A long afternoon of marveling at exquisite artwork deserved an equally magnificent repast. I was smitten by Gabriele Bonci when he appeared on an episode of my travel and food idol Anthony Bourdain’s The Layover (Season 1, Episode 7). In addition to his silver-fox good looks and commanding presence, the pizza maestro’s Bonci Pizzarium, just north of Vatican City, is pushing the culinary envelope with its delightful, and at times jarring, combination of toppings while still staying true to the quintessential Italian food tenet of using only the freshest of local ingredients.
FUN FACT. Pizza in Rome and other parts of Italy are served al taglio (meaning “cut” in Italian) or, more colloquially, “by the slice” in America. Slices usually come in increments of 100 grams/1 kilogram; this a perfect opportunity to try a wide variety. Go ham! You are on vacation.
We can only hope that Signore Bonci is none too upset that we decided to “borrow” his serving tray as a souvenir for our trip. If he is, we will just have to head back to Rome and slave away in his kitchen as punishment. Not too bad a proposition I should think!
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