If you are ever craving for battered fish in Rome, there is a popular Roman version of fish (without the chips) called Filetti di Baccala.
Filetti di baccala is made of salted cod, which is rinsed and coated in batter and then deep fried. One of the oldest joint in Rome that serves it, that I know of is Dar Filettaro. It’s been around so long that whenever we are here, Cart would always talk about it fondly, recounting of his school days when he was here with his classmates.
I’ve been here a number of times and to me is a respite after you’ve explored the area around Campo De’ Fiori. Do take note that they are only open after 5pm and closed on Sundays.
Dar Filettaro is a modest but cozy place. If you’re seated inside, you’ll see plentiful of paintings, peppered with a number of charming Roman sayings like, “A Roma se magna cosi“. You could even be lucky enough to see the cooks hard at work, coating the fish with batter.
The atmosphere here is busy, but friendly and you should be able to get a table even without a reservation if you’re willing to wait a little.
When I had dinner here with Juli, we managed to score a seating outside. It was a lovely experience dining al-fresco, being surrounded by the charisma of the architectures around us. It was so romantic. Coupled by the fact that it happened to be that we were serenaded by a cello player that night.
The food here costs about 5 euro each. Depending on what you eat, normally you’d spend about 15 euro a person for a fillet, a side dish and a drink.
It doesn’t take long for your dishes to arrive. And here were some of the items that we had :
Mixed cheese
White beans
Fried Zucchini
Mushroom in vinegar
Personally, I thought that apart from the cheese, the side dishes were a little bland and needed a touch of salt. Nevertheless, they were acceptable and I particularly liked the freshly made fried zucchini.
But in a way, I suppose that the simpleness of the side dishes pairs well with the filetti di baccala.
It’s a delight to sink the mouth in. It’s freshly fried. The delicious aroma wafts. The batter is crunchy, and the cod is slightly salty but never overwhelming. It’s chewy soft and warm and satisfying.
By the way, when in Rome, it is to be eaten as it is, be it for take away or dining in. It’s so good that you don’t even need additional condiments such as ketchup or chilli sauce 😉
Dar Filettaro
Largo dei Librari, 88,
186 Roma
I MISS THIS!!
Then come back to Rome 😛