A Foodie’s Tribute to Barcelona (Break Week, Part 1/3)

Sorry for the long hiatus in posts!  In the ages it’s taken me to write, I’ve done a bit of traveling beyond my home base of Paris.  (And I am so grateful to be able to call Paris “home base” – at least temporarily!)  Last week was Break Week, so my classmates and I had the entire week off.  It was a bit ill-timed, as we had our French final exams today and have final papers due at the end of the week, but hey, any week of vacation is better than no vacation.  Most of us traveled around Europe (with a large percentage of us seeking out warmer temperatures in places like Spain and Italy), while a few chose to stay in town and explore more of Paris.  Luckily for me, my sister is coming to visit this weekend, so I’ll have a bit of extra time in the lovely metropolis of Paris before heading back to the States (we’re actually heading to London as well!).

Anyway, back to Break Week.  I lived out a trip I’ve been dreaming up for a while…  Two friends and I traversed the Spanish/Portuguese peninsula over the course of 8 days, starting in Barcelona and ending in Lisbon, with Madrid in between.  It was exhausting, but for all the right reasons.  We explored, ate, and walked non-stop.  As this is a food/travel blog, here is my tribute to Barcelona – a highlights reel of our best meals in photo-form.

lunch @ tramoia

clockwise, from top left – calamari; baked cod; Spanish omelette; mini chorizo; grilled red peppers with poached egg

dinner @ pitarra

hors d’oeuvres – toast rubbed with tomato and olive oil, Spanish omelette, and olives; asparagus

seafood paella

veal with grilled tomato and mashed potatoes

dessert time – creme catalan and green tea ice cream

lunch @ cerveceria catalana

arroz negro (squid ink rice); patatas bravas (fried potatoes with special sauce)

clockwise, from top left – toast rubbed with tomato and olive oil; fried sardines; cured sausage; baby calamari

Needless to say, we ate really, really well.

Foodie Friday 7 – Crêperie Josselin

The three C’s of France: croissants, champagne, and…crêpes!

Last week, my friend Hanna and I went on a search for great crêpes in Paris.  We decided to try Crêperie Josselin, a small, charming place in the 14th arrondissement that came at the recommendation of her friend who was in Paris last quarter.  We headed there for lunch straight after class and arrived a little before 12:30, just in time to squeeze in without a wait.  And good thing, too, because there was a line out the door by the time we were served.

Crêperie Josselin

Inside Crêperie Josselin

Lunch buddy/fellow foodie :)

The restaurant itself was cozy and cute with lots of dark wood accents and warm lighting, and the constant chatter of happy diners filled the room.  You could tell that this place has quite the reputation from the good mix of tourists and French locals.

Savory crepes: goat cheese & spinach (L) and tomato, cheese, & sausage (if I recall correctly)

The crêpes were delicious and unlike any savory crêpe I’ve ever tried.  They were generously filled with hearty ingredients and were grilled to crispy, buttery perfection.  I particularly liked the goat cheese/spinach combo, in part because I’m partial to goat cheese.  The creamy texture of the cheese nicely complemented the crispy, doughy crêpe.

Despite being absolutely stuffed after our meal, we had to stop by Amorino, a gelateria just down the street that Hanna’s friend had also recommended.  Since I hadn’t had gelato since I left Rome, I was excited to see how it would compare to authentic Italian gelato.

Gelato at Amorino

Pretending I’m in Italy with the perfect combination of caffe (coffee), pistacchio, e nocciola (hazelnut)

There wasn’t a huge selection of flavors, but they had the basics – chocolate, vanilla, hazelnut, pistachio, lemon, etc.  I paired pistachio and hazelnut (two of my favorite flavors) with coffee, just because the coffee flavor looked good (it was topped with real coffee beans!) and sounded like it would go well with the other two.  As I learned in Italy, the best cups of gelato are those that match flavors well.  Though I’ve had better (and worse) hazelnut and pistachio, it was great gelato overall.  I’d go back if I were in the area on a non-freezing day.

‘Le Marais’ from Jenny the Explorer!

My friend Jenny (a fellow UChicagoan in Paris) recently started an awesome blog of her own. Check out her post below on our weekend adventure to Le Marais! It’s also one of my favorite areas in Paris so far… Who can resist a delicious falafel pita?! And for 5,50 euros, it’s a steal.

