My next few blogs will be on restaurants in Rome and sites or food stores or markets that are close by.
da Enzo AL 29 Via Dei Vascellari 29 (Trastevere)
12:30 to 3:00PM and 7:30 to 11:00PM Closed Sunday
Phone 065812260
They only accept reservation for dinner
da Enzo, da Enzo, we heard the name over and over again from our Roman and American friends that love traditional Roman food. You have been to Rome so many times and you have never been to Da Enzo? You must go — but we were warned! If you are going for lunch go early, it is a very small place. They do not take reservations for lunch and it can be very busy.
We arrived at 12:30 on the dot and it was empty so we got the best outdoor table by the entrance to the restaurant. Michele, who does not like to be the first one in a restaurant said “we did not have to come this early!”
Within five minutes however, there was a crowd of people coming from all directions. Within 10 minutes the place was filled and within 20 minutes there was a line waiting to get in.
da Enzo is simple traditional Roman food at its best.
The service is brisk but friendly and English is spoken.
We started with Fiori di Zucca, deep-fried zucchini flowers stuffed with mozzarella and anchovies, among the best I have had on this trip. Then La Palla Al 29 — fried balls of cod, potato and cheese. We should have ordered more of them.
We both had pasta Carbonara. It was made with rigatoni, the best guanciale (cured pork cheek) I have ever tasted and the dish seemed much lighter than other versions I have eaten.
Michele was looking forward to the polpette three large meatballs in a tomato sauce, and she really enjoyed them.
I had Trippa Alla Romana –Tripe in a delicious tomato sauce.
We ordered the white house wine, which was very strong, and I cut it with water as the Romans have always done. It went very well with the food.
Last but not least the Torta Del Giorno was a light tender cake with ricotta and cherry filing, and of course caffé.
Three things to note (1) the portions are very large. (2) even with all the food we ordered the bill was only 74 euros! (3) when we left there was still a line waiting to get in.
Worth the Visit
The church of Santa Cecilia is a basilica. There is The Last Judgment by Pietro Cavallini (c.1293) and a baldachino(sculpted canopy) by Arnolfo di Cambio over the altar (late 1200’s) and mosaics.
There is also a famous music school connected with the church, and Cecilia is the patron saint of music. The sound of a student playing the clarinet greeted us when we visited, at other times students play the organ and the violin. It is just down the block from the restaurant:
Charles Scicolone on Wine 