Roma Italian
Roma Italian Restaurant is located off Staples Mill Rd. in Richmond’s west end.
Last Friday evening, I pulled into Roma’s large parking lot, drawn by the smell of garlic in the parking lot. It was a promising sign that what awaited us inside would be tasty.
There was a 20 minute wait. From the entrance with a fountain, and a view of their pizza oven, waiters and waitresses kept passing, bringing drinks from the bar back into the dining room.
Once I was seated, the promise turned to disappointment. Roma had exchanged authenticity for family dining. Our waiter never showed; instead, another waitress took our drink order. When he finally did come, he was thrift with time, and impersonal. He told me my order of veal marsala was the best dish.
They should change the name. “Veal cutlet with rosemary with mushrooms.” I am not the biggest fan of rosemary, as a spice. This dish was overwhelmingly rosemary. In fact, they may have been correct in naming it “Rosemary veal with mushrooms.”
I make a good marsala so I was of course disappointed. The meat was mostly dry, there was not much sauce. And good marsala had never hit the plate. Instead, it was an oversized platter of veal and pasta, all covered in rosemary and mushrooms.
On the ride home, I spent a good time with my fingernails in my teeth, pulling out rosemary sprigs. A bit disgusting, but I thought you should know.
This weekend I spent the same money at my old standby, Chianti off Gayton Road. Their veal is at least three times better, and there wasn’t a speck of rosemary in sight.
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