An Unforgettable Experience in Roma
I Numeri was one of our most memorable and lasting experiences of our trip to Italia. The owner (hopefully still the same) is a wonderfully accomodating woman, and her delightfully expressive sister Raphella plays hostess.

We were unable to get into our first choice for restaurants, and came across I Numeri by chance. It was getting late and hunger was getting the best of us, so when we came across I Numeri, we decided to stop in.

As we walked in, the warmth and coziness let us leave the busy Roman streets behind. Raphella seated us with a smile and graciousness seldom found in The States.

She was not the least bit reserved in interacting with us in her broken English. Since it was Porccini season, she explained to us how to pick fresh porccinis by displaying a basket of the mushrooms she brought from the kitchen. Her graciousness put us at ease right away.

While Raphella is outgoing and vivacious, her sister, the owner, (heaven forgive me for forgetting her name!) is quiet, efficient, and reserved, but friendly. Nonetheless, she is a master of the culinary arts, and a true artist. She never failed to dazzle us.

The Food:
Raphella's sister (again I apologize for not remembering...) produced some of the most sumptuous meals we had in Italy. Most of her dishes were works of art, and each dish was carefully crafted. While everything she and her staff made was excellent, the dish which stands out in my mind was the frozen fruit tray.

After a wonderful meal, my wife and two friends decided to trust Raphella and have her recommendation for dessert. To our delight, she emerged from the kitchen with a platter covered with delightful frozen fruits. Peaches, plums, apples, apricots, and many others had been scooped out, pureed, enhanced, and poured back into their shells. The result was a beautiful, refreshing, and delicious dessert to finish an oustanding meal.

The combination of outstanding food, exemplary service, and being made to feel like part of the family puts I Numeri at the top of our list of places we have ever dined.

Salud    [06 Feb 2003 02:24:28]

Food:    Service:    Ambiance:    Overall: 
Recommended Dishes: Porcini Risotto, Steak, The Frozen Fruit Platter

     ­David Kirkpatrick   dkirkpatusa at attbi dot com