Pleasant House

I’ve started digging into my piles of ancient, film-type photographs in my quest to scan them, turning them into the digital form which everyone is so accustomed to. It’s hard to believe that only a few years ago I was still using real film and video tape. A part of me still thinks that film looks better, but that’s neither here nor there.

I was particularly excited when I got to some photos from a Roman Osteria Chelsea and I went to called Betto e Mary. We were in Rome only for a couple of days and of course we had to try some AUTHENTIC Roman cuisine. Luckily, the man who rented us our room was friends with the people at Betto e Mary and arranged reservations for us. I would have to say that this experience is one of the greatest restaurant experiences of my life.

The restaurant was a pretty decent walk.  We had to cut through a couple of residential neighborhoods in order to get there.  The restaurant is very casual–gritty in fact.  Our waiter was hilarious.  He walked around the room strumming on his guitar, sitting next to customers, creating a fun party-like atmosphere.

I knew we were in the right place when he sat at our table and said that he was expecting us.  He said, “so, you like to eat?”  Well, that goes without saying.  Then he said, “O.k. I’ll bring you food.  If you don’t like it, send it back.”  This is too good to be true!  Sure enough, the entire meal was like a culinary epiphany.  It completely blew our minds.  Food was coming out on wooden plates and something immediately clicked in my mind.  We were eating real Roman food.  No, not just real Roman food, ancient Roman food–1000 year old recipes maybe.  We wanted to savor every moment.

At that time, I wasn’t the culinary photog that I make myself out to be so I didn’t take any pictures of the food.  Honestly, they probably would have thrown me out if I did.  So when we got back to our room, my mind was spinning with all of the amazing food we tried.  The best line of the evening was that of our waiter when he brought out our first plate.  He said, “I’ll tell which animal you are eating, after you eat, I’ll tell you which part…”  What an adventure!  Parts identification turned out to not be necessary as many of the dishes spoke for themselves.  Intestines looked like intestines, kidneys looked like kidneys, tail looked like tail and stomach looked like–you guessed it, stomach.

The meats and organs were rich and tender from hours of slow cooking and their unctuous depth was enhanced by the aroma of a few simple herbs like mint and rosemary.  A simple home made spaghetti came tossed with a sweetbread sauce which seemed like nothing more than pureed sweetbreads with some fresh artichoke, a spike of lemon juice and a grate of nutmeg.  Combination platters just don’t seem the same after that.

One of the big draws at Betto e Mary is their wood grill.  It’s essentially a brick oven with a special grate for grilling on.  There were all kinds of meat skewers being grilled up in addition to fresh mushrooms and steaks.

Since, ironically, we had a limited menu I can’t really speak for many of the other specialties that Betto e Mary is known for.  So, I pulled up a couple of anectodes online: Brendan Eats and Drinks in Italy: A US Man’s Wine and Food Adventures in the Bel Paese.

“This place is a little out of the way from the city center in Rome’s Casilino neighborhood, but certainly worth the trip. Let me warn you, it is not for the faint of heart. Many of the dishes consist of animal parts that normal people would not even think of eating. As soon as you sit down, the wait staff sits down at your table with you and starts making fun of you while they take your order. In fact, it is not uncommon to ask for something and be told you cannot have it. It’s part of their theme, so don’t be offended. The walls are decorated with funny posters, such as a tie rack labeled “please leave tie here as they are not allowed in the restaurant”. Instead of “no smoking”, it says “they even took that away from us” over the crossed-out cigarette symbol and another one stating that they only serve mad cow. The bathroom says “cesso” on the door, which is the Roman equivalent of “sh-thouse”.

The Carbonara Vegetariana (see Spaghetti alla Carbonara, but substitute the eggs with zucchini) is my favorite first dish, but the Pajata (see above) is good too. They are equipped with a huge grill which is visible when you walk in, so needless to say this is a meatlovers paradise. As far as main dishes go, I always get the fegatelli (grilled liver with bay leaves) and granelli (fried bull testicles). Yes, I was skeptical at first but they are actually really good. Anything grilled like sausage, chicken, and steak is also a safe bet. The Misto Romano (“Roman Mix”) is a big hit, but I couldn’t even tell you what is in it. I think I recognized oxtail and intestines. The house wine is not so good, and they will make fun of you if you ask to see the wine list. However, they do have a few good wines. We got the Casale del Giglio Antinoo white, and Shiraz red. The white went very well with the bull testicles and the red was perfect for the grilled meats. It gets packed, so it is best to book the afternoon before.”

Eurocheapo: We’ve Been There writes:

Ultra Roman Dining at Betto e Mary in Casilino-Mandrione

“The slum-ridden Casilino-Mandrione neighborhood was once home to a bedraggled collection of gypsies, prostitutes, and violent criminals. It was such a zone of desperation that Pasolini turned to Madrione when he wanted to capture utter squalor. These days, the ‘hood is on the upswing. While (gratefully) far from any sort of SoHo makover, Mandrione has developed into a vibrant working-class area. It’s solidly Roman—dialect included—with the Felice Acqueduct (see above) running straight down its middle for extra authenticity.

At local restaurant Betto e Mary (Via dei Savorgnan, 99. Tel. 0645421780) you’ll find it next to impossible to spend over €15. No ties are allowed; in fact, all ties are confiscated at the door. The friendly waiters have a penchant for cows, and jokingly alert customers to the use of Mucca Pazza (mad cow) meat on the premises. Enjoy heaping piles of grilled meat of all kinds, pasta trios, and classic Roman cuisine at prices you’ll swear they’ve miscalculated.

Betto e Mary is definitely worth the trek. Booking is essential.”

Now I know what they mean they say, “When in Rome…”  They mean, go to Betto e Mary!