Osteria Fratelli Mori
Where? Osteria Fratelli Mori (Ostiense, Rome, Italy) Map Menu
When? Sunday June 14, 2026
Who With? Me
Food Style? Italian
I’m so tired today, Apple Health says I’ve hit 26k steps, so I’ve chosen a dinner restaurant close to the metro so I don’t have to walk too much. Around the corner from the Pyramide station on Line B is this osteria, “Moors Brothers”. There’s a few tables outside but I’m led into the large dining area at the back. It’s got a rustic but welcoming feel to it, especially because of the wooden and brick floor and furniture, and there are many families dining on this Sunday night. In true osteria style, several bottles of wine line the cabinets around the restaurant, but I don’t feel like drinking tonight.
Mains
Saltimbocca alla Romana: Slices of veal with ham cooked in butter and sage, with sautéed chicory
I like the meatiness of the veal. It’s very thin and perhaps a bit chewy, but very tasty and fragrant because of the layer of ham and scatterings of sage leaves. Eating it with the chicory balances it out nicely and there’s a bitter finish that cleanses the palate with each bite. I feel like this is a good break from the carb heavy meals I’ve been having lately, though it is a bit on the oily side.
I’m still hungry, which is a good sign that I haven’t over ordered, and I’ve got my eye on the dessert trio, which provides 50% more dessert than normal.
Dessert
The Top Three of Fratelli Mori: 1/2 Tiramisu, 1/2 Yogurt Mousse with berries, vanilla and cookie crumble, 1/2 Ambrogio's Ricotta with candied orange and caramelised pistachio
I have instructions to each the yogurt on the left first, then the ricotta on the right, then the tiramisu in the middle. The yogurt is simple but has a lovely texture from the crumble. The berries are perfectly sweet and tart and give this a nice summer vibe. It’s light and refreshing. The ricotta is heavier, I really like the bitterness of the citrus rind, it balances the sweet elements. Finally, the heaviest of the three, the tiramisu has a classic flavour with a strong alcohol and coffee essence that I’m really enjoying. All three have really hit the spot and they’ve been sized perfectly to fill my dessert stomach.
One thing I love about Italian restaurants - they don’t rush you. You have to catch the attention of the wait staff to get the bill, or you can just go up and pay at your own pace, leaving you to just take your time and sit and absorb the ambience of the restaurant. This is somewhat at odds with my introversion, but it’s nice being able to just relax and enjoy my time in the Eternal City.
Posted by Jeremy at 9:18pm on Tuesday July 7, 2026 :: 0 comments :: 
Osteria Macondo
Where? Osteria Macondo (Castro Pretorio, Rome, Italy) Map Menu
When? Sunday June 14, 2026
Who With? Me
Food Style? Italian
This is right round the corner from my accommodation and I’m here for a quick and convenient lunch. I’m not expecting anything mind blowing or authentic given my proximity to Roma Termini, the main transit hub for the city. The restaurant is relatively empty when I sit down but within minutes, the inside fills up for the lunch rush. I’m dying for some salad after just having carbs for the last couple of days.
Mains
Pasta alla carbonara: Egg, guanciale, Pecorino Romano, black pepper
Everything arrives at once. The carbonara tastes kind of bland to begin with but after scooping some of the crispy pork bits which are very salty, it comes together. The spaghetti is definitely on the tougher side, but it’s still edible. I swipe a box of olive oil and vinegar from the supplies and use that to dress the salad. Yeah, it’s fine. Nothing particularly special.
Posted by Jeremy at 8:59pm on Tuesday July 7, 2026 :: 0 comments ::
Osteria La Sol Fa
Where? Osteria La Sol Fa (Esquilino, Rome, Italy) Map Menu
When? Saturday June 13, 2026
Who With? Me
Food Style? Italian
One of the things I love about writing a food blog is that I'm forced to learn things about different cultures. Did you know there's a difference between a ristorante, an osteria, a taverna and an enoteca? While a ristorante is a simply a restaurant in every sense of the word in English, an osteria is a local wine bar where customers would bring their own food to enjoy with the establishment's wine. These days, almost every osteria will have a simple menu that caters to the local crowd, fostering an environment for the neighbourhood to drink wine and eat food in a communal setting.
The one I am dining at today is named after three notes in the solfège musical scale, la, sol and fa, and is located a few minutes away from San Giovanni metro station, a bit away from the hustle and bustle of the Palatine Hill. I have just over an hour to dine before the table is required, but that shouldn’t be a problem. I’m sitting in the corner right by the kitchen and the smell of the food is heavenly.
