A short trip on the metro from Cavour to Piramide brings us to the Testaccio area where we intend to spend the morning foodie shopping. First stop is the cute Emporio delle Spezie which seems to stock every spice you can think of plus a selection of teas.
Then on to the area once occupied by the old slaughterhouses which now houses the MACRO art exhibition space as well as BioMercato, an organic supermarket. We know we are heading in the right direction when we see the tip of 'Bambu' - a huge art installation at MACRO.
We sit with a coffee and watch families enjoying this sunny Saturday morning. Deck chairs are pulled together in groups, children play & everyone seems to have bulging bags of fresh produce which I imagine they will turn in to delicious dishes.
Next stop is the covered Testaccio market where we are delighted to find friselle - an ingredient needed for a recipe we want to try later in the week.
Lunch today is at Trapizzino & we enjoy their namesake filled sandwich pockets. My Other Half, who has already wolfed down the spicy beef, feels he must try the tripe filling.......when in Rome. Somehow think this will be the one & only time he opts for this particular Roman delicacy!
We decide to walk back via the Aventine and take in the view from the keyhole then to the Rose Garden. This is such a lovely time of year to visit as the roses are at their very best.
This area is very popular for weddings and we see three today.
We had planned to visit the Circo Massimo market but the sky had turned very threatening so we decided to head back to the metro and our apartment.
After the storm passes we do a little shopping on Via Serpenti then head out to our neighbourhood bar for aperitivo.
Dinner tonight is at Urbana 47. As soon as we walk in we know we are going to like this place, especially the mismatched furniture and super friendly staff.
We are lucky enough to be seated with a ringside view of the kitchen.
All the food and wine served here originates in Lazio. The menu choice isn't huge (another plus in our eyes) but each dish that we ordered was beyond delicious. The bollito deserves a special mention - beautifully tender shreds of beef served with potato & zucchini with a hint of lemon running through.
One last glass of wine on the terrace & the end of another day in the Eternal City.
