Last week, I wrote about the dos and don’ts of dining out in Rome, which was basically a summation of all that I’d learned during my four short days there in April. Feeling slightly homesick for Italy (is it possible to feel homesick about somewhere that’s not actually home?), this week I bring you a review of a restaurant that recently brought me a little closer to Rome, at least in spirit.
Il Cavallino is in the Rivierenbuurt, which (as anyone who’s looked at my restaurant map can attest) is not a neighbourhood I frequent very often. We’d been to Knijn to go bowling – something that I am truly terrible at, even though I profess to enjoy it and then proceed to have a tantrum every time I lose. So afterwards, I needed a good glass of wine and some I-suck-at-bowling-but-at-least-I-know-how-to-eat comfort food.
We started with a platter of mixed antipasti, which is always my favourite option when out with friends who are willing to food-share. (Some people don’t like sharing food with me, I’ve noticed. Hmmm, I wonder why.) It featured carpaccio, smoked salmon (not something I’d generally associate with antipasti, but fine nonetheless), vitello tonnato, a small caprese salad, various tapenades, and a bunch of bread and tomatoes for a DIY bruschetta. Ok, so it wasn’t oozing with ripe Tyrrhenian sunshine, but it was simple and generous, and the Italian staff were friendly too.