Jenny the Explorer

Le Marais is one my favorite neighborhoods so far. It’s a quirky little district with little vintage shops and falafel stands. It’s known as a Jewish and LGBTQ neighborhood, and one of the few places open on Sundays in Paris. Grace and I went to try the “best falafels in Paris” according to many. One of the stands, L’As du Fallafel, is apparently endorsed by Lenny Kravitz as his favorite. Alas, when we went to try, we realized it was closed due to Shabbat. Next time we’ll know not to go on a Saturday… Luckily, Mi-Va-Mi across the street seemed pretty packed so we figured the falafels there had to be just as good if they were to hold their own against L’As du Fallafel. And boy was it good. The sandwiches were stuffed to the brim with vegetables and tahini sauce. An interesting fact is that food is…

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A Little Seoul in Paris [aka Foodie Friday 6!]

This past Sunday, three fellow Korean-American friends and I headed to the Pyramides (pronounced peehr-ah-meed) stop on Lines 7 and 14 of the metro for some comfort food.  And by comfort food, I mean Korean food, of course!

We were a little worried about finding a place that was open since it was Sunday, but we found one within 5 minutes of walking around (good thing, cause we were hungry!).  Pyramides isn’t actually Paris’s “Koreatown” – that’s apparently near the Commerce/Cambronne stops on Line 8 and 6, respectively, but that trip is for another day.  However, K-Mart, a Korean market, is located right by Pyramides.

K-Mart!

Asian munchies…mmmm

Packs of frozen mandu, aka easy dinners.

The restaurant, called 태동관 (Tae Dong Gwan), was actually bigger and more crowded than I expected.  The main dining area was full when we walked in, but they had plenty of open tables downstairs, so we were seated right away.

Downstairs seating area

The entire menu sounded enticing – they had everything from 비빔밥 (bibimbap, ‘mixed rice’) to 짜장면 (jjajangmyeon, noodles in black bean sauce).  We started off by sharing a 파전 (pajun, green onion pancake), and then I had a 불고기 (bulgogi, grilled marinated beef) set as my main course.

Bulgogi set with salad and miso soup!

Our server (who was Asian but not Korean) spoke good Korean, so we all used that instead of French.  Honestly, it was a relief not to have to think so hard about how to say things.  And the meal was incredibly satisfying – great food, and great company.

In general, I’ve noticed that foreign/ethnic cuisine is much more widespread in Paris than in Rome.  Though Paris does have a significantly larger immigrant population than Rome, I’ve been kind of surprised at how much I’ve felt the difference in the two weeks I’ve been here – I’ve seen a multitude of ethnic restaurants (and a few speciality markets), and the prices seem pretty reasonable (especially if you go in expecting to pay a bit of a premium).  Next stop, Koreatown and Chinatown!

A Taste of Paris

Last Friday was our first class excursion – to the famous Musée du Louvre, of course.  Our tour, entitled “Black Images in European Art”, led us on a winding path through the maze of galleries over the course of an hour and a half.  The tour guide put it best – “We’ll be passing lots of masterpieces along the way, so I’ll try to stop and point them out, but I won’t have time to say much about them.”  To channel my inner Instagram/Twitter/social media user, I believe the following hashtags are in order: #OnlyAtTheLouvre #Paris #awestruck

The Louvre!

Our great tour guide.

Winged Victory

The Mona Lisa and her admirers

The view out of a window in one of the galleries.

Inverted glass pyramid in the Carrousel du Louvre.

Our tour was in the evening, so upon its conclusion, a couple of friends and I headed to the Marais area for some authentic French food.  Though we had originally planned to dine at a place called A La Biche au Bois (The Deer in the Woods), it was full when we arrived, so rather than wait an hour for a table, we headed next door to Bar Tarmac, a half-bar, half-restaurant.  They had an incredible prix-fixe menu for 26 euro, so we were happy with the alternative.  As a side note, yes, 26 euro is kind of expensive, but just wait until you see all the food we got.  Besides, the three of us were willing to splurge a little on a nice dinner, so it all worked out.

First, we enjoyed apertifs (pre-dinner drinks) – white wine mixed with a little blackberry juice.  We also got a quarter-liter of red wine and a half-liter of rosé — too much wine for the three of us, but oh well.

Wine galore

Next, we had a choice of appetizers: potato croquettes, cured salmon (Gravlax), or 2 tapas of your choosing.  I went with the tapas, and chose manchego cheese with citrus marmalade and eggplant toasts.

