About 15 minutes from the center of Rome, a maritime-themed restaurant and pizzeria peaks its ornately decorated head out of the quiet street of Via Nomentana.
I was so thrilled to find a restaurant that was still open after arriving on a late flight that I didn't even notice the beach-inspired paint job and odd assortment of boating trinkets and seascape paintings that lined the walls until my second visit – yes, I went twice, so prepare yourself.
First, be warned that restaurants in Italy will often bring bread to your table without your requests. Thankful for the treat and starving for true Italian cuisine, you scarf down everything in front of you only to find the bread appear later on in the night, but this time on your bill. Completely unaware that I would be paying for what seemed like a complimentary starter, I quickly finished off the basket of flatbreads brushed with olive oil that the server brought to my table. The dough was soft and warm with a flakey exterior, but I haven't decided if that makes up for the fact that I was duped into paying for it.
I continued my carb adventures when the bruschetta with mozzarella arrived – this I did order. The most intriguing part of this course was the mozzarella, masquerading around as feta cheese. While still mild, it tasted slightly saltier than most mozzarellas I've tried, but what really set this mozzarella apart from the rest was the texture. The small, moist crumbles were different, fun, and clearly homemade. The thick slice of bread was toasted and crunchy but not crumbly as it maintained a soft center.
The mushroom and sausage pizza was striking against the tablecloth. The sausage also had a very captivating look to it with its surprisingly pink color. The meat was unfortunately a little fatty, but the individual slices had this delicate form that made me feel like I was cradling designer silk. The pizza was light but overflowing with flavors of fresh vegetables, olive oil and mozzarella all melted together and practically dripping off of the oven-crisped bread.
After all of my Italian travels, I had yet to feel sincerely inspired by a pasta dish. Perhaps it’s because I’ve never understood the obsession with pasta al dente (literally translating to “to the tooth”), where pasta is neglected during the boiling process so that the center is left firm. I’m not advocating overcooked, cafeteria-style noodles that disintegrate as soon as they hit your plate, but I don’t believe that ordering food medium-rare should carry over to your fettuccini order.
The freshly cut seductive slices of perfectly cooked ravioli at Stella Maris actually humbled me. With a velvety tomato sauce gently draped over the large ricotta pillows, this pasta dish was in a league of its own.
Round two of Stella Maris occurred on my last night of Rome and my last night of Italy. I needed to try the one remaining dish that would truly make my mother jealous: beef carpaccio. Carpaccio is typically a dish of thinly sliced meat, topped with some sort of green, usually arugula, and Parmesan cheese. Now, this carpaccio was evidently made with a box of Crayola markers.
My mother practically raised me on raw meats, but I have never seen such exquisite color come from beef. The brilliant dynamic between the vibrant red and the deep green was so stunning I didn't know whether to eat it or frame it.
The light sprinkle of cheese functioned as a simple accessory, and the drizzle of olive oil was probably used to help the leaves maintain their pride, as it was clear that the star of this show was the beef.
Delicate and moist with fresh flavors and smooth textures, this meat should frighten Kobe beef everywhere.
I don't love Italian food, but Stella Maris was such a special experience that I may reconsider.
Stella Maris
Via Regina Margherita, 225, 00198 Roma, ItalyTel/Fax +39 06 854 0263 email: stellamaris@libero.it
