Tales from the table: Drogheria della Rosa

Drogheria della Rosa

“It opens at 8:30!” I said to Nat with a look of desperation. We had left our dinner plans way too late to cook anything and were scrambling to figure something out. Checking Google maps the closest restaurant to the apartment was 700 metres away, called Drogheria della Rosa. I was so hungry that I wasn’t in the mood to check reviews and all that bullshit and said to Nat “…just grab your coat if this place looks crap we will just eat pizza (again)”

We arrived at 8:25

In less than five minutes we arrived at the restaurant at 8:25. Cracking open the door I sheepishly asked whether we could get a table without a reservation among what looked to be about 25 seats. I could tell I was interrupting their pre-service chill but they nicely told me it was no problem just come back in five minutes.

 

We walked around the block

As instructed we walked around the block and did a little window shopping arriving back at 8:35 to a few tables already full. Slipping into a cozy deuce with a good view of the entire restaurant we settled in waiting for a menu. Eventually, our waitress Alice who has a striking resemblance to Lady Gaga made her way over. “Here is tonight’s menu…” she said in a very calm and soft voice, and then began reciting the dishes.

Pay attention

Quickly we realized we had to pay attention and leaned in not to miss what would be a tight list of five or six primi and about the same secondi. We were both taken by surprise. We needed more time! She stood waiting at the end of her monologue pen poised and ready to take our order but, but, but “what do recommend?” I asked, stalling for time and looking at Nat for help. “Everything is fresh and made daily so it’s all good” she replied with a smile knowing that didn’t help much. So figuring we were in the birthplace of two dishes she recited we went tortellini in brodo for Nat and a classic plate of tagliatelle ragú for myself. Politely asking what we liked for a secondi I replied: “let’s just start there with a couple of glasses of house red” with a smile.

Two glasses of prosecco

Soon another server delivered two glasses of prosecco which we didn’t order but our server, quickly walking up behind, said “we will start you with these” placing a small plate of bruschetta, salami, and cheese in front of us. 

Nat and I looked at each other as she walked away and smiled and then realized we had no idea of the price of anything. Slightly panicked we wondered whether we were going to be fleeced but saw another table getting the same treatment so decided to go with the flow, relax and enjoy our first few bites with a delicious and crisp glass of prosecco.

Tables of locals

Other tables of locals started to flow in with some lifting the wine that was jammed in a trough of ice to see what was being served and bantering with the staff about the dishes.

The owner, Emanuele Addone a cheerful guy wearing a bright green cashmere sweater arrived with more wine and quickly did the rounds wishing everyone buonasera with a smile and a nod. Our prosecco finished, fresh glasses of red wine were served and soon our food arrived.

Hot and delicious

Steaming hot and delicious Nat’s perfect tortellini floated in a rich broth that perfumed the air. My tagliatelle was on point as well and tasted as though nonna was in the kitchen cooking like only a nonna can. “This is good!” I said out loud noticing the owner and server overhearing my review. Nat inhaled the steam from her brodo as she took another spoonful and smiled. Our plates were soon cleaned but our hunger not satisfied so we waited patiently for “Lady Gaga” to return.

Still hungry

“We are still hungry,” I said, “could you recap the secondi for us?”
This time she quickly narrowed down two dishes that never disappoint their local clientele so we continued with the flow and eagerly agreed to her suggestion. Two more glasses of wine were poured and before we knew it our main dishes arrived. For me, an osso bucco of pork served with roasted potatoes and sautéed fennel, green beans, and broccoli. For Nat a beautiful filet of beef with a rich balsamic sauce, roasted potatoes and sautéed peppers and zucchini. Our mouths watered as we took our first bites. The osso buco was falling apart in the sauce that was lip smacking with marrow. Nat’s filet was just as tender, the balsamic sauce was perfect.

Honest cooking

This was food that in this day and age can be hard to come by, simple, perfectly cooked and seasoned, not fussed with, honest cooking. Most chefs today would feel the need to sprinkle unnecessary things about the plate or push everything to one side of the plate in order to offset what on paper could sound quite mundane but one bite told us any pretense was not needed. This is my kind of cooking, food so good it garnishes itself.

Local businessmen

The table next to us had been filled with local businessmen who were involved in a feast of their own including a few bottles of wine they had selected. Seeing our glasses empty one gentleman leaned forward with a bottle and insisted in filling our glasses, saying in Italian “it’s incredible, you will love this”, he wasn’t lying. Plates clean and stomachs full we enjoyed our neighbour’s wine and took in the ambiance of a true Italian dining experience.

Joined the experience

Customers slowly filled the restaurant and joined the experience with the owner popping from table to table filling glasses and staying on top of the service. Returning from the kitchen with a large silver tray he served our new friends next to us small portions of what looked to be something special. Motioning to a server he had them put two plates in front of us and then served us both a small portion of artichoke hearts and potatoes that were slowly cooked in copious amounts of fragrant olive oil.

Two more down

Our glasses again empty he placed two more down and pulled a bottle from the large ice bucket filling them both with a refreshing Pinot Gris that sung with our surprise third course. He smiled knowing this simple plate was blowing my mind and his hospitality was being received fully. Our friends next to us confirmed our beliefs that this meal was as good as we thought.

Best efforts

Now we were full and despite Lady Gaga’s best efforts to ply us with a dolce, we refused, opting to slowly finish our wine and contemplate whether we would be presented with a bill as large as the meal was delicious. Time had flown by and we laughed at what had started out to be a convenient plate of pasta had turned into an epic dining experience, something we have experienced a few times before in Italy. At that moment Lady Gaga plunked down an iced bottle of limoncello and two glasses on the table. “You can’t finish a meal without something sweet” she mused and disappeared to serve another table. Again we laughed and joked of the ensuing bill but we were in deep now and loving it.

Buonasera

Finally standing and wishing everyone buonasera and thank you for the hospitality we moved towards the bar to meet Lady Gaga and the owner and pay our bill. Reaching into a large bunch of roses he selected one and presented it to Nat. A long-standing tradition and salute to the former owner of this once drugstore, Rosa. Each woman who dines at Drogheria della Rosa receives a rose when they leave. It is the owner’s way of paying tribute to her life’s work and thanking his female patrons in a decidedly Italian style.

ACNM sticker

I reached into my pocket and pulled out an ACNM sticker and business card and handed it to Lady Gaga explaining our journey, mission, and joy at discovering their restaurant. She, in turn, translated to the owner at which point he grabbed the sticker, walked to the door and happily stuck it amongst the others. “Va Bene!” He exclaimed proudly and then grabbed me by the shoulders giving me a kiss on each cheek and thanked me repeatedly.

What just happened

With the door closing behind us we walked away trying to figure out what just happened. In most places it would have been just a great dinner but magically, by the combined efforts of everyone’s passion (including ours), it was elevated to an amazing dining experience.
Oh and the bill was less than a hundred bucks, va bene cosí.

You can find Drogheria della Rosa at via Cartoleria 10 in Bologna
Phone. +39 051 222529