Editor’s Note: This article originally appeared in the Rhone Collective.
A great meal can position itself in the history book of our hearts with just a simple bite. The smells, the atmosphere, the people, and the complete sensory experience that is involved when you taste something really special is the reason why we go out to eat. During my travels I’ve tasted some amazing and unique foods as well as some horrible stomach churning foods. While, everyone remembers the hamburger that gave them food poisoning, but wouldn’t it be better to remember the foods that swept you off your feet?
Pizzeria Del Ghetto – Via Luigi Cadorna, 17, 00053 Civitavecchia RM
Call me a romantic but one of the best foods in my travels was a no-named pizza place in the port of Civitavecchia (Rome) during our honeymoon. When we arrived at this place and asked for a menu, the friendly Italian waiter said in english with his strong accent, “no menu’s here. We have two types of pizza, with and without cheese. I recommend you get half and half.” We agreed and then asked if there was a wine menu. He quickly responded. “No wine menu. We have red and white, I recommend the red.” Again we agreed (Side tip: always take the waiter recommendation). While most memorable eating experiences include fancy white linens in Michelin star restaurants with white glove service, this one took place at a picnic table on cobblestones in a sleepy port town square served on wax paper. The simplicity of this restaurant was amazing as they put all their effort into their food. Focusing on delivering the best pizza with the simplest and freshest of ingredients. Without any superfluous toppings, the pizza’s flavor spoke only with its crust and sauce. The pizza was a thin crust pizza with the most amazing marinara sauce I’ve ever had. If you’re ever in Civitavecchia, you must stop by here. Make sure to workout before since you’ll probably be eating a lot!
Secret Parrilla – Av. Dorrego 2720, Buenos Aires
The land of tango, Maradona, and Messi is also the land of malbec and steak; Argentina. After accumulating more than 6 weeks in Buenos Aires, I was fortunate to try most of the myriad of parrillas or steak houses. (In Argentina, it’s pronounced ‘parrisha’, the ‘LL’ in Argentina is a ‘sh’ sound not a ‘ya’ sound like most spanish speaking countries). Parrillas are very common in Buenos Aires but you have to search a little for the good ones. Our favorite one is, as you’ll seein the name, a secret, “Secret Parrilla.” To find this restaurant you need to have the exact address and there is no signage outside or on the door. Since there is no signage, you must have the confidence to knock or let yourself into the restaurant. There are no windows so it’s difficult to find the restaurant. Once inside, the decor is simple and underwhelming but the food is the opposite. Our 4 course meal meal for two which included, appetizers, salads, two rib-eyes, dessert, and a bottle of wine would have easily been $300 in the States was only…. $40! And you might think, the steak was bad or cheap, but Argentina doesn’t know how to make a bad steak, all of them are spectacular…and most of them are grassfed!
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