Tapa #1: Manchego cheese with marmalade. Simple and delicious.

Tapa #2: Eggplant and red peppers on toast

Our main course options were the “Big Tarmac” burger, lamb with cous cous, beef tartare (aka raw beef), ginger chicken with plantain fries, salmon with potatoes, or ravioli in tomato sauce with rocket and Serrano ham.  I went with the lamb, which came at the suggestion of our waiter and seemed like one of the more ‘French’ dishes.

Main Course: Lamb with cous cous

View #2 of the lamb

Though the lamb was delicious, the cous cous was the real highlight of the meal.  It wasn’t too dry, which is hard to achieve with cous cous, and it had interesting flavors and well-paired garnishes – Persian spices along with pieces of dried fig and apricot.

Last, but definitely not least, was dessert!  We each ordered different ones so we could try each others – a very useful and delicious strategy.  The crème brûlée was the best I’ve had so far – light, creamy, and perfectly caramelized and crispy on top.  The yogurt ice cream (their house speciality) was unique and pretty good, and the molten chocolate cake was great, as usual (how can it be bad?).  All in all, a great meal for a great value.

Dessert! Yogurt ice cream with a cookie, créme brulée, and molten chocolate cake

C’est Les Soldes!

It’s Sale Time in Paris!

Yesterday, January 9th, marked the beginning of the semiannual Paris sales (“les soldes”).  The next six weeks (until February 12th) are the winter sales, and the second (and last) round of the year will take place during the summer season.

If you’re reading this in the States, you may be a little confused — I certainly was last week, when people started mentioning the upcoming “sales”.  Eventually, my friendly next-door neighbor in the dorm cleared things up.  As she explained, sales in France are nothing like sales in the U.S.  While stores in America run promotions year-round (constantly, it seems) and almost always have reduced-priced items in designated areas, this is not the case in Paris.  Here, sales are government-regulated, and thus they run at specific times of the year (usually winter and summer).  The sales in Paris last for about six weeks and are meant to clear out seasonal apparel and other items.  I somewhat luckily (somewhat because it’s certainly not lucky for my wallet) happen to be in town for one of them.

They (the internet) say the Paris sales can be pretty crazy…  And it’s no wonder, because items can be marked down by up to 80% by the end of the sale period.  This means you can’t get anywhere without seeing a “SOLDES” or “SOLDISSIMES” sign in a shop window or on a metro billboard.  After all, it’s not just clothing establishments that run promotions – electronics stores, Target-esque retailers, and jewelry shops partake as well.

Sign advertising the sales (from http://www.galerieslafayette.com/)

As I now know, you really should develop some sort of shopping strategy before heading out into the frenzy…  At least make a list of what you are looking for to avoid being seduced by the 50% off tags and fashionable overcoats.  I avoided any impulsive buying yesterday by keeping my wallet shut and browsing the racks for some fashion inspiration amid the masses (of Parisians and tourists alike – and let me just say, the well-dressed Parisians provided just as much inspiration as the clothing on sale).  My visit to Galleries Lafayette, a huge French department store, ended up being quite the cultural experience — I’m sure I’ll head back in the near future for some real shopping!

The amazing color-changing ceiling of Galeries Lafayette

Ground floor of Galeries Lafayette

Looking down from the second floor of Galeries Lafayette

On our way out of Galeries Lafayette, my friends and I stopped at a macaron display within the department store.  It happened to be Pierre Hermé, a well-known macaron store/brand.

Pierre Hermé macarons

Of course, I couldn’t resist, so I bought two – Truffe Blanche & Noisette (white truffle and hazelnut) and Noisette (plain hazelnut).

Truffe Blanche & Noisette (L) and Noisette

White truffle and hazelnut macaron (see the little hazelnut pieces inside?)

They were both incredibly good – nothing like macarons in the U.S. (and much better than even the fancy ones from ‘lette).  The white truffle and hazelnut one was particularly good because it had such an interesting flavor – earthy from the truffle and nutty and rich from the hazelnut.  There was a generous amount of light cream inside, and the cookie portions were melt-in-your-mouth delicious.  Macarons from Ladurée are next on my list!

Bonjour de Paris!

Hello from Paris!  I arrived in France earlier today and am all settled in Maison des Provences de France (French Provinces House) in Cité Universitaire, the residence hall campus I’ll be living in for the next ten weeks.  It’s located south of the city center in the Fourteenth Arrondissement, adjacent to Parc MontSouris, a large public park.

