Midday out; supper in

Via Damaso Cerquetti, April 12—

LUNCH TODAY IN A PLACE recommended by our daughter, and what a nice venue it is. A small dining room in front with a table big enough for the three of us; no need to investigate the dining room further back. Many delicious items to look at. A very capable and interesting woman in charge, and decent serving-girls, I hope I can still call them, at my age.

We ate simply, first splitting a bruschetta of mortadella, pistachios, and honey mustard, with parsley leaves on the side. I went on to a variation of a niçoise: beautiful tuna, black and niçoise olives, capers, nice lemon wedges, lettuce of course, and thinly sliced fennel.

We could not resist a tiramisu to end the meal, and I don't know when I've had one smoother, very discreetly dusted with chocolate, a thin biscotti at bottom, unctuous custard between. I think we will return.

     Chablis (!) in carafe, half a liter, very true to type
•Caffè Novecento, Via del Governo Vecchio 12d, Rome; +39 06 6865242

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AT HOME THEN we needed only a bowl of minestrone, which Cook produced with customary authority out of beans, carrots, potatoes, sausage, and I know not what else: it was excellent.

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