Has anyone eaten at Alfredo's in Rome recently?
 

My wife ate at Alfredo's on the Piazza Augusto Imperatore, in Rome close to 50 years ago, and was served by the owner, using the famous golden spoons from Douglas Fairbanks and Mary Pickford. She still has the menu, signed by the owner. The prices bring a chuckle.

It may be corny, but she is determined to eat there whe we are in Rome in October. When she is determined, she is determined! We WILL eat there, and she will whip our her old menu to impress the waiter, I'm sure.

Has anyone eaten there recently? I can't find the website for the one in Rome; just the many immitators that have sprung up around the world -- New York and Disney World, for example. Mostly curious about the price -- I think I should prepare myself for some serious sticker shock as compared to that old menu.

:-)

The one in Disney is not an "imitator" since it is apparently run by the same company

http://www.alfredos.com/

Entree prices listed in this review. Sorry, couldn't find anything more specific but perhaps others can help

http://www.frommers.com/destinations/rome/D33595.html

Thanks, Dukey!

Actually, I really am not concerned about the expense. We will be eating in some high-end restaurants on this trip, anyway, but the Disney connection was a bit off-puting.

Even if the food is not the best, just seeing DW glow with the memories of her last visit, when she was a young thing, will make it priceless.

:-)

Funny story about the Alfredo's @ Disney:

Our waitress there was a young woman from Italy (Disney often hires waitstaff from the appropriate country). I am of Italian heritage and speak the language a little, so we conversed in Italian and joked a little bit about Italy, which I'd visited several times.

Then in Italian, I said to her, "What do you recommend here?"

She frowned and said, "If you're Italian and appreciate Italian food, nothing."

Ate there in 1983, I thought it was great. My sister and her best friend ate there for lunch 2 years ago and on our last trip in Aug. they both stated Alfredo's was the best italian food they have ever eaten. Thats high praise from them because they are really picky.

It was still there last year. I ate there a year or so before that and it was still good. I don't remember it being very expensive so you shouldn't have sticker shock. Enjoy!

SeaUrchin,

Thanks for the firsthand report.

I should mention that my Dear Wife has taken a bit of umbrage at my earlier comment of her dining at Alfedo's "--when she was a young thing". I hasten to add that she STILL is a young thing, just that fory years ago she was a lovely younger --- er, I had better quit, I'll never catch up. Sigh ---

Anyway, I should share the experience that made me sensitive to the cost of Alfredo's. Quite a few years ago, when we lived in the D.C. area, we saw in the Washington Post that Alfredo's grandson was coming to the Ritz-Carlton to present his cuisine.

"Let's go have some noodles!", I said. We invited a younger couple to whom we had told our tale, and made reservations. As we were seated, the food started coming. "Hey", I commented, "We only came for the noodles."

No way! The Fettucini was only a small part of a fixed-price multi-course culinary extravaganza. I saw the stunned expression on the faces of our less than affluent friends when they saw the price, and said the dinner was our treat. Turned out to be the most expensive meal we had ever had, up to then.

The meal and the experience was truly wonderful, however. The Grandson/chef came out to prepare the pasta at the table, using the golden spoons, signed the old menu by his Grandfather's autograph, and let Tammy use the golden spoon and fork to eat with.

I'm just hoping the meal in Rome will be half as nice.

:-)

Nice story...

Best wishes,

Rex

What are the golden spoons? Fairbanks and Pickford used them and the restaurant gilded them? How neat.

Seems like guides at the time were recommending only ordering the pasta alfredo, the rest of the meal not at such a high standard.

Gee, I know I walked by and wanted to eat there again but didn't come back. I will try and google something definite for you.

BTW tell your wife that over the years we acquire all kinds of "ers" including better and better.

This brings back pleasant memories-our only time at Alfredo's in Rome was in 1973 and we still have the picture of us with the handsome man.

Lovely story nukesafe. Is "Alfredo's" were Fettucini Alfredo was invented? It was one of the first dishes I managed to cook from scratch, that was edible!

my mother also ate there in 1956 I think. Around the same time as your wife, I guess!

indeed, that is where fettucine alfredo was invented.

here are the websites (international).

http://www.alfredos.com/
http://www.alfredo-roma.it/english/home.htm

A review:
http://www.thefoodmaven.com/guide/rome/popolo.html

SeaUrchin,

About the spoons, the story goes that Douglas Fairbanks Jr. and Mary Pickford were haveing a torrid affair while in Rome, and ate frequently at Alfredo's. They so liked the pasta that the owner made for them every night that they had a jeweler inscribe a large golden serving fork and spoon with words of appreciation for the "noodles", and presented them to Alfredo.

It has been a lot of years since Tammy got to eat with them, and I forget exactly what was written on them. If anyone knows, I'd appreciate hearing. Or better yet, I'll ask to see them when we eat there.

I'm sure they don't use the originals anymore; certainly each of the chain of Alfredo's restaurants must use copies. The real ones would have worn down to nothing by now.

:-)

My DH and I along with friends we were traveling with ,wer eat Alfredo's a few tyears ago.
As we were waiting for our food to arrive, 3 strolling musicians came in. After playing a couple of tunes they stopped at our table.

Our friend requested a song and suggested they have my husband join them. ( my husband is a beautiful tenor)
They agreed.

As he started to sing the restaurant became completly quiet, the waiters stood against the walls listening and the chefs in their tall white hats and white jackets came out from the kitchens, standing quitely.

When the song ended the applause was thundering they yelled for more. He politely declined. Our table was soon covered with bottles of wine people had kindly sent over.
When asking DH why didn't you give them another song he said, You have to know when to stop. There is no way I can ever top this last 5 minutes."
Oh by the way the food wasn't bad.

I tried calling Alfredos to make a reservation for our trip in a few weeks. The guy who answered the phone couldn't speak English. He must have understood a little though, because he kept saying "just come in, tonight".... I couldn't make him understand that I wanted a reservation in a few weeks. I gave up and hung up. I also laughed alot.............. We have a friend here in San Antonio, who is from Rome and is going to try and get me reservations.........He highly recommends going there......

I forgot to add that the # I called was the Rome # on the website listed on this post........so it is the correct #.

We have eaten there 3 or 4 times over the last 8 years. Love the fetuccine alfredo. It is made at the table with pecorino romano (no heavy cream like in the U.S.) Good prices and services, would recommend it to anyone.

A little off topic but Disney just ended its relationship with Alfredos b/c of complaints that the food was just so-so. I ate there last fall and must have had a good experience as it was very good (and I eat ALOT of good Italian) but many others apparently didn't.