Zi' Umberto (Rome)

Have you ever been to Rome? I just came back from my second visit, and I am already dying to go back. The first time was three years ago, too late in my life, I think. It’s never to early to visit Rome, and it will never bee too many times.

I have several Italian friends, and one of them, Fabrizio Lupi, from Casa Fabri, is a fantastic cook, a well known local foodie and an even better wine connoisseur. That said, any recommendation from Fabri has to be taken seriously. 

So back then in my first time in Rome, Fabri recommended this little family restaurant, in the heart of the famous Trastevere neighbourhood. Back then we fell in love immediately. We visited the “ostaria” four times throughout the four days of our trip. Honestly I didn’t find any comparable eatery in Rome. Needless to say that I haven’t tried all the eateries in Rome…

In any case, it was for me a must to go back to Zi’ Umberto this time, to check if the reality was attuned with my memories. 

The very best way to get there is walking. Rome needs to be walked. A long and relaxing walk through the narrow, astonishing beautiful little streets that conform Trastevere neighbourhood, full of cafés, restaurants, little artistry shops, tourists (that’s a given), curiosa and overall a decadent charm… and at the very end of the morning end up in this osteria, is indeed a gift of life.

It was a beautiful day, first of October, and we were even lucky to arrive a bit “late” for Italian lunch standards, so we didn’t have a long wait. The restaurant was nevertheless still full. We got our place in the terrace in a couple of minutes, as we were only two. There were a couple of groups of people that needed to wait longer. 

We wouldn’t have minded to get a spot indoors, with its cozy ambiance, Italian traditional charm, far away from excess and luxuries. Very homey. But even inside the restaurant was really full.

The restaurant is full of Romans. Which is undoubtedly a sign of the authenticity and quality of the food, far away of being a “tourist trap”. In the very same little square there are two eateries more, also with locals, but at this late hour you could see a couple of empty tables in the terrace, and no queue. Another good sign that we made the right choice. 

Before having a look at the menu, we ordered house white wine, and water - which were served shortly after, together with some Italian bread. 

The menu hasn’t changed in these three years. Only the “specials” change, from season to season. I was looking forward to order “caciofi alla giudia” (deep fried artichokes), but artichokes are a Winter vegetable. So we place our bets on “fiori di zucca” (deep fried zucchini flowers - yes, flowers!), “ciufferti fritti” (deep fried baby calamari) and “porcini alla griglia” (grilled mushrooms), to share. As a main I ordered pasta “caccio & peppe” (cheese and pepper) and my friend D ordered carbonara.

After we ordered, which took a bit long as they were really busy (but who’s in a hurry in Rome?), the first dish that landed on our table were the zucchini flowers. I was curious as I had never tried such dish even though I had heard wonders. These particularly were stuffed with bechamel and anchovy, with a thick tempura. I don’t have a reference point to compare, but they were very good for a first time experience. The only “but” is, maybe, they had a bit too much mass around them, for my taste.

The baby calamari were really good - I have tried them before even in Spain, and their strong point was that, precisely, they weren’t covered in too much mass, which made them very light yet crunchy, 

Then it was the time of the mushrooms. I must warn you, I love all sorts of mushrooms, cooked in any way.  These were grilled to perfection. Amazing taste. Incredible texture. We only ordered one plate to share. Should have I known, I would have ordered just the porcini. 

But we still had the pasta to come. I made a mental note to eat porcini again in this trip.

And then it was the turn of the pasta. During these past three years, I have been dreaming of Zi’ Umberto’s caccio & peppe. I must say, cooking cacao peppe (and carbonara) at home is very easy, and I have done it regularly with notorious success. However, eating traditional pasta under the Roman sun, with good wine and best friends is exceptional. Do you agree?

The pasta was excellent as expected, even better.

As you can imagine, after all that food, it was imposible to think on anything else than having a good siesta. So we decided to take a pass on the desserts (although I know for a fact that the tiramisu here is to die for - home made, obviously!).

So it was time to know the damage. Which, in this case, it’s almost good news. After eating better than the Queen of Spain, we paid a total of - take a guess? Less than 30 Euro per person!! It felt like a steal, after such amount of good wine (we ended up drinking one and a half flasks) and excellent food. Hard to beat nowadays.

 As said: when you go to Rome, even if for one day, you need to drop by Zi’ Umberto. Excellent food, full of locals, incredible prices and in a perfect location. Ideal for lunch or for dinner. Word.

It’s a must.

Osteria da Zi' Umberto

Piazza di S. Giovanni della Malva, 14, 00153 Roma, Italia