VittlesVamp

Rome is Offal

It was only a few week ago, but my trip to Rome seems like a faint memory - except for the offal. Yes, you read write. Romans adore their innards, also referred to as quinto quarto. Visited several fine restaurants - Tram Tram, Santo Palato, Trattoria Pennestri, Trattoria Monti, and Trecca - and was happily ordering a range of offal dishes at each and every one.

The Calves Liver with Grapes, Onions and Herbs, seen above, was a marvel. And, became obsessed by the Rigatoni Con La Pajata...

Toothsome, al dente pasta, with a rich tomato sauce ladled on top, featuring seared pencil-thin veal intestines. I know that might sound disgusting to those who are squeamish - but trust me (and all of Rome) that it is deservedly a local classic.

Tongue with a slathering of Salsa Verde was another offal winner...

Will I try making these innard-enriched delights at home? Likely not. Have a hard time seeing the majority of my dinner guests taking to tripe and alike. That said, they don't know what they're missing.

Best Bites in Berlin

I went to Europe, came back, and didn't lose my affinity for alliteration. Deal with it - and enjoy some of my favorite food finds in Berlin. (Ack! Almost had it going with that string of "f's," but Berlin needed to be named Ferlin for it to really work. Nonetheless...)

First off, let me say that I most definitely have a favorite restaurant in Berlin. Its name is Trio. The food is decidedly German, decidedly farm-to-table, and quite honestly, decidedly delicious.

The room is modern and understated. The clientele has an air of hip, but not hipster. The owners were warm and welcoming.

Back to the food. Above, is a Herring Salad with Apples. This was salty, creamy, sweet and savory goodness. It disappeared from the plate lickety split. The dish that really had me at "hello" though was a bowl of soup...

Drop dead gorgeous, ain't it? That's the kitchen's version on Flädlesuppe, an intense mushroom broth with ribbons of a thin crepe-like pancake, topped with chopped chives.

The rest of the food is marvelous as well - from Goulash with Bread Dumplings to Schnitzel. It was so good, in fact, that we ended up going to Trio twice. Would have liked to make it a completely ironic third time, but we had just so much time in the city.

Another spot I took to was just a couple short blocks from where I was staying in Mitte - a very homey pub called Schwarzwaldstuben, serving very traditional fare. Yes, I had their Schnitzel. Yes, I had their Späetzle. But it was their Flammkuchen that was the real winner...

A classic dish from Alsace, it is a savory tart that is sometimes referred to as "German pizza." This one was topped with cheese, apple, onion and bacon and was utterly addictive.

Then, a little farther afield, was the contemporary restaurant Otto, which promised a view overlooking an open kitchen and refined fare in a relaxed, yet lively dining room. It was all of those things and more.

The standout dish? No contest...

Beet, Sloe Berry, Labneh and Brown Butter. This, to my mind, was dessert. Decadent dessert. Soooo good.

I found the recipe, but considering that making this dish is a two-day commitment, I think I'd rather just return to Berlin to enjoy it again.

Do you want to come with? Might make it to Trio too - for that completely ironic third dinner!