via Madonna dei Monti 16
tel. 06 6798643
closed tuesdays
price: 25-40 euro/person
rating: 4/5 stars

A stone's throw from the forum you might be forgiven for thinking this place is a tourist trap, but far from it. In a space that traded hands every few years, it is finally in the capable control of a four generation family of Lazio restaurateurs. To call it a taverna is to be quite modest as it teeters on the edge of being a top-class restaurant. Fortunately not, as the prices are quite reasonable for both the freshness of the ingredients and the skill of preparation.

Particularly recommended: the caponata, a sicilian eggplant dish that is perhaps the best expression of eggplant to be found, and at the Taverna they are masterful at preparing it. A perennial pasta favorite of ours is the orecchiette with ciccoria and 'nduja (a spicy soft sausage from Calabria that will satisfy all you lovers of piccante). Being good Romans, their meat dishes always have a few odd bits for the adventurous, such as suckling pig livers or oxtails, but don't be scared, there's also fine Tuscan steaks from the Maremma. Moving on to desert they make a great custard (zabbaione), something difficult to find in Rome.

A note to the wise: be careful to specify exactly what you want for your antipasto, unless that's all you want to eat. If you take a "facciamo noi" (we'll do it), well this family of cooks loves to eat, and they will make you an antipasto of staggering proportions. In fact, if you tend towards nibbling lots of different things, it is highly recommended, otherwise not as you won't even be able to go on to the first course!

Second note, beware of the last back room off to the side, they are cat lovers, and taking care of strays they sometimes let them sleep inside at night. Sorry to say I have noticed a faint whiff of cat wee in the very back room (but nowhere else). Come to think of it though, it smelled better than a lot of what passes as cologne these days...