Il Fiammifero Strano — Restaurant in Rome

Where do i begin…

Appearances are often decieving; however,in this case you should trust your eyes.

Offers indoor and outdoor seating, the music inside (for my experience) is a radio station specializing in heavy metal. Personally, Cigaro - System of a Down, does not scream “dinner ambiance”.

After being seated inside, our table (covered in what is assumed to be the previous party’s parmesean) was next to the cold case.

Inside said cold case, a mound of fruit fly infested citrus fruit lay next to the desserts.

The menu is rich in traditional Italian cuisine, in writing alone.

Aperitivo: Carpaccio di Bresaola - Smoked Braciola, Ruccola, and Parmagiano served with a lemon wedge. Presented simply and fresh as it should be. No complaints.

Primo piato: Spaghetti alla Vongole - The pasta came al dente. Muscles cooked in a garlic butter and fresh herb sauce. The taste of the sea fills the mouth; salty. Enough said. I would have loved more facets of flavor apart from the salt.

Secondo Piato: Lasanga de Casa - I have a place in my heart for house recipies as anyone should. The lasanga is comprised of pasta sheets, tomato sauce, and mozzarella. That is all. No bolognese, no riccota, no bechamel. Much like the spaghetti, very one dimensional.

Il Finale: Veal Scallopini - served in a lemon sauce with a side of rustic potatoes and romane lettuce. Two slices of dry veal did very little to impress, very tough to cut through. The potatoes are of course batch cooked in a communal style and came cold, rubbery, with burnt bits only on the top side. The salad (if you could call it a salad) was unwashed and featured the finest Roman field dirt.

The Hostess (likely owner) appeared very concerned with my dining experience as she asked multiple times if anything was wrong with the food. While the food was pallatable, it was just not up to my standards, especially with the price. There are many a trattoria where one can take in, this one...

Very friendly and attentive staff and host. We came on a Thursday evening without any difficulty getting a nice outdoor seat for 2. The menu has pretty much every option for basic Italian food with lots of pizza dishes for people who want that. The food was good and filling especially for the value. My ravioli was a primo course and I couldn’t have eaten a second course with it as there was such a perfectly done amount in my plate. My husband was happy with his dinner as well and finished off my ravioli. Basically if you want to have a nice simple meal without spending a fortune please don’t hesitate to give them a try! Oh! I never realized how spoiled I have been since coming back to a place where people actually use cigarettes still, but I don’t make a big deal over other people’s decisions, just know that in 2022 smoking is still something allowed in outdoor seating… if it’s something that upsets you...

We had such a memorable experience here, made even better by the warm and charming host who took care of us. He shared that he prepares the pasta and desserts from scratch every day, which was easy to believe given how fresh everything tasted. It felt special to connect with a local who clearly takes pride in his craft.

The food was outstanding—simple yet packed with flavor. We started with perfectly crisp calamari fritti, followed by delicate zucchini flowers on a light Roman-style pizza. The highlight for me was the spaghetti alle vongole: al dente pasta with briny clams, garlic, and just the right amount of chili and parsley. Every ingredient, from the ripe tomatoes to the fresh basil, sang on the plate. We left full and happy, already planning...