all of the above plus 2 moderate bottles of wine, a bottle of water, bread and coffee was 151.50 euro. Armando al Pantheon is open daily for Lunch and Dinner, closed Saturday night and all day Sunday. Located at Salita de Crescenzi, 31. http://www.armandoalpantheon.it/

Day 3:

Vatican Museum tour in the morning.
Lunch at “Dal Toscano al Girarrosto", near the Vatican Museum
The place is known for it's big hunks of roasted meats, and while we see plenty on other diner's plates, we order lighter fare. When we arrive, the place is about half empty, but quickly fills with a mix of mostly locals (businessmen, groups of friends, and even a few priests) and a small percentage of tourists. We order a bowl of Pasta e Fagioli (excellent) and a Carciofo alla Romana. We also get Picatta di Vitello al Limone (Veal Picatta) and a pasta, Mezzemaniche alla Melanzane e Ricotta. The pasta is very al dente and also includes olives and a tomato sauce. It's very good, but I wish for more eggplant. Lunch for two with a bottle of beer, a bottle of water and the bread/cover and additional "service" was 46 euro. http://www.ristorantedaltoscano.it/

Dinner at Ristorante Pancrazio
Tonight's dinner is at Ristorante Pancrazio where we'd visited the day before to look at the ruins of the Theater of Pompey in their basement. We ate here because my friend J was so taken by the ruins of the ancient theater that she really wanted to eat there. No matter that the reviews I’d read had been less than stellar. When we arrive, the restaurant is practically empty and we are seated on the main floor near a cool caged in "cave" with dusty old bottles of wine. Apparently, they only seat guests in the downstairs area when very busy (something they'd told me when I made the reservation).
For antipasti, we order an Octopus Salad with Pesto and Potatoes, Steamed Clams, and Stewed Fava Beans with Peas and Artichokes. I very much like the octopus as it's perfectly cooked, and both the clams and the fava beans are quite tasty.
For our primi, we order two pastas; Amatriciana Buccatini and Ravioli with artichokes. The waiter brings the pastas to the table and splits each onto 4 plates for us. Both pastas are fine, but the process of splitting them allows them to get cool by the time they reach the table.
For our main courses we have an order of Ossobucco, beef Tournedos w/Madiera and Fois Gras, and and some sort of Veal dish with melted cheese. We also get an order of mixed vegetables which comes to the table fried (suggestion of the waiter). Even though we all know he said "fried" we all envisioned something different. The ossobucco is good, the foie gras on the beef is a tiny quarter sized nugget and the veal is unmemorable. The fried vegetables are good, but we all wanted something a little more "healthy" so they go unfinished. We did not have dessert (way too much food!) but did have a few glasses of Amaro. Dinner for four including 2 cocktails, a beer and a bottle of Sicilian Nero d’Avola was 181.50 euros.

Day 4:Day trip to Orvieto

We make many Autogrill stops (we were driving) for snacks and bathrooms.
An aside: I love Italian AutoGrills. What is an Autogrill? Think big truck stop, but instead of fast food, you've got at least a bar where you can order good coffee and grilled sandwiches (Panini). Some are even bigger with full scale cafeterias inside with decent affordable food. The mini-markets in them have a better cheese and meat selection than your local Whole Foods (only a slight exaggeration). The restrooms are clean and some have showers. I believe if we had these on our highways in the US, we'd have less road rage.

Lunch at Trattoria Dell Orso in Orvieto
We are determined to make this a lighter lunch than normal. We order faro with vegetables (a type of thick barley soup), 2 orders of fresh fettuccine with mushrooms and truffles and 1 order of Beef Filet with a balsamic sauce. We get a half carafe of house red and a half carafe of house white and a bottle of water. The faro is very good, but the pasta is spectacular. It's so good my husband and J order a third plate of it to share. After lunch we order a couple coffees, a lemoncello and an Amaro Montenegro. Both the drinks end up "on the house". We spend a good deal of time talking to Ciro who runs the front of house and his partner Gabriele who is the chef. Both are incredibly friendly and gracious. Lunch for four was 80 euro. Antica Trattoria dell Orso-Via della Misericordia 18-20, Tel: 07 63 341642, closed Mondays and Tuesdays.

