Visits by mr-foodoso at Flavio Al Velavevodetto

Second time at Flavio al Velavevodetto, in Testaccio. That says it all, really.

Let's start with the tonnarelli cacio e pepe, because anything else would be a crime. Nearly perfect. The cream had just the right consistency, that silky thing that either works or it doesn't, and here it works. Maybe it could use a touch more pepper, but we're really splitting hairs here. The only "flaw" is that the portion was generous. Well, some flaw that is.

The amatriciana — rigatoni — that's another matter entirely. Genuine, sure, plenty of sauce, but it doesn't quite envelop you the way it should. The guanciale was quality stuff, no question, but there wasn't quite enough of it. The pecorino a bit shy too. Good, but it doesn't grab you by the throat the way the cacio e pepe does.

The appetizers: the puntarelle, crispy and flavorful, nothing to complain about. The carciofo alla giudia, though, had an aesthetic problem — the leaves not quite open, looked like a slightly wilted sunflower — but the taste was there. The frying was just a touch greasy, outer leaves crispy, tender inside. And there were two of them, small but two, while at other tables we spotted bigger ones served solo. Pass.

Oh, and dessert — mascarpone with chocolate, call it what you will but it's not tiramisu, and rightly so. Excellent anyway.

Fourteen euros for the pasta courses. For Rome, for this quality, for these honest places that aren't tourist traps through and through — it checks out.

We'll be back. Make a reservation.

We went to Velavevodetto after reading a bunch of positive reviews. Testaccio, the right neighborhood for authentic Roman food. The place is nice, that much needs to be said right away: prestigious bottles everywhere, floor-to-ceiling windows overlooking the shards of Monte dei Cocci. The atmosphere works.

We started with the carbonara and it left me a bit underwhelmed. They used rigatone and in my opinion that was the wrong call—fettuccine works better. The portion was huge, the pasta cooked perfectly al dente, but here's the thing: where there's no guanciale it tastes almost bland. When you hit them together it's a different story, because the guanciale is cut thick and crispy, killer on the outside and tender inside with great flavor. The cream has good consistency but look, the dish is uneven—some bites are spot-on, others just meh.

The carciofo alla giudia, though, that was excellent. Crispy outside, tender inside, flavorful as it should be. The fettuccine with artichokes, guanciale, and pecorino were also very good.

The tiramisu was a surprise. Substantial, with chunks of dark chocolate and biscuit inside, sweet but not cloying. Perfect consistency, it doesn't sit heavy in your stomach.

One thing that didn't work for me: the service. Efficient, yes, precise too, but cold. For a place this Roman I was expecting more warmth, more conversation. Instead, nothing.

At 26€ per person I'd say it's fair, though to get five stars those little details are missing. The carbonara needs work and the service needs to warm up. But I'd go back.