Eataly (Rome)

I've heard about Eataly for a while, but had no idea exactly what is was. I knew it comes from Torino, and that there was a branch in NYC. So since I was in the neighborhood and had heard that it just opened, my husband and I decided to make a stop to check out what the buzz was about. It was fairly early (10.30) when we went in, but around lunch time when we came out! What can I say....Eataly can be best described as a luxury food emporium. It is exactly what Rome needed, a place where you can not only buy, but eat, good, organic food. There are themed restaurants, fish, pizza, meat, pasta, sandwiches, piadine, desserts, ice cream, you name it. There is a wonderful wine section, where you can find so many different wines from all over Italy. There is a library dedicated to food and every food and wine book you can imagine. The cheese, oh the cheese, lovely cheese from all over, not only Italy. On this trip we managed to get some wine, cheese, prosciutto, bread, pasta, bottled organic tomato sauce, and yogurt, all very good. No, it is not cheap, but organic and high quality food usually isn't. They have wine courses, cooking courses, and dinners with famous chefs, which can be bought online at www.roma.eataly.it. Not to be missed, especially for a quick bite or an after work aperitivo! 

Hummingbird Bakery (London)

I know that the cupcake craze is getting a little old in most parts of the world, but unfortunately it is really hard to find a decent cupcake in Rome. So, yes I did indulge by getting myself a cupcake sampler from Hummingbird bakery when I was in London. My sampler included some flavors that I have not tried before like tiramisu, carrot cake, and panettone. I have to say that although they were interesting, I do prefer the traditional red velvet cupcake, and vanilla sponge chocolate frosting combo the best. Hummingbird bakery can be found on Portabello Road (original store), South Kensington, Soho, and Spitalfields.

Breakfast at the Wolsley (London)

above:  smoked salmon eggs benedict and  blueberry french toast

Breakfast at the Wolsley is something I like to do when I am in London. For one thing, we don't have breakfast places like this in Rome, and secondly, I love me a good breakfast!

On a recent trip to London, I decided to reserve a table online at the Wolsley. They were all booked up so I emailed instead, and was surprised when they got back to me with an availability. I had tea and salmon eggs benedict, which comes as a small or large. I greedily ordered the large but with the tons of smoked salmon that was on it, I could have easily had the small and enjoyed something else as a side. A friend had the french toast that looked and smelled amazing. Definitely a good dining option when in London.

Primo Sale

We decided to try out Primo Sale (Trionfale area) last Friday night since we had passed by a few times and it seemed like a quiet place where we could take a sleeping toddler. The restaurant is not the type of place that invites you in from the outside, but once inside, I think it is quite cozy. The food was simple yet good. We had two pastas, the amatriciana and the cacio e pepe, and two secondi: steak and seared tuna. I also had some veggies on the side that were really nice. Everything was perfectly cooked.
We skipped dessert, but had a nice red wine with dinner that we enjoyed. Don't remember what we paid, but it was good, or as they say in Rome, honest.
Nice, friendly neighborhood restaurant, one to keep in mind for a quiet evening.

Al Ceppo (Parioli)

I recently went to Al Ceppo with family that was passing by Rome. We decided on this place since the last time I had been was too long ago and I heard good things about it. I love the atmosphere, which is cozy and intimate. They are famous for their meat, and as a matter of fact have an open roasting area for the meat.  I went with the farro soup to start and lamb chops for my main course. I have to say the soup was really good and so were the lamb chops, but I was very disappointed that most of the chops were bone and fat, as is usually the case, but I guess I was hoping for a little more. I did have dessert, berries with homemade zabaglione, and loved it. I would definitely go back sometime, but the check of €200 euros is not cheap, considering we did not have wine. The rest of our group of 4 had polpette di melanzane, one had a fish pasta , and two had a fish baked in salt crust to share. One other person joined me for dessert and had the pistachio ice cream. She absolutely loved it, and she is picky!  

Pasticceria Siciliana Svizzera

Just off via Gregorio VII, in a small piazza  which looks more like a parking lot,  you can find this pastry shop. The pasticceria Siciliana Svizzera  has the most amazing Sicilian desserts. You can find the traditional Sicilian goodies such as cannoli and cassata, but we usually go for the sette veli (seven layers). The sette veli is a beautiful cake filled with layers of chocolate wafer, chocolate mousse, pistacchio mousse, chocolate sponge, finished with a dark chocolate exterior, and topped with caramelized pistacchios. This cake also comes in the hazelnut version which I have never tried but assume that it has hazelnut mousse filling instead of the pistacchio. Oddly enough the last time I had this cake, it tasted better the next day, since the flavors were more intense.

No idea

This is my blog, and every now and again I will express my opinions, anger, disgust at things. So those of you who come here for reviews of restaurants, hotels, etc. may want to skip this.

I find the news depressing. I have had enough of reading about how many people are being killed all over the world. I am mostly sick over the killing of innocent people in Syria. Children, women, whole families exterminated, and the world just sits back and tries to sort things out "diplomatically". How can anything be sorted with a murderer, who kills his own people in the most horrible manner. News like this has always bothered me. They stay in my head, and they haunt me. Am I sensitive? How come people around me don't talk about it, are they ignorant, do they not read what is going on? It baffles me.
The killing of children is what I have the hardest time digesting. We are not talking about bombing, we are talking about on the ground murderers, going into houses and killing one by one. I don't know what it will take to make the world wake up and demand that this is stopped. Countries like China and Russia keep blocking resolutions, they threaten to veto whatever the UN tries to pass. It's sad. I'm sad. The state of the world is sickening.
My heart is with all the brave men, women, and children of Syria who are paying with their lives. Hoping that the world will come to their aid before it's too late. For many it already is.