Saturday, September 03, 2005

La Gallina Bianca, Rome

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Man, I suspected a tourist trap coming, and I still went ahead despite my instincts. This place, on Via Rosmini near the Stazione Termini, was only a destination because we needed something nearby to eat fast. And boy, do I regret it. When we were walking in, I noticed quite a few tourists at the tables (judging by the American accents and cameras on the tables), but took comfort in the fact that some locals were there too. Anyway, we went ahead and ordered a couple pizzas, such as the "Roman" pizza (is there such a thing??), consisting of tomato sauce, mozzarella, anchovies, capers, olives, and oregano.

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The place got a good start with the roasted vegetables, which were greasy and mildly sour, not too much unlike Cantina back in Singapore. But then the pizzas came, and they were not very crispy (to some degree, soggy), so that it was not really possible to cut it well. It was also too salty - I would expect that from the anchovies, but the capers were the thing that killed it. Ugh - this was quite the disappointment. I knew better to eat at a tourist trap!! What made me feel worse about it afterwards was rounding the corner of the block on the way out and seeing another restaurant that was obviously filled completely with locals. Ugh!! Oh well, this was just to get food in my belly - we'll get better food later.

1 comment:

Strob said...

i just went back from roma and this restaurant. I approve 100%. Mushy pizza and hard to cut.too salty. My wife had the romana. I am surpised you did not mentioned the spectacular hidden fees thaety charge. 2,3 euro for tap water, 3 euro for dry bread we did not asked for (who wants bread with pizza?) and 20% service charge! I heard many other tourist complaining and I complained too to the waiter. TOURIST TRAP!!! AVOID LA GALLINA BIANCA IN ROME.