Osteria St. Ana, Rome

The Italians know a thing or two about food, they are renown the world over for their dishes, for the care of and use of fresh, tasty local ingredients. However, in common with the rest of the world, they are more than happy to take advantage of tourists with lazy, poor quality, expensive fayre situated within a stone's throw of major tourist attractions. A lesson I know take with me everywhere is: Never eat or drink at an establishment on the edge of a square. Never. The atmosphere would have to be out of this world to counter balance the shite, expensive food served and I have yet to find a place where the ambiance is that good.
With that in mind and after a delightful day taking in the Colosseum and the Vatican Museums, I ask the receptionist at our hotel to recommend somewhere for dinner. In her unique brand of Italian English she recommends Osteria St. Ana, where she goes to eat with her friends, with the caveat that it is not expensive and not touristy. I believe I said something along the lines of 'Perfecto!'
We walk through the balmy evening and across Piazza del Popolo, down a side street to the restaurant and sitting at one of the intimate outside tables. We start with an appetizer, a selection of antipasto including Parma ham, a mozzerella ball, parmesan cheese shavings drizzled with honey, warm ricotta, fresh gala melon slices and peeled figs. The quality of each and every ingredient is beautiful. It's at this stage we realise, having ordered a primo course each, a seconda course each and a bottle of Rose wine, we have ordered too much.

Antipasto

Since I'm in Rome I want to eat, not only Italian, but as the Romans do so I have Bucatini all'amatriciana a lovely thick spaghetti in a hearty pancetta, tomato and chilli sauce, the al dente pasta showing it's quality as opposed to anything you usually get in the UK. So after finishing this with gusto, I know I still have one more course to go...

Bucatini all'amatriciana

 which is another Roman classic: Baccala alla romana, salt cod in again in a hearty tomato, onion and olive sauce. I'm really enjoying the flavours of the typical Roman dishes, but I know I'm almost sunk in terms of stomach capacity as I just manage to finish the fish, but unfortunately have to leave most of the sauce.

Baccala alla romana

I have to turn down dessert. I just about manage the espresso and settle a very reasonable bill which came to around €40 per head (around £35) and stagger down the street very satisfied.