Dinner at Enoteca il Goccetto
Enoteca il Goccetto is a tiny place with a nice wine by the glass list on a chalkboard behind the counter. I think we had almost everything on it. They also have some light snacks; meats, cheeses, marinated vegetables, etc. There are maybe 10 small tables and the walls are lined floor to ceiling with bottles of wine.
We each start with a different glass of wine (for specific details, see my website).
When we say we want to get some food to go with the guy behind the counter suggests he make us up a meat and cheese platter. What we get is a big wooden platter covered in prosciutto, salami, mortadella, spicy salami, gorgonzola, brie, truffled goat cheese and peccorino. We also order some peppers stuffed with anchovies and some marinated vegetables. All together, wine (8 glasses) and food for 4 was 81.50 euro. Enoteca il Goccetto (Via dei Bianchi Vecchi, 14, Tel:06 6864268

Day 5:

Borghese Gallery in the morning. After there we walk to the Spanish Steps where it begins to hail!
Lunch at Enoteca Buccone
Enoteca Buccone is another small wine bar, about 3 blocks from the Piazza del Popolo. The entire place is lined floor to ceiling with shelves of wine, olive oil and vinegars. There is a tiny room in the back with a few tables and a smaller area in the front room with only four tables, where we sit, surrounded by the wine.
We each order a glass of wine, and breaking our rule of "everyone must order something different", we order two tortellini and two “Buccone” salads (mixed lettuce with prosciutto, buffalo mozz, olives, tomatoes, etc). The salad is just perfect after days of eating heavier foods. We also get a slice of egg "torta" with artichokes and a plate of mixed grilled vegetables which are lovely. After lunch, we ask for some Amaro Lucano and the waiter asks us if he can recommend another. It is Amaro “Nonino” and we like it so much each couple buys a bottle to take back to the US. The wine, food, 3 coffee, 2 glasses of amaro and a lemoncello are 88 euro for four. The bottles of Amaro Nonino are 16 euro each. Enoteca Buccone, Via di Ripetta, 19-20, Tel: 06 3612154, Lunch every day except Sunday. http://www.enotecabuccone.com/Sito_Buccone_eng/homeeng.htm

Dinner #2 at Armando al Pantheon
We have reservations at Armando al Pantheon so we can try the oxtail which is only made on Thursdays. My friend wants to try an antipasti made with Smoked Herring, red beans, olives, red onion and a balsamic vinaigrette. It sounds odd but was really, really good and the fish was not as strong as herring sometimes can be. We also have an order of Stracciatelle (egg drop soup) which has great flavor. We have another order of the excellent spagatini alla verde and an order of gnocci alla gorgonzola (which was a little heavy).
For our main courses we get two orders of Oxtail; it's tender, meaty, and so delicious, very much like Osso Bucco. We also get duck with prunes, grilled beef strips with arugula on top, two orders of artichokes alla romana (excellent!) and I finally get to try “puntarelle” (a vegetable I’d been seeing in the markets), which comes like a salad with an anchovy dressing. It's slightly bitter and with the fishy/salty dressing, I love it. Dinner for 4 is 146.50 euros including coffee, amaro and a bottle and a half of wine.

Day 6:

Day trip to Ostia Antica
We start by going to Testacchio Market and the famous salumeria Volpetti.
I have to say, I love markets. I love the beautiful array of produce, the gleaming fish, the wet floors, the smell of meat and flowers. This is a real local’s market where people come to do their daily shopping. It's not really for tourists except for food geeks (like me). We see no other non-locals but a small film crew shooting what looks to be a food TV show. The market is located in the Piazza Testaccio. We wander about for ½ an hour looking at produce and fish, cheese and salami, and stop in a small stall selling magnets, buttons and comic books. Friends buy things, I am content with taking pictures.

Volpetti
From the market we walk over to Volpetti (Via Marmorata 47, Open mon-Sat, closed Sundays). This is a very small place packed with more delicacies than it's possible to take in at one time. I am overwhelmed with choice. There's no shortage of offers to taste just about anything. They have a case with only goat cheese in it. One of the guys behind the counter offers to make us sandwiches which is exactly what we wanted for our trip out to Ostia Antica. At first he offers sandwiches of buffalo mozzarella and prosciutto on piazza bianca. This sounds great, but I ask if we can have each sandwich with a different meat and he agrees. We end up with the prosciutto and mozzarella, one bresaola, one mortadella, and one with spicy salami. He cuts them into four pieces and and places it on a big paper platter wrapping it all up for us. We also get some marinated eggplant and marinated sardines. Our lunch to go is 17 euros. http://www.volpetti.com/

Ostia Antica is an amazing site and we’d planned to picnic outside. When we arrived the weather turned bitter cold and very windy. About half way through the site we reach the cafeteria and see if we can eat inside out of the cold. It’s crowded but we find a table and it’s nice and warm inside. We purchase enough water, soda, coffee, wine and dessert to justify taking the table for our picnic. Our Volpetti lunch is wonderful .The cafeteria food looks pretty good too however so eating there is also an option.

