Sit warm and cozy in little Roma's traditionally Italian kitchen
Actually, I had heard a few good things about Roma, but I didn't like the idea of dining alone. People had described the place as little. And it certainly is. The dining room can hold, maybe, 15 guests, and there is no space to sit at the tiny bar covered in wine bottles while waiting for a table. Thankfully we didn't have to wait.
We quickly settled in at an odd-shaped window table and reviewed the simple, hand-written menus. The list seems short but there is a fair bit on offer.
The starters included such tempting items as prosciutto with melon (zl. 18), bruschetta (zl. 8), caprese (zl. 18) and a salmon roulade (zl. 20). Blondie and I agreed to share an order of tzatzyki (zl. 10).
The bulk of the menu is pasta dishes (zl. 18-zl. 28) sporting spaghetti with pesto, bolognese and carbonara sauces. Other spaghetti toppings include a wide range of vegetables and chicken. In addition to that, there was the linguini with salmon (zl. 23).
We glanced over the list of Mediterranean salads (zl. 18-zl. 22), and the cuts of meat from the grill (zl. 21-zl. 25) didn't excite us. It was going to be a pasta lunch.
Our friendly, down-to-earth waitress knew her job well. When Blondie couldn't decide on a dish, the waitress suggested the day's special. Problem solved, and we felt good. The place had a cared-for, homey air about it.
While Blondie stuck to her mineral water (zl. 3), I scanned the wine list (zl. 35-zl. 80). The vino menu is also short and only offers wine from Italy, Spain and Chile. The choice of those few countries kept with the theme of things. Nothing about Roma was grand, big or expansive. There were even a few, fair half bottles (zl. 35) on offer. But since the day was far from over, I ordered a glass of Italian house white (zl. 9). It proved to be drinkable and ice cold but much too dull, lacking any true spice.
A large mound of tzatzyki sporting a black olive and a plate of toasted bread arrived in no time. The bread was a treat in itself covered in olive oil and chips of garlic. It was the perfect base for the tasty and refreshing tzatzyki.
As we munched away, a radio played light pop music, but we could also hear the sizzling of cooking from behind the bar. It was a simple, pleasant sound that added to the family kitchen feel of the room. Granted, most kitchens aren't decorated with Roman half columns and heavy drapes. And most don't have orange trees, fish, stones and Romanesque landscapes painted on the walls in bright colors. But it did feel like a little family run Italian restaurant that could be found in New York or Chicago.
The room was also made warmer and smaller by the real plants, the fake grape vines, the oil bottles and the Romanesque statues. The homey clutter was very Italian. The Van Gogh-starry night theme painted on the ceiling did make things feel roomy above the tables.
"I bet it's great in the evening with candles burning," Blondie said.
After we had worked our way through all the bread and most of the tzatzyki our pasta arrived. They were tall, steaming portions covered in grated cheese (possibly genuine Romano) that looked promising.
And the food delivered on its looks. My spaghetti with chicken in a light cream sauce was more than pleasing. A cream sauce without so much weight that it fills you up in three mouthfuls was a wonderful change. And the chicken was plentiful. Spices and seasonings were thrown about freely as well.
Blondie was equally pleased with her peppers, tomatoes and egg plant over penne.
"This is good," she proclaimed with a smile after her first bite.
It took a little while, and with a short rest half way through, to finish what was in front of us. But when it was over we were quite happy and full. I was curious about their tiramisu (zl. 15) for dessert but couldn't face another bite of food.
When I asked for the bill, Blondie commented on the speed and the service. It was perfect for lunch. The bill came to zl. 71 ($19) without tip. And a VAT receipt wasn't a problem, either.
Roma is a fine little Italian restaurant with a refreshing, cozy feel. I can't wait to return to it some evening to linger over some good pasta and a bottle of wine.
We quickly settled in at an odd-shaped window table and reviewed the simple, hand-written menus. The list seems short but there is a fair bit on offer.
The starters included such tempting items as prosciutto with melon (zl. 18), bruschetta (zl. 8), caprese (zl. 18) and a salmon roulade (zl. 20). Blondie and I agreed to share an order of tzatzyki (zl. 10).
The bulk of the menu is pasta dishes (zl. 18-zl. 28) sporting spaghetti with pesto, bolognese and carbonara sauces. Other spaghetti toppings include a wide range of vegetables and chicken. In addition to that, there was the linguini with salmon (zl. 23).
We glanced over the list of Mediterranean salads (zl. 18-zl. 22), and the cuts of meat from the grill (zl. 21-zl. 25) didn't excite us. It was going to be a pasta lunch.
Our friendly, down-to-earth waitress knew her job well. When Blondie couldn't decide on a dish, the waitress suggested the day's special. Problem solved, and we felt good. The place had a cared-for, homey air about it.
While Blondie stuck to her mineral water (zl. 3), I scanned the wine list (zl. 35-zl. 80). The vino menu is also short and only offers wine from Italy, Spain and Chile. The choice of those few countries kept with the theme of things. Nothing about Roma was grand, big or expansive. There were even a few, fair half bottles (zl. 35) on offer. But since the day was far from over, I ordered a glass of Italian house white (zl. 9). It proved to be drinkable and ice cold but much too dull, lacking any true spice.
A large mound of tzatzyki sporting a black olive and a plate of toasted bread arrived in no time. The bread was a treat in itself covered in olive oil and chips of garlic. It was the perfect base for the tasty and refreshing tzatzyki.
As we munched away, a radio played light pop music, but we could also hear the sizzling of cooking from behind the bar. It was a simple, pleasant sound that added to the family kitchen feel of the room. Granted, most kitchens aren't decorated with Roman half columns and heavy drapes. And most don't have orange trees, fish, stones and Romanesque landscapes painted on the walls in bright colors. But it did feel like a little family run Italian restaurant that could be found in New York or Chicago.
The room was also made warmer and smaller by the real plants, the fake grape vines, the oil bottles and the Romanesque statues. The homey clutter was very Italian. The Van Gogh-starry night theme painted on the ceiling did make things feel roomy above the tables.
"I bet it's great in the evening with candles burning," Blondie said.
After we had worked our way through all the bread and most of the tzatzyki our pasta arrived. They were tall, steaming portions covered in grated cheese (possibly genuine Romano) that looked promising.
And the food delivered on its looks. My spaghetti with chicken in a light cream sauce was more than pleasing. A cream sauce without so much weight that it fills you up in three mouthfuls was a wonderful change. And the chicken was plentiful. Spices and seasonings were thrown about freely as well.
Blondie was equally pleased with her peppers, tomatoes and egg plant over penne.
"This is good," she proclaimed with a smile after her first bite.
It took a little while, and with a short rest half way through, to finish what was in front of us. But when it was over we were quite happy and full. I was curious about their tiramisu (zl. 15) for dessert but couldn't face another bite of food.
When I asked for the bill, Blondie commented on the speed and the service. It was perfect for lunch. The bill came to zl. 71 ($19) without tip. And a VAT receipt wasn't a problem, either.
Roma is a fine little Italian restaurant with a refreshing, cozy feel. I can't wait to return to it some evening to linger over some good pasta and a bottle of wine.