Drink
I’ve started with the Chinotto. I have no idea how to pronounce everything but I try my best and the waiter corrects me at every step. “Ch” is a hard “K” sound. This soft drink is made from bitter citrus, and begins with a sweet, syrupy taste almost like port, but ends with a bitter yet somewhat pleasant aftertaste.
Mains
Matriciana: tomato sauce, bacon, onion, salt, chili pepper, pecorino cheese
For pasta, I’ve chosen the Tagliatelle Matriciana, which has a huge spiel on their website about whether it should be called Matriciana or Amatriciana. What it boils down to is a single ingredient: onion. An amatriciana does not have onion. The tagliatelle is cooked perfectly, having a springiness to each bite that you just don’t get with boxed pasta. I find this quite aggressively seasoned, with salt from both the bacon and pecorino making this full of flavour. It’s even more delicious with the bread, so I’ll make sure there’s absolutely no sauce left on the plate when I’m done.
Dessert
Tiramisol: house tiramisu with hazelnut cream
Of course, I have to end the meal with a tiramisu. The house special adds hazelnut cream to the classic recipe. It’s served in a hipster-like jar which doesn’t give it the opportunity to display all its layers, but I dig in anyway. Oh yeah, it’s good. It still has that coffee flavour but the hazelnut adds a nice nuttiness that takes the edge off the bitterness. The grated hazelnut also adds a nice crunchy texture. Despite its small size, it is quite rich, so I’m well satiated for this meal.
Posted by Jeremy at 8:50pm on Tuesday July 7, 2026 :: 0 comments ::
Bonci Pizzarium
Where? Bonci Pizzarium (Trionfale, Rome, Italy) Map Menu
When? Saturday June 13, 2026
Who With? Me
Food Style? Roman Pizza
One of my friends in Toronto recommended this place to me, prefacing it with, "if I could set up three teleportation zones anywhere in the world, this would be one of them". I have no idea what to expect, but I have to admit, expectations are higher as a result. What I was greeted with after exiting the metro at Cipro was a horde of people at a take-out pizzeria bearing the name of well-known Italian chef Gabriele Bonci, who was recently featured in a Netflix series called Chef’s Table. Bonci's recognition goes so far that he has been called the "Michelangelo of Pizza"; the secret to how he stands above other pizza makers is in the dough, which contains his own blend of grains, as well as olive oil.
There seems to be a system but I don’t know what it is so I boldly go up to the counter and ask. You’re supposed to take a ticket from outside and when your number is called, you choose which pizza you want and pay afterwards. Pizza is cut with scissors in typical Roman style - pizza al taglio - then weighed, with each pizza being priced per kilogram. 
There’s a variety to choose from, and new ones regularly pop out from the kitchen to the left of the display cabinets. Each slice is overloaded with colourful toppings like salami, prosciutto, courgettes, arugula, eggplant and buffalo mozzarella.
Pizza
For me, I’ve chosen one with prosciutto and honeydew, and one with yellow courgette. It comes to a whopping €25 for what I’ve ordered, which is over $40CAD. They’re placed in the oven to crisp up and served hot. I’m pretty impressed by the flavours, especially the sweet notes of the honeydew coming through. The bread is indeed quite special, it’s got that delicious crispiness and a solid flavour. I wouldn’t call this well worth it for that price, but I’ve had a good time and I really need to walk off all this food.
Posted by Jeremy at 6:31pm on Tuesday July 7, 2026 :: 0 comments ::
Masia Tibidabo
Where? Masia Tibidabo (Tibidabo, Barcelona, Spain) Map Menu
When? Thursday June 11, 2026
Who With? Owen
Food Style? Catalan
I’m back in Barcelona for a few days en route to Rome, and I’ve already stuffed my face with some excellent tapas from the Clot area. Today though, my mate Owen has taken the day off and we’re going to Tibidabo to try a new restaurant that literally just opened last week.
Tibidabo is up in the mountains west of Barcelona, and in addition to a large church and amusement park, it boasts an incredible view of the city and the Mediterranean Sea. The restaurant is situated right next to the funicular that takes you to and from the city, in what used to be a hotel. Outdoor dining is limited to some tapas-style dishes, but for the authentic Catalan experience, you must dine indoors, and currently only lunch is available. The interior is modern and elegant, with classical music being played as a montage of the Tibidabo church murals appear on a projection. As we’re seated, the main chef, Rafa Zafra, greets us, and it’s only because I recently looked at the website that I recognise him.