My single room

Another view of my room

The view from my room

Here are some thoughts I jotted down during the marathon nine-hour flight from Dallas Fort-Werth to Charles de Gaulle:

It’s hard to believe I’m already on my way to Paris. After what felt like three very short weeks at home, I am now mid-flight across the Atlantic on a giant Boeing jet.

This time around I’ll be taking different kinds of classes – they won’t be a sequence of Civilizations courses as was the case in Rome.  Rather, the Paris program is Social Sciences-based, so I am enrolled in an economics class, two political science classes, and beginning French.  The Econ class is “Applied Price Theory: Individual and Family Economics,” and the PoliSci classes are “W.E.B. Du Bois and the Idea of Europe” and “The Geopolitics of Islam.”  The latter will be co-taught by one professor from the University of Chicago and one from Paris’s Sciences Po.

These courses may not seem particularly tailored to the history and culture of Paris, especially compared to the courses I took in Rome (just to jog your memory, I took 3 courses that covered Rome’s history from antiquity to the Baroque, focusing on the social and political structures of various periods, as well as Italian Medieval, Renaissance, and Baroque art and architecture).  However, part of the reason why I am abroad for a third consecutive quarter is the distinct out-of-the-classroom learning made possible by study abroad.  The very nature of living in a country different from my own challenges my assumptions, encourages me to be more consciously open-minded, and sparks my curiosity.  Studying abroad has made learning more enjoyable than ever, not necessarily because I’m learning about the place I’m in, but because I am constantly learning new things and reevaluating my beliefs and point of view.  This is a large part of why I am taking so much of my third year of college to live overseas.  While I didn’t have any guarantee that I would have productive, insightful, and enjoyable experiences abroad (Who knows, I could have been miserable!), I decided to take advantage of the opportunity I had to spend an extended period of time outside of the United States.  Now that I am on the third and last leg of this journey, I’m grateful for the diverse experiences I’ve had thus far and can’t wait to get to know this great city.

P.S. Guess what I had at my first dinner in Paris? Escargots! And it was delicious.

Arrivederci, Roma

Yesterday, I parted ways with Rome.  I packed my bags, said my goodbyes, and left the place I’ve called home for the past ten weeks.

It’s been an incredible quarter abroad – from listening to lectures in the Forum, to traveling on the weekends, to learning how to properly taste wine, I’ve loved every minute overseas.  But, more importantly, I’ve learned a lot.  I have retained a surprising amount of Roman history and could probably put together a great historical walking tour of the city, replete with museum stops, church visits, and great photo-ops.  On the flip side, I can also recommend great local eateries (the best pizza you’ve ever had), ex-pat/international student hang-outs (no Italian required), and weekend destinations within Italy (Tuscany, anyone?).

Here are some highlights from my time in the Eternal City (in no particular order, because ranking them is impossible).  I’ll also be adding more (backdated) posts on Rome & my travels from the last few weeks soon.

Pumpkin & Amaretto Ravioli at Le Fate

Let’s just say it was the best dish I’ve had in Rome.  It was one of their specials the night I went, and I split it with my roommate (we should’ve gotten one for each of us, in retrospect).  My ravioli standards will never be the same again.  For the record, this restaurant is great for reasons beyond just their ravioli – I’ve been twice because it’s just down the street from my apartment, and everything I’ve tried has been delicious.  Other standouts include their eggplant parmesan, bruschette (trying at least a few of their varieties of bruschetta is a must), and tiramisu.  It’s a charming little place, decked out with French-inspired, fairy-themed decor and plenty of twinkling lights.

Viale Trastevere, 130

Galleria Borghese

The Bernini sculptures in Galleria Borghese are some of the most unforgettable works of art I’ve ever seen.  His Apollo and Daphne, the Rape of Proserpina, and Aeneas, Anchises, and Ascanius are incredible beyond words – and no, I’m not exaggerating.  I don’t mean to sound dramatic (maybe just a little); I was just blown away by the detail and skill exhibited in his work.  The other highlights of Galleria Borghese are its five Caravaggio paintings.  Learning about Caravaggio’s life, style, and significance in the Italian Baroque and then going to see his works in person was a great experience.  A classmate and I also gave a presentation on a biography of Caravaggio in the very room that contains his five paintings, so that made it particularly memorable as well.

