Gelateria Pasticceria D'Angelo (Rome) 08/2018

Pipero (Rome) 08/2018

This is no ordinary restaurant. To start with before you can get into the place you have to ring and wait for an attendant to check you in. Secondly it is exceptionally elegant. It has high vaulted black ceilings and broad arches. There is a sort of bar at one end of the large L shaped room.

Walls are white or painted with digitised, deliberately slightly out of focus, black and white photo's of paintings of Renaissance masters 

or a restful pastel grey with beautiful floor to ceiling curtains.
Light fittings hang from the ceiling like giant sea monsters

Large tables are set with show plates

 on excellent quality linen clothes and serviettes.
We were surprised when the owner introduced himself to us at attended to the table from time to time throughout the evening.
The menu can either be a la carte or one of two tasting menus: one seven  and one 10 courses for 110 or 140 Euro. Matched wines are also available.
As soon as we sat down the owner poured us a glass of champagne. The glassware was of the highest quality.

I was happy to have just a glass of wine which we drank through the meal. 
Before the amuse bouche a small glass container was brought to the table containing two green olives and some dry biscuits. As soon as the lid was lifted smoke drifted out. The olives retained a pleasant smoky taste.
A cute container looking like a silver apple, with a spout, on a leaf 

was announced to be Sicilian olive oil, which was poured into a donut shaped clear glass plate. f

or a bread course! First a sour dough bread made in house only about half an hour ago

The second bread was a plain roll to better experience the fine olive oil

The last bread was a small Chinese steamed bun.

The amuse bouche was just a mouthful of all good things.

We then had a very gentle cheese creation on a pumpkin purée with a salty sea asparagus tagliatelle, which was a sea weed

Next came a very salty sort of clam chowder, 

the clams were in a potato foam with a sprinkle of chocolate powder.
Tortellini

Risotto was yet another fairly salty dish

An interesting combination of scallop on a bed of finely homogenized chick pea kept company with a salty caperberry, a half a stuffed olive and some black and green olive powder

Pigeon was superb,  could not be better prepared, tender full of taste. The pigeon breast

with carrot two ways was followed by a crusted leg

on a bed of sunflower seeds.
Foie gras covered with a red fruit was a dish which would not be out of place at any restaurant, unless it was a vegetarian one!

Beef was next., salt crusted and covered with an oyster leaf.

Cheese and nuts!

Dessert

and some nibbles.

Not perfect - whatever is, but a beautifully presented meal in a fine venue.
Score:17 /20

Casa Copella (Rome) 08/2018

 This restaurant occupies a very long narrow area divided by arches with a sort of T junction at one point. 

Our waiter had no idea about the history of the building which we were told, was once occupied by a wealthy French family.
The decor is modern 

with small tables 

which and good quality cutlery, crockery and glassware, became very over crowded when the food was served on very large plates.

My meal started with onion soup. 

It was quite pale, sweet, thick and filled onion, covered with a little melted cheese
Sandra chose a seafood risotto.

This was very cool to which the waiter responded that it was so it could be eaten immediately it was served. In contrast the soup was piping hot, and could not be eaten immediately. 
I had a slow cooked herb crusted pork dish served with a sweet potato purée

The waiter did not know how long the pork was cooked (it was well cooked through), nor the temperature. It was 90 minutes at 62 degrees. It's a risk have herb crusted food. This was not offensive.
Sandra's smallish black cod fillet

sat on a bed of creamed sweet corn. The cod was perfectly prepared though the skin could have been crisper.
we shared a deconstructed St.Honoré dessert

which was just OK. the Chantilly cream was very heavy, getting close to butter.
Score: 15/20