The menu is very typical of Catalonian cuisine, highlighting the extensive seafood options as well as the meats from the land - mar i muntanya (sea and mountain). Of course I also spot many classics, like pa amb tomaquet (Catalan tomato bread) and albondigas (meatballs). The waitress has a few recommendations for us, and we’re happy to follow her advice. The various sections of the menu are named after the attractions in the amusement park outside: Crazy Teacups, Roller Coaster, Aeroplane, Pirate Boat, Drop Tower, Carousel, Cuca de Llum (the Tidibado funicular) and Bumper Cars.
Amuse Bouche
Olives and Botifarra
We’re served some complimentary olives and botifarra (sausage meat). Owen doesn’t like olives so I have all of them to myself. The botifarra is meaty and satisfying, while the olives add a nice salinity to compliment the fattiness of the sausage.
Appetiser
Croquetes: Creamy rostit croquettes with alioli and rosemary honey
I looove alioli. I have regrets for not having checked luggage to bring some back to Toronto but it was unfeasible given the rest of the trip. The croquetes are so crunchy on the outside and it literally crumbles at the slightest pressure inside my mouth. The interior is soft and delicious. The aroma of the rosemary honey is incredible, strong yet not overpowering, while the savouriness of the garlic, though just a small dollop on top, helps to balance everything perfectly.
Mains #1
Calamar: Grilled squid with traditional sanfaina and sobrasada
The smell is intoxicating. That wonderful, charred smokiness comes through, along with all the fragrance of the herbs and oils. It’s so tasty, the vegetables from the sanfaina - eggplant, zucchini, onions - add a serious unami hit, while the spices in the sobrasada - mainly paprika here - gives the oil that incredible red colour. There’s little bits of crispiness at the bottom that I just adore. I honestly cannot get enough of this and the bread is perfect for soaking all that delicious sauce up. An excellent recommendation by the waitress, would happily shout the praises of this to anyone visiting.
Mains #2
Ploma ibèrica: Grilled Iberian pork pluma with rosemary and garlic oil
Pluma is the name given to the cut at the back of the Iberian pig loin, its rich and fatty marbling draws comparisons to wagyu beef. Here, it’s cooked “on point” which looks to be slightly rare but it’s incredibly smokey and juicy. The fat on the crust has been rendered perfectly so it’s crispy on the outside, but the meat melts in your mouth. The vegetables are grilled as well, which I find a bit odd because everything kinda tastes similar. In terms of overall taste, it’s well executed but a step down from the explosion of flavour in the squid.
I’ve got my heart set on a crema catalana for dessert, but the waitress recommends the flan. Faced with the dilemma of the century, I look at Owen with pleading eyes and Owen agrees to share both desserts, so we get both. Interestingly enough, the English menu calls the crema catalana a “Catalan crème brûlée”, but I am familiar enough with Catalan cuisine now to know that the two are distinct due to their ingredients and style of cooking. Crema catalana is flavoured with cinnamon and citrus, while in crème brûlée, vanilla is used, as well as heavy cream for the custard.
Dessert #1
Crema catalana
It’s so smooth and creamy with that wonderful crispy sugar crust. It’s rich and decadent and gone within a few minutes. Man, I love this so much. When no one is looking, I lick the plate. I’m about to lick the bowl as well but the waitress tries to take it away. I protest - there is clearly more in there and I paid for it and my Asianness won't let me back down - and she hastily returns the bowl to the table.
Dessert #2
Flam d'ou casolà: Homemade egg custard flan
Honestly, just wow. This is absolute perfection. Like there’s literally nothing wrong I can say about this. The texture is sublime. It’s so eggy and custardy and the caramel has a wonderful bitterness to it to really balances everything so that it isn't too sweet. It’s dense and satisfying, and despite its size, very filling. I’m so glad we ate this second and even more glad that it wasn’t larger than that.
We are both full to the brim. A short walk around Tibidabo's Temple Expiatori del Sagrat Cor will help us digest. As we leave, the maître’d mentions to us that you can get a free ticket down the funicular after dining, which is more useful to Owen than to me, since I’ll be leaving for Rome tomorrow.
Posted by Jeremy at 5:17pm on Tuesday July 7, 2026 :: 0 comments ::