Piazzale del Museo Borghese, 5

‘Roma dal Cielo’ – A Visit to the Top of Il Vittoriano

The wedding cake of Rome offers some great views of the city – views that rival even those of the Gianicolo, the lovely hill on which my apartment is located (the second highest hill in modern Rome, but not one of “the seven”).  I would suggest going at sunset, so you can watch the sky change colors as the city lights up.  The top of Il Vittoriano has an incredible view of the Colosseum, which happens to be my favorite monument in Rome…reason enough to pay the 7 euro to get up there.

Piazza Venezia (entrance on the east side of the monument, on the left when facing it)

Breathtaking night view of the Colosseum

Dar Poeta

I’ve mentioned it before, and I’ll mention it again – Dar Poeta è la mia pizzeria preferita a Roma (Dar Poeta is my favorite pizzeria in Rome).  Their ‘Dar Poeta’ pizza is one of the best I’ve had.  And it’s even better when followed by a Nutella and ricotta dessert calzone.  Speaking of desserts…

Vicolo del Bologna, 45 (near Piazza Trilussa)

Giolitti

The best gelato in Rome is at Giolitti.  A friend who studied abroad in Rome last year suggested it, and I finally made it there a couple of days before I left (right after I completed my final exam, in fact).  I had a 3-flavor, chocolate-dipped cone, with champagne, rice, and ‘opera italiana’ (candied nut, I think).  Champagne and rice gelato flavors?!  My friends and I were all wowed by the champagne gelato, and I loved the rice (I’m a big fan of rice pudding).  One of my friends also tried a delicious ‘caramel fig’ flavor.  I wish I could go back.  At least I ended my time in Rome on a high note.

Via Uffici del Vicario, 40 (near the Pantheon)

A Wonderful Week in Rome

Last week was both the best and worst week in Rome… (Misleading title, I know.)  ‘Best’ because I did lots of awesome things; ‘worst’ because I had a ton of work due for class, lost a lot of sleep, and was utterly exhausted by the end of it all.  The important thing is that it ended on a high note, and the lack of sleep was worth it (2 classes down, 1 to go!).  So what made it awesome?

Let’s start with Sunday.  My friends and I woke up in Siena, ate lunch and stopped by our favorite gelateria in Florence, and returned to Rome early enough to get a good night of sleep.  If that’s not a great start, I don’t know what is.

Monday and Tuesday were slightly miserable – full of paper-writing, journal-writing, and general stress.  But Tuesday night I got to participate in a wine class (in my own apartment too)!  I now know how to professionally open a bottle of wine… You know, just in case I ever find myself in a situation where I need to pretend to be a sommelier.  Who knows what new adventures Paris will bring!  Anyways, we tasted two different red wines, the first of which was quite strong and tasted like black pepper (I’m serious!).  It’s amazing what flavors you can discover when tasting wine more consciously.  I noticed strong vanilla undertones in the second, milder wine, but others (including our sommelier-in-training instructor) tasted green bell peppers.  It was a ton of fun, and I’d definitely take another class.  I guess I’d better keep practicing my flavor-discerning skills in the meantime… ;)

Wednesday was the first day of our third and last course, which I was excited for (despite its copious amounts of reading) because it focuses on the history of Renaissance and Baroque Rome through art.  It’s my first art history class, and I’ve always wanted to take one.  It’s going be more work than our previous two classes, but I’m enjoying our class discussions and site visits so far.  We’re heading to the Vatican this week and Villa Borghese next week!

Thursday marked the official end of the paper-writing frenzy, so that afternoon, after visiting a church for class, a few friends and I went to the movies.  We bought tickets for an Italian movie called Io e Te, Bertolucci’s newest film.

Source: http://www.comingsoon.it

I had no idea who Bertolucci was when my friends and I decided to go see this movie (we saw an ad on the back of a bus), but he’s a famous Italian director (as you probably already knew).  The movie was intense, but amazing.  I highly recommend it (with subtitles).  We saw it without subtitles for the true cultural experience, which was fun and only slightly confusing.  Luckily for me, my roommate read a synopsis beforehand and summarized the basic plot for me during the previews.  The best and most rewarding moment was when I recognized a phrase I learned in class – “Ha un mal di testa” (Her head hurts).  I’m putting my limited knowledge of Italian to good use!  After the movie, my friends and I went out to dinner in Trastevere, ending the night on a good note.

The fun continued on Friday.  After class, a few friends and I went out to lunch at my favorite pizza place in Rome, Dar Poeta (get the pizza by the same name and the nutella and ricotta calzone for dessert).

