the best cacio e pepe is now in milano :: vote 9/10 :: €30 for artichokes, cacio e pepe and wine
Yesterday I was given a sneak preview of Felice a Testaccio in Milano, along with other wine and food experts. I had been dreaming of this restaurant opening for 2 months, with Scatti di Gusto's Emanuele Bonati the first to discover this historic Roman eatery under construction in Via dei Torchi 4, a stone's throw from Le Colonne di San Lorenzo.
I had previously been to Felice in Rome, and thoroughly enjoyed their signature dish, Tonnarelli Cacio e Pepe. My life-changing cacio e pepe experiences at Felice in Testaccio and also Roma Sparita in Trastevere even inspired me to open a blog, Solo Cacio e Pepe.
Upon entering Felice in Milano, I was amazed at the beauty of the interior design. The simple brightly lit trattoria in Rome has been transformed into a darker but slicker version here in Milano. From the dark wooden panneling on the walls to the old brick and Roman murals, the Milanese Felice is an sight to behold. Even the washroom, with beautiful lights and tiling, is gorgeous. I expect many selfies to be taken in the women's washroom, which features a a tilted large circular mirror.
Enough about the design - what you truly care about is the Cacio e Pepe. I'm happy to report that the cacio e pepe we sampled is exactly the same as in Rome. However, we were disappointed they didn't finish the mixing of the cheese, pepper and pasta in front of us, but they assured us that when they open on Tuesday, they will perform this magic ritual for every customer.
Pairing wines with Roman fare is no easy task as sommelier Adriano Aiello explained. My favorite wines on the evening were the 2014 Torre degli Alberi Pas Dosé dall’Oltrepò sparkling organic wine and the 2014 Cantico Timorasso Derthona from Giovanni Daglio. The surprisingly elegant Timorasso (13% ABV) was matched with my second favorite pasta in the world, Pasta alla Gricia. At Felice, they use mezze maniche pasta from pastificio Felicetti. The rich pasta dish was outstanding, nearly at the same level as the Cacio e Pepe. I would rank Felice's Gricia right up there with il Pecorino in Testaccio.
Other than pasta, you can also sample other great Roman dishes such as Abbacchio a forno (Roasted lamb with potatoes), Beef rolls in tomato sauce, Roman artichokes, Coratella of lamb with artichokes
With Felice a Testaccio's arrival in Milano, you no longer need to make the expensive Frecciarossa trip to Rome to sample the greatest pasta dish on the planet.
Restaurant
The protagonists
Gricia
Cacio e Pepe
More great roman food
Roman artichokes
Beef rolls in tomato sauce
Coratella
