Alex S.
Yelp
The first time I saw this place was at night in the rain after the longest two-hour flight from Paris that mankind has ever known: its soft yellow lights shining like a beacon of salvation in the mist and fog, awaiting strangers in the night who somehow stumbled upon the welcoming facade. They could have served cat food that evening and I probably would have thought it was the greatest food I had ever had. In reality, this place came recommended from our hotel and it was so wonderful that our group came back a couple of nights later to try some other things on the menu. That's a testament to their abilities to prepare amazing meals and deliver them with equally impressive service: in a city with as many restaurants as this one, coming to the same one twice in the same trip must mean these folks are doing several things correctly.
The place can actually be a little tricky to find. There's a swath of greenery overtaking the name of the establishment on the building so if you're looking for it in the dark like we were, you might want to bring a flashlight or a flare gun, whatever works best. Maybe hedge trimmers. And even when you do find it, it isn't anything spectacular in the "looks department." Two dining rooms on both sides of the building with a kitchen and an ordering station sitting right smack in the center. The dining rooms get crowded fast so if you're not up for socializing with your dining partners whom you have never met until they were seated down next to you, you better overcome your social anxieties.
So now that you've officially gotten over how small the place is and how chances are good you'll be able to tell if your dining neighbors showered that morning, it's time to turn our attention to the best points here: the staff and the menu.
We had the same server both nights and he was a study in delivering a memorable experience. He could jump back and forth between Italian (for the locals) and English (for the tourists... hello) like nothing, and he knew the admittedly lengthy menu better than most people I know who have spent years working in the restaurant industry. I believe he said they had Peroni (because there is not a single business in the city that does not have at least 17 Peroni bottles nearby) but wine is the way to go. I couldn't tell you what we got but a bottle of red and a bottle of rose later and we were loving this place even more. The waiter recommended both and hats off to him and his tastes.
Your food "staples" are here - lasagna (vegetarian and meat-based), tortelli (which was so tasty I considered writing this entire review on this dish alone), ravioli, salads, etc. You know what to expect here but I'm willing to bet you the one token green wooden cat they have on the wall right when you walk in surrounded by about six other plain brown wooden cats that you don't know these dishes like these gentlemen serve. Everyone cleaned their plates, and I shamefully thought about licking mine.
For the more esoteric and adventurous diner, or for the person who likes to brag about "crazy" stuff they have eaten, there are a few other, uh, "unique" choices. I had ox tail and fried lamb's brain on two different occasions. I did not see anyone in the restaurant on either visit eating these dishes, and that's a shame because they are quite good! What started out as ignorant bravado on my part ("How many times can you tell someone 'Yeah, I ate fried lamb's brain'? Facebook will love it, and my friends will love me! Validation!!!") turned out to be a brilliant stroke of luck as these dishes rank among the best meals I've had in the weeks I've spent in Europe.
Of course, there's dessert to take in, too, and if you can get beyond the tiramisu and the pistachio creme brulee(!), then you are a far better person than I because there are other tasty treats on the dessert menu that escape my mind at the moment.
I want to say there was a restaurant from years ago that had the slogan "Come hungry, leave happy." Shoot, maybe that's used today. I don't know. I do know that it would easily apply here. Enjoy the staff, take in the company (as well as the glorious murals and selection of books in the corner of the right dining room), and eat well. It's all too easy, even if you had to wander in the rain to find the place.