Zucchini cream, speck, and mozzarella pizza – a winter special (not as good as the Dar Poeta, but not bad)

After an incredibly filling lunch, we headed to the Campo de’ Fiori market.  It was actually my first time at that particular open air market, which is kind of surprising given that it’s open every day and is close to where I have class.  We went to just check it out, but ended up finding a couple of elusive but imperative Thanksgiving dinner ingredients (did I mention we’ll be cooking a giant Thanksgiving feast on Tuesday?): sweet potatoes and a pumpkin for pumpkin pie!

The magical Thanksgiving stall at Campo de’ Fiori

We were pretty ecstatic, and for good reason – since Italians don’t celebrate Thanksgiving (my favorite holiday), typical Thanksgiving ingredients are hard to come by, namely, turkeys, sweet potatoes, pumpkin (canned or fresh), cranberries, and pecans.  Now to try to make a pumpkin pie from scratch…

After a nice, long, well-deserved nap, I made dinner and then went to see Balthazar, a Belgian band, perform at Circolo degli Artisti, an intimate music venue/pseudo-club not far from the Termini train station.  I went by myself, partly because my friend couldn’t go at the last minute, and partly because I needed some me time.  It was such a fun experience – the venue is amazing (tons of outdoor seating, a couple of bars, and a cozy concert space) and Balthazar was incredible live.  I had listened to a few of their songs before going, since I hadn’t heard of them before discovering them on the Circolo degli Artisti website, but their live performance was much better than anything I had listened to online.  Like icing on a cake, if you will.

Balthazar live at Circolo degli Artisti

My exciting week finally came to a close on Saturday, at ‘Cinema’, the Rome (International) Film Festival.  A friend and I woke up really early to try to catch a 9:30 am showing of “Tar”, an artsy American film starring James Franco and Mila Kunis, but we didn’t make it in time.  Turns out it wouldn’t have made a difference because they had cancelled that showing anyway.  Instead, we went to see “Jianshi Liu Baiyuan” (“Judge Archer”), a Chinese kung-fu film.  Fortunately, it had subtitles in English and Italian.  Despite having no idea what to expect, I really enjoyed the movie.  It had a creative storyline and held my interest throughout.

It’s experiences like these that make me feel really grateful to have the opportunity to study abroad.  I feel almost like a local – I know my way around, can function in Italian, and do more than just the touristy things in my free time.  Cultural immersion – once just a phrase thrown around in my study abroad application – has become reality.

Foodie Friday 5 – Osteria Babazuf

A day late, but better late than never!  I spent last weekend in Tuscany, visiting Florence with my class on Thursday and then spending the rest of the weekend in Siena with a few friends (more detailed post coming soon!).  The highlight meal of the entire trip was our dinner on Saturday night at a little restaurant called Osteria Babazuf.

Osteria Babazuf in Siena

My roommate Jess and I got the same dish – a homemade pumpkin tagliatelle with a sausage and chestnut sauce.

Pumpkin tagliatelle with sausage and chestnut sauce

Tagliatelle (typically homemade, long, flat and ribbon-like) is one of my new favorite types of pasta; it comes in at a close second to tortellini.  The key is that it’s usually homemade here, arguably because it’s an easy shape to make by hand.  What makes tagliatelle stand out to me is its texture when cooked perfectly al dente (which is firmer than what is considered ‘al dente’ in the U.S.).  It’s chewy and almost a little stretchy (sounds weird, I know), and is often wonderfully paired with a meat-based bolognese sauce.  I had a homemade tagliatelle at Colline Emiliane for restaurant week too, as you may recall.

Anyway, this tagliatelle was made with pumpkin, which was unique and so delicious!  I hadn’t seen flavored pasta on a restaurant menu before, and I love pumpkin-flavored things, so I had to try it.  I also love chestnuts (roasted chestnuts by the Spanish Steps, anyone?) so this dish perfectly matched my taste buds.  It lived up to all my expectations and is one of the best pasta dishes I’ve had here.

But the meal didn’t end there.  After taking a quick look at the dessert menu, we couldn’t resist ordering the cooked pear.

Cooked pear dessert

Just look at it!  Delicious is an understatement.  It was cooked in red wine and had a soft, melt-in-your-mouth kind of texture.  Yum.  So now you know about one of my favorite meals in Italy…  I’ve only got 3 weeks left!  More on my time here coming soon :)