Dinner at Pizzeria Baffetto
Around early dinner time some of us are hungry but we're not all in the mood for the huge feasts we've been having. Five days of nonstop eating and drinking are beginning to take their toll. So, since we are right there, it's starting to rain, and there's not much of a line, we choose to have dinner at the famous Pizzeria Baffetto. Every time we'd been by there in evenings past, there's always been a huge line. But I was skeptical, because I'd read mixed reviews.
We get lucky, and are ushered in very quickly to a table for four right next to the action, where the pizzas are being made. We sat for 45 minutes before our pizzas came and we must have watched them make 40-50 pizzas within that time.It was really fun to watch the guys making the pizza. One would roll out the dough (no flipping and spinning in the air here) and the other would put on the toppings and put them in the oven. These guys were serious and would do 5 or 6 at a time.
As I said, we weren't that hungry, so we ordered 2 pizzas, one regular, one large, and a small vegetable salad. We also ordered 3 beers and a bottle of water. The waiter seemed visibly disappointed with our "meager" order. For the pizzas, we ordered the "Baffetto" with everything (tomato, mozzarella, mushrooms, sausage, green peppers, onions, artichokes and an egg in the middle) and the "Vegitariana" with eggplant and zucchini flowers. While waiting, we spot the man himself, Sr. Baffetto. He's an elderly man with large glasses, working the room, talking to everyone, helping seat the tables. We know it's him from the charcoal portrait of him on the wall.
The pizzas arrive and are good, with an exceptionally thin crust. My personal preference is for a thicker crust pizza, but these were just fine. We had a couple more beers and two orders of "tiramisu" which came in small glass bowls. It's not very good. My recommendation would be to skip the dessert here and go across the street to Frigidarium for Gelato.
When the server dropped the check, he made sure to tell us no fewer than three times, in as many languages, that "service is not included". As we go to leave, Sr Baffetto is there and has to give each of us girls a big hug and a kiss. I swear if I hadn't turned my head, the man would have kissed me on the lips! In all, the pizza is decent and it was a fun experience sitting where we did watching it made. If we'd had to sit in another room, I don't know how I'd feel. I don't think it's worth a trip across town, but not a bad choice if you're in the area. Dinner for 4 was 46 euro (plus tip). Via del Governo Vecchio, 114.

Day 7
Private tour of the Colosseum and Forum in the morning during a downpour. Even our guide tells us pickings are slim for places to eat lunch near there and she recommends we go back closer to where we are staying.

Lunch at Boccon Divino
We decide to go to a little trattoria around the corner from the apartment. We'd passed by it yesterday, on a little street between our piazza and the grocery store called Via del Pavone. The street is so small, it's not even on my most detailed map. We'd seen a sign saying "Osteria Romana" and it seemed a little touristy, but it looked ok once we'd walked down to check it out. We get there around 1PM and it's empty save for one other large family. The proprietress gives us the menus and they are handwritten, in Italian only. Maybe not so touristy after all, I think.
We get an order of insalata de calamari which turns out to be a simple calamari salad with arugula, our favorite green of the trip. The calamari is perfectly cooked. The owner also brings us a bread basket and an odd amuse bouche of little plates with peas, beans and some sort of unidentifiable root puree. We each order a pasta; ravioli with ricotta and spinach (2), Tonnarelli with shrimp in a saffron sauce, and Trofe e cicoria e guanciale (chicory and bacon) for me. My pasta is so good I really do not want to share. We have a 1/2 liter of red and 1/2 liter of white wine and a bottle of water. Lunch for four is 46.5 euros. Boccon Divino, Via del Pavone 28-30, Tel:0668135051

