Blog

In 2018-2019 I moved to Rome to try out their comedy scene (they don't have one). The main thing I discovered there was a pasta dish so delicious I wrote 6,000 words about it. If you want to read those words, they are below, in 12 separate blog posts. Other, less pasta-related writing can be found here: link-to-an-online-journalism-portfolio".

The most famous Gricia reviewer in town

By Rory O'Keeffe

As the only Englishman in Rome who is reviewing all the Gricia, it’s difficult to stay anonymous in restaurants. A few months ago, my identity was compromised.

Read More>>

5 Honourable Mentions

By Rory O'Keeffe

Only a few steps from where John Keats died (author of ‘Ode on a Gricia Urn’), Pastificio has a queue outside that is permanently full with about an 8:2 ratio of tourists to Romans. The two choices – red or white sauce – change every day so I kept going back time after time hoping they would be doing a Gricia. It took me 20 visits. 

Read More>>

Speaking and Listening

By Rory O'Keeffe

In July I travelled around Italy a bit, riding from North to South on the trains while making jokes about Mussolini and punctuality. This meant I was often at Rome’s Termini station looking for a pre-journey meal at the huge food market there. Mostly, I chose ‘Trapizzino’, the “new” food which Romans are obsessed with.

Read More>>

How to cook Gricia in 12 easy steps

By Rory O'Keeffe

Enter your nearest Italian deli and say, ‘I am cooking a Gricia, what do I need?’ If they’re not from Rome, they probably won’t know what the pancetta you’re talking about so show them this blog and then this list:

Read More>>

Regional Gricias – Part 2, Bologna

By Rory O'Keeffe

Bologna is so renowned for its culinary credentials that it is nicknamed ‘la grassa’ (‘the fat one’). It’s the home of ‘ragu bolognese’, the dish that the British violate so badly that it causes Gino D’Acampo to have regular pre-planned meltdowns on GMTV for viral purposes. The region also lays claim to mortadella, tortellini, parma ham, parmesan, and lasagne. So what did I go in search for? Obviously a Gricia.

Read More>>

Regional Gricias – Part 1, Venice

By Rory O'Keeffe

Recently I received a message from a friend about my Gricia obsession. It’s nice to know my blog has found a curious but ultimately confused audience. I replied, asking him where he was going. Venice, he said, and I regrettably informed him that he was unlikely to find a Gricia in Venice. Or anywhere outside of Rome, for that matter.

Read More>>

Da Mario, €9

By Rory O'Keeffe

Gricia is the complete opposite of Brexit. With Brexit, no one knows what they want. With Gricia, everyone knows what they want. They want a Gricia. In Britain, people keep asking ‘shall we have a second referendum?’. In Rome, people keep asking ‘shall we have a second gricia?’ And the answer is always yes.

Read More>>

VyTA Enoteca Regionale del Lazio €13

By Rory O'Keeffe

With the exception of long term romantic partners, if you love something you want to share it. So I often encourage people to eat my culinary love Gricia. This can horrifically backfire. Some wounds need time to heal.

Read More>>

Osteria Pesce Fritto e Baccalà, San Lorenzo. €8

By Rory O'Keeffe

According to TripAdvisor, Osteria Pesce Fritto is the 428th best restaurant in Rome. We were sat outside on an ivy-laden back street. If that sounds overly romantic and idealised, rest assured there was also a massive rat on the street that kept running past our table.

Read More>>

Da Massi, Trastevere. €9

By Rory O'Keeffe

Rome is full of tourist traps. To maximise my chances of looking like a local, I have decided to call almost everything a tourist trap. Sometimes eating in a tourist trap can’t be avoided. Last month my girlfriend and I ended up with no other option.

Read More>>
Scroll to Top