In Rome, a city where almost everything worth noting is as old as time, locale openings are accompanied with about as much fanfare as the onset of rush hour traffic. And when it comes to restaurant openings, Romans are impossible. Whenever one opens, the reaction is almost always, “But what do they think they are going to cook that Mamma doesn’t cook better!?”  In most major cities, it’s all hype and buzz upfront and most restaurants stay solvent by riding the wave of newness regardless of how good the food is. In Rome, however, you have to earn attention and then respect before you can call a venture a success. It is a process that often takes months.

Mò Mò, is probably the last successful restaurant to open in the residential, old-world posh Roman neighborhood of Monteverdi. Open for two years, Mò Mò has recently hit its stride and at midnight on a Saturday, beautiful people are still streaming in itching to eat, see and be seen. What strikes you first about the eatery is the structure in which it resides: a magnificent three-storey villa with an open plan interior and gardens that rival some of the city’s most celebrated. The space is multifunctional, with each section dedicated to some aspect of good eating and good drinking. There is the first floor pub with its deep leather seats and back lit bar. There is the wine canteen seen through glass panels inserted in the first floor revealing a vast collection of Italian reds and whites. The pizzeria, the loudest and most popular area, was designed for large groups of friends and family to gather around heavy, wooden country tables and wreak havoc. The full restaurant is on the upper floors and is characterized by an air of reserved hip and, one might even say, exclusivity.

Prior to Mò Mò the villa was home to one of the city’s finest antique shops and, in homage, the new owners have kept the original, whitewashed wooden floorboards and a few impressive historic furnishings. The only major alterations made were in breaking down a few walls to further open the main atrium and finishing the place with modern lighting, coloring and music. Given its size it is no small thing that regardless of where you eat or drink, the service is flawless and the food excellent. The menu is full of typical Roman dishes that are simple and hearty: Antipasti such as salmon marinated in blood oranges; fresh grilled fishes and meats; salads with organic greens and fresh lobster and crab meat; penne in spicy red sauce; buckwheat pasta with gorgonzola and nuts; carpaccio of provolone cheese marinated in balsamic vinegar with rocket and cherry tomatoes. And we haven’t even gotten to the pizzas, which are thin, heaping with toppings and cooked in a wood- burning oven—just like Romans like it. And it is the food, above all else-- above the mix of modern and antique, the beautiful people, the cohabitation of several locales in one-- that keeps them coming back.

 

Piazza Forlanini, 10
Rome, ITALY
+39-06-537-3087
www.mo-mo.it