BrowsingRome Blogging about my experiences and sharing my thoughts about Rome, Italy and beyond
The experience at Metamorfosi was literally a transformation for me. I swore I stepped in with mixed emotions ranging from a touch of excitement, a hint of curiosity and much apprehension but I walked out completely transformed and full of praises!
Allow me to share some background details to give you an idea of what I am talking about.
Metamorfosi in the Parioli neighborhood
As a person who prefers simple and rustic food, I have always been wary of going to restaurants where the food is described as creative and experimental. When my sister came to visit earlier this year, she had mentioned about going to Metamorfosi together and instead, I gave her a whole bunch of excuses to convince her otherwise. Call me old-fashioned but I’d be happy with a hearty plate of carbonara.
However, I am slowly learning to step outside of my comfort zone. Recently I even went way outside by taking a sketching class, exploring catacombs and fortunately, every experience has been an eye-opener.
Earlier this month, thanks to Rome Restaurant Week, I thought that this would be an opportunity to dine at Metamorfosi. I had asked my good friend Gillian but she was two steps ahead of me and had already made an appointment for a long over-due lunch date there. With a crazy schedule and not 100% keen, I was thankful that another wonderful friend, Maria, suggested we meet up. Though it was extremely last minute (the day before), we managed to make reservations at Metamorfosi.
Beautiful dish and cooked to perfection!
The overall dining experience was perfect! From the minimalist modern interior to the service to the food, every aspect was impeccable. Here are my thoughts.
Service
It has been a while I had service which was courteous, attentive and yet not intrusive. I am a stickler about service and my accolades to the staff for the superb service. One thing that stood out was also the pace at which the dishes came out. I have never taken notice of this in the past but at Metamorfosi we were never kept waiting nor were we rushed. The timing was spot on!
Presentation
The first dish that served was this elegantly beautiful dish which looked like a work of art. As mentioned earlier, I am not picky about presentation but I have learned to appreciate the effort it takes to make a dish pleasantly enticing. After all, we do “eat” with our eyes!
Work of art!
Not only was presentation stunning but with the dessert, it became a show. We ordered the amazing Torrefazione 2.0 where coffee was poured over the sphere and with a light tap of the spoon, it gently split open. That was a show alright.
Fabulous way to end a phenomenal meal
Food
Let’s talk quantity first as I had no doubts that the quality of the food at Metamorfosi would be exceptional.
When I saw the menu of the 3-course meal on Rome Restaurant Week I was slightly concerned. At an incredibly discounted price, I wasn’t sure what to expect but keep my expectations low. And was I wrong. The portions were the decent and as we got several additional dishes courtesy of the chef, we walked out more than satisfied.
Variety of bread: rye with chestnut honey, baguette and bread with capers, potato, lemon and dill
Quality-wise it was phenomenal. When asked which was my favorite dish, I couldn’t put my finger on one as each one was impressive in its own way.
However, I loved the contrast of the dishes, such as the “melt-in-your-mouth” tenderness of the lamb with the crunch provided by the chips and the absolutely remarkable Uovo 65° Carbonara, a deconstructed carbonara which has won me over.
An organic egg cooked at 65°for 40 minutes with foam of Parmigiano and Pecorino, guanciale and black pepper served with chips of pasta and rind
And of course, as no meal would be complete without dessert, we ordered the Torrefazione 2.0 and the White Chocolate with caramelized bananas and Armagnac. The winner was, in my opinion, the Torrefazione 2.0.
Overall
Everything came together beautifully at Metamorfosi and it comes as no surprised that they just recently been awarded a Michelin-star. It is well-deserved and kudos to the entire team.
If you are celebrating a special occasion or are looking for that special meal in the Eternal City, I’d highly recommend Metamorfosi. While you will be paying premium prices, you can be assured that quality, service and the entire dining experience will be above and beyond your expectations.
Can't wait to be back!
I stepped out thinking that I can’t wait to be back again – this time, I’ll be the one dragging my sister there.
Additional Note:
Parioli is not the best-connected neighborhood but if you are planning on taking public transportation to Metamorfosi, catch the 910 bus from Termini (for 12 stops) and it drops you 150 meters (less than 500 ft) from the restaurant. It’s that easy.
No more excuses, it’s time to head to Metamorfosi!
Metamorfosi
Via Giovanni Antonelli, 30/32
00197 Roma
Tel: 06 8076839
Email: info@metamorfosiroma.it
Website