Amodei - Banco & Bottega in Rome, Italy

Posted by Rowena Dumlao - Giardina 5/02/2018

Amodei - Banco & Bottega in Rome, Italy

How many times have we found ourselves in a situation when we don’t have so much time to spend in a restaurant and wait for different courses to arrive but we would rather not walk through the doors to a fast food place? Rome is full of gastronomic proposals but how much of them do we know enough to be good places to satisfy our palates with good genuine Italian cuisine? I have very few names in my arsenal and I am glad to add another one to my list of dependable places on where to have a quick bite without losing sight of quality.

Amodei is a newly-opened place in Via Principe Amedeo in the Esquiline district that’s located just a few hundred meters from the Termini Station. At the helm are young entrepreneurs Eli Guetta and Gabriele Rabba who both share the same passion for food and the dream of having a place like Amodei.

The producers and suppliers of the products at Amodei are meticulously selected from all over Italy. There are 13 olive oil producers in the shelves, including Quattrociocchi which was awarded as the best oil in the world in 2017 in Spain. The gems of Vesuvio, Morelli and S. Rira are the selected pasta makers, while Via Rafi Numero Uno and Azienda Agricola Prunotto carry bottled preserves of vegetables and fruits. The Sicilian company Campisi is the chosen producer of Mediterranean fish preserved in oil. From Piedmont and Umbria, the regions known for their celebrated truffles, Tartuflanghe and San Pietro a Pettine provide the truffles. As for the wines, Amodei has about 250 labels of whites, rosè, reds, sparkling and even an interesting number of proposals of kosher wines.

Amodei is the new way to shop, alternating the concept of shop with a bistrot. There is enough seating inside, even among the shelves where you can gaze at the rows of bottles of food and wine that you can buy while eating. Outdoors, there are a few comfortable seats with mono-tables too that overlook the street.

Born mainly as a gastronomic boutique for direct sales to gourmands, the idea of introducing a bistrot where you can eat blended strongly with the concept of a one-stop gourmet place. In the future, there can also be a calendar of events with themed tastings, according to Eli and Gabriele.

At the bistrot, platters of a selection of salumi and cheese are available at €15. A selection of regional products Lazio DOL (€16), products from Parma (€18), goose salumi of L’Oca (€14), and slices of smoked fish (€18). The white pizzas, freshly-baked in the morning by Antico Forno Urbani are stuffed with a variation of interesting fillings like mortadella, sautèed chicory, meatballs in tomato sauce or Carne Salada, a typical meat dish of Trentino with mustard and rocket, between €6 to €8. For a mound of delicious Italian toppings on toasted crusted bread, there’s a range of Crostoni available from the simple Toscano of fresh tomatoes, garlic and basil (€6), to a Romano with porchetta and sautèed broccoli (€8).  

For hot express dishes, tradition is foremost as the plates available are Parmigiana (€7), Lasagna (€8), and Meatballs in Tomato Sauce (€9). Cold plates are meat tartare as well as slices of smoked fish. The beverage is divided between aperitifs, craft beers in bottles and wine with an attached blackboard for the day’s drink.

Whether you are out for a quick bite or to shop for some Italian delicacies, Amodei is a trusted place for anyone looking for a gastronomic enjoyment. It is open 7 days a week, from 11:00 to 23:00 that’s just a few hundred meters from the Termini Station.