Scarpetta Restaurants started in New York City and recently opened in Rome at the Ambasciatori Palace l, the former home of the US Embassy library and around the corner from the Embassy. It’s a natural fit and we loved the great warm and welcoming service with fabulous food.

Cacio E Pepe seems to be a dish that’s hard to perfect, sometimes too salty, sometimes too peppery, and yet I always want it. At Scarpetta the sauce was perfectly balanced but then the pasta was elevated to these little bundles of cheese and charred leek. Beautifully presented at the table under a clear glass tagine top that kept them melt in your mouth hot.

In Italy we learned that Scarpetta means to sop up the sauce on your plate with bread. Our plates were very clean.

Even the Caesar salad was taken up a couple of notches with a soft egg and a cheese crisp.

There was a great bread basket. With these toppers it was hard to save some for scarpetta.

We had a peek at Charlie’s rooftop bar. I’m betting it becomes a hot spot.

I highly recommend Scarpetta Rome and the Intercontinental Rome Ambasciatori Palace.