Osteria La Sol Fa

We went on a Thursday evening, San Lorenzo area near Porta Maggiore. A quiet neighborhood, you can eat outside too and it's pleasant.

Their motto is "cucina romana de famija" and well, it's not just marketing. They really do it. Short menu, four dishes per course plus a few off-menu specials. Better that way.

We pretty much tried all the classic Roman pastas and they absolutely nail it. The gricia is among the best I've had in Rome, period. Perfect balance between guanciale, pecorino and pasta. It's incredibly difficult to get it right like this.

Carbonara equally excellent, even though they use tagliolini which is a risky choice. But it works, everything's well-bound and the ingredients are top-notch. The guanciale isn't crispy, it's softer, but let's say they stick to their family tradition rather than chasing current trends. Fair enough.

The amatriciana a step down. Good, don't get me wrong, just that they use fresh tomato and for me that doesn't win the day. I'm old school on this one.

Oh, and the tiramisu. They make it with a crumble on top and hazelnut cream underneath. Nice idea, only it came out too sweet, missing that bitter coffee note that ties everything together. But that's just taste.

61 euros for two, around 30 each. For what you eat and how well it's prepared, it's all fair. It's not one of those places in the center that hits you with absurd prices.

Will I go back? Yes, in fact I've already gone back in my head. As long as they keep up this level.