La Taverna dei Fori Imperiali
Where? La Taverna dei Fori Imperiali (Monti, Rome, Italy) Map Menu
When? Wednesday June 17, 2026
Who With? Me
Food Style? Italian
They were fully booked when I came here a few days ago, and when I tried to make a reservation online, the website service they were using tried to charge me CAD$5.50 for the privilege of booking, so I literally just walked back to the restaurant and did it in person. Today, I’ve been seated outside where I can watch people walking by, but there’s also the smell of the street and cars, which is mildly unpleasant after the downpour a few hours ago. As I'm sitting, many people have turned up off the street and tried unsuccessfully to obtain a table without reservation, so I feel like I’ve done well for myself.
Appetiser
Bis di Crostini: Crostini combo - chicken liver pâté, parmigiano cheese + lard, seasonal vegetables, pecorino cheese
I love chicken liver pâté, so I went for the crostini. There’s also a vegetable one, which is healthy if I forget there’s lard. The pâté is heaped generously on the toasted bread, and it is wonderfully rich and tasty. The vegetable one has a lot of cheese and what looks to be fat from a slice of prosciutto, so it also tastes excellent. Any spillage of oil, pâté or sauce has been duly mopped up, and my plate is spotless.
Mains
Filetto di Pescato del Giorno: Catch of the day with potato crust and sun dried tomatoes
The catch of the day is sea bass, also known in Italy as branzino, a delicate, white fish with a sweet flavour and flaky texture. This, however, is not what I was expecting. I mean, you can't even see the fish. If anything, it should be served on top of the potatoes with the tomatoes and olives on top of that, or to the side. It’s very hot, but it is tasty and the tomato sauce helps to accentuate the natural sweetness, while the olives provide the salinity. I do wonder if it’s perhaps a bit dry because of the high heat continuing to cook it while I’m eating. It's fine but just a bit basic.
Dessert
Crema Fredda di Zabaione: Cold zabaione custard (egg yolks, sugar and Marsala wine), warm dark chocolate sauce
I am a sucker for custard and I've never tried this Italian take on it, so I'm looking forward to giving it a go. Oh man it’s good. The sugar crystals and Marsala wine are prominent, while the chocolate gives it that hint of richness and bitterness. The biscotti provide a textural element to enjoy the custard. I love the way the pieces just sink slowly after being placed on the surface. Though the portion seems small, it’s very rich and filling, and despite my talents, I dare not try to lick the martini glass clean.
That was a good meal, even though the fish was a little bit disappointing. The zabaione alone was worth the reservation process. Although the receipt says tips are appreciated, I will be happily not tipping and trying to quash this dumb North American custom.
Posted by Jeremy at 1:41am on Wednesday July 8, 2026 :: 0 comments :: 
La Mucca Biricchina
Where? La Mucca Biricchina (Monti, Rome, Italy) Map Menu
When? Monday June 15, 2026
Who With? Me
Food Style? Italian
My first choice of restaurant was full, so I needed to come up with an alternative. I'm reassured by some wise words from my Italian pastor: “you won’t find bad food in Rome”. Down the street from my original choice is this osteria, near Cavour station, and it’s mostly empty, which may be a bad sign. The walls are decorated with beautiful murals depicting Italian life and famous Roman landmarks. I was interested in their seafood pasta, but upon opening the sticky menu, there's a footnote saying that the seafood is in fact frozen, and my heart drops. At least they’re honest? I choose an appetiser and a mains, neither of them being marked as frozen. If I finish early, I’m going to grab some gelato from Gelateria Dell'Angeletto down the street.
The table near me ordered a starter of prosciutto and melon, and that is literally what has been served in front of them. Slices of melon and prosciutto draped over them, with no thought given to presentation or garnish.
Drink
My drink of choice is a local soda with juice and pulp from Sicilian lemons. It’s refreshing and fizzy, very reminiscent of a Lift, which I miss dearly.
Appetiser
Cozze alla Marinara: Mussels marinara
I really hope I don’t get food poisoning from this but it’s usually easy to tell if mussels are off. It smells nice, fragrant with tomato, parsley and garlic. I dig in - it's good. However, the bread is burnt, but thankfully it's not a big issue because of the free basket of bread that everyone gets with their meal. I’m doing my utmost best to prevent a mess but one, a shell drops on the floor after my shell plate overflows, and two, as I’m opening one of the mussels, it snaps and splashes the tomato broth all over me. Fortunately I'm not wearing white, and I'm also wearing a quick-dry tank top, so no major damage. I’ll clean this up later.
Mains
Lasagna
It doesn’t look like a regular lasagna? But it smells very cheesy and appetising. After a few mouthfuls I can tell this is going to be a stretch to finish, but it’s pretty decent. I’m glad it’s not seasoned any more than this, the saltiness of the cheese provides enough flavour as it is.
Overall, pretty solid. Not particularly interesting or outstanding, but something enjoyable enough for the night. They don’t accept credit card, but I luckily have some cash on hand to pay.
Posted by Jeremy at 12:08am on Wednesday July 8, 2026 :: 0 comments ::