Jade V.
Yelp
On our last night in Rome, we decided to go for something a little different and go for some quinto quarto (that is, offal), steps away from the statue of Pasquino. Since all of the patio seats were taken, we grabbed an indoor seat and were quickly served.
Their pâté comes highly praised, and of course we had to try some. Since it costs about 7.50 Euros for a slab of individual pâté, the mixed pâté of 3 types is the way to go! Each slab of pâté is about the volume of a slice of bread, and you get a plate of (crispy, hard) bread to go with it too. Personally, I preferred spreading it onto the soft (complimentary!) bread that automatically gets sent to the table upon being seated. There's also a super mixed pâté with all 8 types, but you'd probably need copious stomach room or dining friends--the pâté is pretty rich!
One of the first challenges you'll face at Cul de Sac is the "wine bible." Sorted per Italian region, the restaurant offers literally hundreds of wines (1500+, according to their website; in rosso, bianco, rosato, spumante, and champagne). The servers know how to pour a glass of wine for the table (e.g., offer a tasting, then pour for the table), which was charming considering we were there feeling anything but fancy. Speaking of which, the servers were attentive and helpful, in a brusque kind of way. Oh, and they were willing to give the wifi password!
As for the quinto quarto: We ordered the oxtail vaccinara style (coda alla vaccinara) and tripe Roman style (trippa alla romana). The oxtail was a generous, soft, fatty, fall-off-the-bone plate of beef--but I hesitate to call it beef because its flavor is so unique, unlike any other I've had before. As for the tripe, it's a stew rich in tomato, garlic, and onion, simmered for hours until the tripe is milkshake-like in consistency and melts in your mouth, served with some hard cheese grated over the top. As with pretty much everything else in this joint, it's rich and will leave your holding your belly in incredulous satisfaction when you leave.\
Their 75 cl of beer wasn't bad either--a white beer called Theresianer that went down pretty smoothly and went alright with the rich meats. A pitcher of still water is 1.10 Euro.
I have to admit, I'm super impressed with Cul de Sac. It could have been the trappiest of tourist traps, but I got what I came for with some surprises along the way. What more could I possibly ask for?