Visits by Mr. Foodoso at Trattoria L'avvolgibile

It was our second time there. The first visit had left us with some doubts, so we went back on July 30th just to settle our curiosity — especially about the carbonara.

I'll start with the zucchini blossoms because there's nothing to debate there: two flowers for €4, large, fully open, with proper frying technique. The mozzarella was present, you could taste the flower. Fair enough. I reorder those every time without thinking twice.

The supplì is another story. Good, sure, but the rice was a touch dry and the exterior crispness could've been better. Not a memorable supplì, let's say an honest one.

The carbonara — the reason for our return — improved compared to the first visit, that much is fair to say. The guanciale was well-prepared, the egg coating worked. Except the spaghetti were slightly overcooked and you could barely taste the pepper. Better, but not the kind that sticks with you.

The cacio e pepe with tonnarelli was a bit dry. It needed more pecorino, more creaminess. Good but falls short of expectations for that particular dish.

One nice touch: they bring the coffee in a moka. A small gesture, but it tells you something about where they stand.

The service — one guy handling all the tables — was attentive and engaging, nothing to complain about.

€40 for two, so around €20 each. For Rome, for what we ate, that works.

Oh, looking at the other tables we spotted a huge cotoletta and some fish dishes that looked interesting. Maybe next time we'll venture beyond the classic Roman fare.

We went there with the family the other evening, lured by online rankings that place their carbonara among Rome's best. We wanted to see for ourselves.

The place is tiny, retro style, no frills. Friendly service, genuine trattoria atmosphere. We started with antipasti: good supplì, generously filled with tomato and basil that really hits the spot, though the breading was a bit soggy. Too bad. The zucchini blossoms, on the other hand, nothing to complain about.

On to the first courses, which are their strong suit. The carbonara is very good, creamy, with plenty of well-prepared guanciale. But. The spaghetti was slightly overcooked for my taste, and there was this acidic note from the pepper that got tiresome after a while. Let's say it's good but could be better, not Rome's best as they claim.

Surprise: the amatriciana was even better. Rich, flavorful, well-balanced. That one I really enjoyed. My wife had fettuccine with artichokes, guanciale and pecorino and let me taste some: those were excellent too.

Then came the disaster: the tiramisu at 7 euros. A slab of sponge cake with traces—literally traces—of cream. Embarrassing for a place like this.

Nice touch: the coffee arrives at your table with the moka pot. Pure vintage.

In short, I'd go back tomorrow for the first courses. For the rest, skip it, especially since the prices aren't exactly trattoria-level. Thirty-four euros per person all told—which is fair enough for top-notch first courses, but don't ask for dessert.