Staying at our nearby favourite hotel in Rome, Donna Camilla Savelli, we had often walked past Osteria Número 6, but feeling weary after a long days sightseeing together with shopping on via del Corso, we thought this Monday night we would give this unpretentious little Osteria a try. As we like to eat early 6:30 we found nona outside smoking ( won't those Italians ever learn? ) she welcomed us and said of course it was not too early. She then went next door to rustle up her daughter to take our order, her grandughter, waiting for her boyfriend, was already eating calamari rings at a nearby table so she obviously likes to dine early too.
Allora, the daughter duly arrived with the menus and recommended nona's home made lasagna assuring me that nona had made it " from beginning to end".I love lasagne so that was my order while my wife ordered the sea bass ( all fish in Europe seems to be sea bass)
After a short while two complimentary bruschettas arrived then soon after the lasagna and the sea bass. The lasagne was served in its own pot and honestly this was the best lasagna I have ever eaten. Creamy, delicious and with the most amazing sauce. It was definitely home made and undoubtedly by nona. 10/10
Now for the dolce. For me an Italian restaurant is judged by the quality and deliciousness of it s tiramisu. Having eaten many tiramisu throughout Italy and all parts of the world they are judged by the benchmark for me the tiramisu offered at Tratorria alla Madonna in Venice, yes Venice! Well surely nona's must be better . The daughter hesitatingly said yes, but she would bring a tray of the dolce out for us to choose. Well out came the tray with 5 dolci all looking like " the ones I had prepared earlier" in this case a lot earlier, including the tiramisu. It appeared so ordinary in its little glass bowl and after the brilliant lasagna surely nona didn't make this ( I discoverd later the daughter had made it ) Being an addict I just had to try the sad looking tiramisu. Very ordinary is the only way to describe the taste, none of that beautiful strong coffee and Marsala flavour, a very thin base and the cream well just cream. What a disappointment. So nona no question a 10 for the lasagna, but sadly only a 4 for the tiramisu. read more