Ambiance/Service * Food * Overall * Price *
Salita Dei Crescenzi, 31 Tel. 06.68803034
One afternoon, having succumbed to a traveller’s cold, we found ourselves in need of nourishment without the will to cook. The night before we had passed Armando al Pantheon and checked for an available table: they were full up. The place has that typical Roman ambiance and an attractive menu that sticks in the mind; we thus returned for lunch and found one open table.
It turned out to be a charming restaurant, one room, with high ceilings and a clear view into the kitchen. Armando is also listed in the Slow Food guide to Italian osteria. We had but two pasta dishes–spaghetti with truffles (19 euros) and ravioli al Armando (9 euros) and both were excellent. The spaghetti a very simple preparation of dried pasta perfectly cooked al dente with olive oil, salt, and shaved truffles. The ravioli a delicious construction with champignones and a light-handed cream sauce with cheese.
A second visit again proved the primi to be of unwavering, very good quality, freshly prepared, through the secondi—as is so often the case—fell somewhat short. Three of us enjoyed the Spaghetti alla Claudio (with garlic, extra virgin olive oil, mushrooms, and saffron), Cicoria in padella (as a contorni), and Scamorza al tartufo, though the Anatra alle prugne (Duck with plum) left much to be desired—dry and uninspired.
