Dino Paolini, truffle “pusher,” stopped by the famous Forno Roscioli while I was there for a late lunch yesterday in Rome.
Although an ancient Roman instituion, Roscioli is part of a new and growing trend of “salumi bars” in major Italian cities, where a wine bar experience is enhanced by a focus on extreme cheese and charcuterie selections.
The cheese and salumi sampler featured pecorino from Etna infused with saffron and mortadella studded with black truffles. See what I mean by extreme? (More on the Roman love affair with mortadella later today if I have time.)
The prices were extreme, too, and the attitude precious.
I was happy to get to drink at least one locally produced wine on its by-the-glass list (the only one), Cesanese del Piglio by Casale della Ioria, one of my favorite producers. In the hour or so that I was there, I heard retail customers ask for “heavily barriqued Merlot” (a Friulian man), “Ca’ Marcanda” (German tourists), and “Hofstätter” (a Venetian or otherwise Veneta lady, couldn’t quite place the exact cadence).
In other news…
Please indulge me by checking out this photo, of which I am extremely proud, snapped yesterday at the amazing E.U.R. of Rome.
I thoroughly enjoyed my walking tour of the neighborhood (my first time there). James Taylor takes the prize for best pun, Sounds like EUR having a good time…
Thanks for reading, everyone, and for all the great comments… Please stay tuned… The next leg of the trip is going to be a whopper…
Do Bianchi 
I am a fan of Roscioli and think you have to know what to order to be happy there. And they definitely have an attitude, which I find at many Roman (maybe even Italian) places – if you are a regular, you get waaaay better treatment. The problem is the first encounter, which can completely put you off and thus keep you from becoming a regular. This wednesday morning I was there to talk about a couple of things and make some reservations and the “wrong” people (staff/family) were there – for the first time after 3 years I was annoyed by the place. Am sending 2 different clients there tonight and am a bit afraid – but usually the waiters are great, that is my hope!
Maybe I just got lucky, or perhaps I’m just a charming bastard, but my first visit to Roscioli was incredible. An awesome Gravner, an impressive array of Italian and Spanish hams and meats, great fresh cheeses from Campagnia, above average beef, and some tasty Barolo. The pastas were very good, though perhaps not quite as good as their reputation suggests. They even comp’ed a couple of items, including a fabulous rum and dessert wine.
I’ve never eaten there but I love their wine selection. They have always been helpful with suggestions. It’s near my house and the place I go to pick up wine for dinner parties/gifts.
I hope you had a great trip!
I’ve eaten at Roscioli a bunch of times and I completely agree with Hande on these points: “you have to know what to order to be happy there” and “if you are a regular, you get waaaay better treatment”. For a place of Roscioli’s stature, this is not cool. There are far too many excellent restaurants in Rome that treat their clients, regulars and otherwise, with respect while simultaneously serving consistently stellar food…which is why I dont eat at Roscioli any more. Thankfully, their bakery on Via Chiavari is down to earth with outgoing and kind staff.
Great photos and I do like their pizza. EUR is very strange. It always makes me feel somewhat uncomfortable although your photo is architecturally lovely. Casale della Ioria is one of my favorite Cesanese del Piglio wines. Have you tried others, Marco Carpineto? His are expensive but interesting. Sounds like you are on a fantastic trip. Have fun. Avvinare.
thanks, everyone, for the great comments. Just a quick clarification: I was treated very well by the staff at Roscioli. I actually went there in the early evening and they seated me at the counter before they started serving and got me a glass of Timorasso. When I asked my server to open a new bottle of Cesanese for me, he said he was happy to (I didn’t want the one open from the night before). I just found that the attitude was precious in the sense that it was “affected” (Italian speakers will get my pun!). Reading this thread, it occurs to me: wouldn’t it be awesome if everyone here could have dinner there together one night?
@Avvinare I’ll look for Carpineto for sure!
Yes, I understand you completely #affected – actually I even think I know which waiter gave you that treatment – curly short brown hair (as opposed to the long black curls) and a 3-day-beard, right? :) Good idea with a dinner get together!