Giano

"What were your first impressions when you arrived? A glamorous, atmospheric eatery inside the W Rome, opulently decorated with pastel-coloured velvet couches, low lighting and wooden walls, serving Sicilian fare on brightly-coloured plates. What’s the crowd like? Young professionals enjoying the two-course (+ coffee), 22 Euro lunch menu. What should we be drinking? There’s a solid cocktail list, with names like ‘wake up call’ (Belvedere Vodka, Vanilla Ice Cream, Espresso Coffee, Italian Amaro) and ‘working hard’ (Campari, Red Ancho Reyes, Cocchi Red Vermouth, Agave, Del Maguey Vida Mezcal). It’s not cheap; they’ll set you back 20 Euros; martinis, classic cocktails, and even mocktails all come in at 18 Euros. Main event: the food. Give us the lowdown—especially what not to miss. The menu skews Sicilian, with dishes like fennel and orange salad, and pasta with fried eggplant, tomato and salted ricotta, all served on brightly colored plates. They also do a plentiful happy hour menu with great snacks like fried calamari and hot sauce; sesame sandwiches with fried chickpeas; toast with anchovies, plus a selection of tacos with Italian fillings. Come by on Sunday for their popular family-friendly brunch which has a buffet of grilled fish skewers, tomato and mozzarella rice balls; roasted lamb shank and couscous, plus a selection of very good desserts. And how did the front-of-house folks treat you? Attentive, international, multi-lingual and swift on the table service. Empty plates and glasses are whisked away, replaced with new ones almost immediately. What’s the real-real on why we’re coming here? A place that feels new and fresh for when you’re tired of trattorias." - Maresa Manara