The day I took a picture with an Italian celebrity

Last saturday was Cart’s birthday so we decided to try to explore a little and try out a restaurant that we’ve never been to before.

Somehow we ended up in Testaccio which was not too far away from an old fireman station which I think is still functioning by the way. We weren’t very familiar with the place, but I was game to explore. Surely there must be a restaurant within walking distance.

And thus, our traverse begins. We walked past a multitude of shops, some of them common, some interesting. We walked past a couple of people quarrelling dramatically and past some tourists who wanted to head to Circo Massimo.

But after an hour and still no proper eating place, I was starting to feel hungry. And everyone knows that a hungry woman is an angry woman.

At length, we both raised our arms in the air in defeat and decided to go back to the car and make our way to a restaurant that we were familiar with. Like L’insalata Ricca or something. I was just about to open the door of the car when I noticed something.

What’s that? Is that a restaurant?

Curiosity got the better of me and we walked closer and saw a menu and a large conglomeration of people sitting down, having a meal. So it IS a restaurant! We walked for about an hour fruitlessly finding a restaurant and turns out we parked RIGHT in front of one!

In any case, the name La Fraschetta di Mastro Giorgio and it’s actually a trattoria by the way. A trattoria is less formal than a restaurant and the service casual. Nevertheless, it was a really lovely place. I admired the lovely courtyard outside all covered with grapevines. It was such a lovely shade of green, so relaxing to see. I could look out of the window all day.

And in the inside, it was not too shabby either, everything looked very rustic, from the wooden furnishings and the barrels and such. With the grapevines, country style furnishings and all, I feel as if I’m really in the countryside, even when I’m in the middle of Rome city centre.

If you were wondering why it looks quite empty inside, I suppose everyone prefers to dine in the courtyard. But its just as comfortable inside as it was air conditioned, what with having walked for an hour.

And since it was a trattoria, service was a little slow but its worth the wait as we found out, the food was as lovely as the place itself. While it’s non traditional, the pasta was really al dente and very tasty. Like my tonarelli with cozze.

There was pecorino cheese sprinkled lightly on it and I was a little surprised. There is an unwritten rule in Italy that you never add cheese to seafood pasta. But the salty pecorino cheese accompanied my tonarelli well.

While Cart had fettucine alla sorrentina.

While most places would be gentle with the basil, the sauce was generous here and I can totally detect and I love it tastes like. I love fresh pasta! And its wonderful when its freshly cooked.

For dessert I had the mint semifreddo with chocolate sauce. Semifreddo is something that I just discovered recently and I love it so much. Translated, it means half cold and it is usually made of whipped cream and you can use a variety of flavours like white chocolate, raspberries.

I had to savour this one slowly so that it doesn’t disappear before I knew it.

While Cart had a crostata with ricotta e visciole which is a type of cherry. Cart loved it. He said that it tasted very home made and was really pleased that the waiter gave him a large piece.

All of a sudden, Cart started to stare outside of the window, into the courtyard transfixed on something. And he asked me :

Cart : Hey! Look at that lady behind you. Doesn’t she look like someone you know?

I noticed a young woman in a blue dress winding and tying the straps of her purse on the chair.

Me : Who? She?

Cart : Now imagine her with two guns

Me : Two guns? She looks nothing like Lady Gaga

Cart : Oh come on, you know, the comedian playing Lara Croft

Me : Oh! Sabrina Impacciatore! Dont say guns! Say pistols! You made me imagine an Uzi Bra. But anyway no, I don’t think it looks like her.

Cart starts to whip out his phone and search on google mobile

Cart : See! Her nose is the same shape and the hairstyle is exactly the same.

The woman enters and we both hear her ask the waiter audibly where the bathroom was.

Me : It sounds like her. But I’m doubtful. Why would a celebrity eat here? It’s weird to have them to go to places that we regular people do.

Cart : Why cant they? You like this place right? So they come here to enjoy because they like it here too

Me : Since you’re so adamant about it, I challenge you to go up to her and say hi and ask if it IS her. And take a picture or something.

Cart : Ok. I will.

*snaps a picture*

Doh!