food in Rome – a dissapointment ?

buying ice-cream in Rome
Although I didn’t like the food in general when I visited Rome, the ice-cream proved the exception. Countless flavours and combinations, rich textures and crunchy cones made e perfect combination.
One of the great things to experience when traveling is eating the local food. It doesn’t matter if eating in a restaurant or having a quick bite on the street, the food from a new city can leave a lasting impression. You can find delicious, tasty food that leaves memories for a long time, and this adds a lot to the whole experience.

A lot of people think about travel in terms of ‘seeing’. yet it is a far more rich experience when you can immerse completely in a new environment. And when ‘seeing’ is replaced by ‘doing’. Whether it’s eating the local food, dancing in the local clubs, diving, trekking, getting lost in the old town – it adds a whole new dimension to a trip.

National Geographic, Discovery Chanel, BBC – all are great ate conveying the look (most often breathtaking!) of a certain place well enough. But it’s impossible to capture the smells, the tastes, the sounds of a certain place.

IMG_5656.jpgI really enjoy tasting the local food – I make a point of going to local markets (when I find them) and eating from small vendors on the streets. And so I had pretty big expectations from Rome. Maybe other parts of Italy will offer me what Rome lacked, but lacking it did. Street food – non-existent. Restaurant dining – complete failure. Pizzas – I’ve had better back home. Yet there is one saving grace – the ice-cream. Ice cream is wonderful – it’s creamy, tasty, and comes in more varieties than I ever found anywhere. Apple with cinnamon ice-cream? Yes please! So for me the ice-cream is the defining thing about Roman cuisine. Forget ‘Bucatini all’Amatriciana’ – gelato is the king.

To be fair, i also found some good food in Rome – Chinese and Arab though… However, I intend to study a bit more the Italian cuisine next time, and I will be glad to post a positive food review.

Until then, enjoy these photos – restaurants, deli shops, ice cream parlors. Bon apetit!

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