Dinner at Osteria ar Galletto
Tonight's dinner is at Osteria ar Galletto on the Piazza Farnese, directly across from the French Embassy. We are eating here for sentimental reasons; we came here on our honeymoon almost 13 years ago and my husband wants to eat here again.
We are seated in the second, smaller dining room. For antipasti, we get an Antipasto Romanesco (a plate of mixed, marinated vegetables) and four Fiore Fritto (fried, stuffed zucchini flowers). The vegetables are tasty, and they bring a plate of cured black olives along with them. The zucchini flowers are not as good as the ones we had on the first night; these are much heavier. We order two pastas to share, Fettuccine con Fungi Porcini and Rigatoni con Pajata. When I order the dish, the waiter looks at me like "really?" and in Italian, asks if I am sure while touching his stomach. I say yes. He seems surprised.
A note about "pajata": Rome is known for it's "fifth quarter" food, whatever was left after the butchers took the prime cuts to sell, the poor would cook up. Of course, some of the best dishes evolved this way, oxtail, osso bucco, sweetbreads, tripe, etc. I'd read about pajata before we came and knew I wanted to try it.
Warning; this is not for the squeamish, but it is really tasty. Rigatoni con Pajata is short tubes of pasta cooked in a tomato sauce with (traditionally veal, but tonight lamb) tripe. The intestines are cut in short sections to mimic the shape of the pasta. In addition, the lamb (or veal) has suckled, and the milk is left in the intestines to cook into a sort of "cheese". Ok, I can feel you cringing now, but let me tell you, it was really, really good. I'd meant to try this dish at the famous Testaccio restaurant, Checchino dal 1887, but we never made it there. So tonight was my last chance. J (my fearless friend when it comes to all things food) and I ate most of it, but both my husband and T were brave and tasted it too. Everyone agreed it was good.
For our main course, we order Abbacchio al Forno (roast veal), Eggplant Parmesan, Straccetti con Ruchetta (beef strips with arugula), and Abbacchio Scottadito (lamb chops). This is not a "foodie" restaurant, but everything is very good. The lamb chops are much meatier than others we'd had. The beef with arugula is good. The sentimental value for dining here is high (for us). And of course, I am thrilled to have had the chance to try the pajata. Dinner with all of the above, 1 bottle of wine (Tre Vigne Gattinara, 1999- 35 euro), plus water, 3 coffees, and 3 amaro is 154 euro. Osteria ar Galletto, Vicolo del Gallo, 1, Piazza Farnese. Tel:06 686 0714 Closed Sundays.

Day 8-
Easter Sunday-A long walk around town including the Turtle fountain, Mouth of Truth, and Trastevere
Late lunch at Enoteca Trastevere
It's the middle of the afternoon, and we are the only people inside, but they welcome us in. The wine list is filled with lots of interesting choices by the glass, with a lengthy description of each wine (in Italian). We all order something different and get a typical assorted meat and cheese platter to share (10 euro).
Later, when my husband wants to order an Amaro, the guy behind the counter lets him try a couple of different ones. There's a large outdoor deck with umbrellas and I'll bet this place is hopping on warm summer nights. The tab, with another glass of Pinot Grigio and a couple Amari is 36 euro.

Dinner at Trattoria Polese
Piazza Sforza Cesarini, 40
For dinner, we decide easy is best and go downstairs in our building to Trattoria Polese. For the wine, we get a bottle of Sicilian Nero d'Avola Rapitala. I really appreciate it when the waiter brings better wine glasses than what is already set on the table.
For our antipasti we order a mixed vegetable plate and a fried artichoke since we have not tried one yet this trip. It's good, but I think we all prefer the "Romana" version better. I order a pappardelle al ragu di cinghiale (wild boar) and the rest order pizzas. My pasta is excellent. The pizzas are large and we could have made due with only two. One had smoked mozzarella and arugula, and while it was good, the smoked mozzarella was overwhelming for the whole pizza. All of the above, with a 1/2 bottle house white, a beer and bread was around 100 euro. http://www.trattoriapolese.it/index.html

Well, that’s it! There are plenty of other places we would have like to have tried, but it will just have to wait for the next time.

Hazel-Yes, that's me! :-)
And don't worry, I wan't offended at all. Your suggestion was sound, and I'd thought of the same, only too late!

I just spent 8 days in Rome over the Easter holiday with my husband and some friends. I'm a (former) professional chef, so I love to check out markets when I travel.
Campo di Fiori is pretty, but also touristy. Still, it's worth a look.
I really enjoyed Testaccio market which is much more of a local's market. From there, we walked to Volpetti, fine purveyor of all things cheese and cured meat.
I haven't done a dining report here yet, but if you want to see my travelogue, including photos of all the makets and meals, you can check out my website:
http://www.wired2theworld.com
Go to "Rome 03/08". Photos of the Testaccio market and Volpetti are on Day 6. Campo di Fiori is on Day 2.

Great report! I'm trying to find that place "Mondi", but even with the address it's not showing up inside central Rome when I put it into Google Maps. Or maybe it is outside the center? Can you give me a better idea as to where it's located? The chocolate-orange gelato sounds fab!
Thanks!

Hi- I was just in SR for 4 days. I wish I had a fantasic place to recommend, but I found the food there to be fairly average.
I stayed at the Victoria Angkor hotel menioned in the post above. They have a nice high end French restaurant (with foie gras on the menu!) but I did not eat there.
One place I read about over and over before we left was the Khmer Kitchen. We ate there, and while the food was certainly cheap, it was nothing special. In fact, the fried spring rolls were practically inedible.
We had decent pizza at a place called the Paper Tiger (actual name in French)-they have a wood burning pizza oven.