Donna82

Back from a great trip, sorry for delay, back to work now! Thanks for all the help offered here, it was definitely helpful when we were there. I'm itching to plan another trip - feel lost now!
We aarrived in Rome from the Sorrento area (Ravello was the highlight for me - I didn't want to leave and promise to go back!)
I don't want to say it but Il Fico was a let down, probably the least impressive from the week, but maybe we got it on a bad night? I've read many great reviews so I totally get that we may have just been unlucky We may have got off on the wrong footing, I had confirmed an outdoor table by email but there wasn't one on the terrace when we go there, we did come across this in a few places so maybe its the norm in Rome?
Osteria dell'Ingegno was much better! better get back to work
Will let you know what we had in more detail later...

Donna82

Obviously writing too quick - excuse the typos above

annhig

oh donna, so sorry that Il Fico didn't come up to scratch.

perhaps it is the victim of its own success? it didn't have many tables outside when we were there, but then in February, that wasn't much of a problem.

looking forward to a longer TR when you have time to do one.

Donna82

Ann - maybe that's it, I don't want to put anybody off as our experience seemed so different to the other reviews, maybe it was just an off night! We had some great meals during the week and while I find food quality very important I am willing to forgive small issues if staff are welcoming and attentive but we didn't feel this at Il Fico. Just to fill you in we arrived on time but they didn't seem interested in our reservation, not in a rude way but it didn't seem to matter that we had booked an outdoor table (I had print out of reservation with me). When I asked about an outside table we were shown to a little table down the street well away from the lit terrace (they must have added extra tables, but it was in the dark and not very appealing) so we went inside where we waited so long to order drinks we considered leaving! The air con was very noisy right over our heads so when we saw a table on the terrace come free (before we had ordered) we asked to move to it . We didn't find the staff very friendly and I actually started to feel awkward for asking to be honest!
After some confusion of us getting up and then being told to go back inside we finally got our outdoor seat and thanked them. We decided on a trio of crostini to share which were good, one mushroom, one tomato, one Im not sure of but it was tasty. This was followed by a shrimp pasta for me - very lacking in shrimp... My daughter has pizza and boyfriend had pork stuffed with Pistachio which he enjoyed. We couldn't get the waiters attention to get a drink at all through the main so we decided not to linger!
We went to Osteria dell'Ingegno on our second evening and had a similar situation with our reservation, it didn't seem to matter that we had booked to sit outside again, we were told it would be a half hour wait. Has anybody come across this in Rome? are tables outdoors not actually reserved? I know it was very warm so I'm sure there was great demand for the outdoor tables. We didn't want to wait so we were shown to a table in the back which was a pity as the little square was pretty and opposite a beautiful building. The menu here is very limited with maybe 3 options per course. I don't mind this but just be aware! We enjoyed our food here and the atmosphere was lovely. They had jazz and 1920's music playing in the background and the setting was very cosy . The wine was delicious - It was a Marco Carpineti Capolemole. Overall it was a more enjoyable experience although more expensive.
The next evening we decided to wing it and pick somewhere we liked the look of and it was the only night we got to sit outside!

annhig

Donna - i suspect that at least part of the problem is, sadly, that reservation or no reservation, they know you are tourists and won't be coming back. [shame they seem to want to ensure that happens though! - and they clearly haven't thought about the power of the internet].

but failing to bring drinks is just daft - i certainly wouldn't go back to somewhere like that.

I don't know the osteria dell'Ingegno; is this it?:

http://www.tripadvisor.co.uk/Restaur...ome_Lazio.html

interesting menu as you say.

in somewhere with as many restaurants as Rome, i think that winging it may be as good a way of operating as any other.