"You'll never be a vegetable, even artichokes have hearts!"

Enough pizza, Callie. Time to try a different traditional Roman cuisine.

There is a part of Rome that should seriously consider changing its name. If you came to Rome, you wouldn't exactly be running to the place called, "The Jewish Ghetto," would you? I made the trip into the ghetto to "Nonna Betta", a kosher restaurant that had been recommended to me by a number of sources, finding it to be one of the cutest places in Rome: friendly faces, fewer tourists, and most importantly...good food.Carciofi alla giudia. Artichokes alla Jew! The entire artichoke is flattened and deep fried, with the result looking like a golden sunflower. When it was served to me, I wasn't quite sure how to go about eating it so I pulled the "Stupid American" card and asked. The answer was all of it but the waiter kindly warned me to be careful and eat it slowly. The leaves are crunchy and taste like salted chips but it get's softer as you continue eating towards the center. Unlike anything I've ever tasted before and I would have another one in an "artichoke heart" beat. (Sorry, I couldn't help it!) The entire staff was friendly, kindly answering my questions...maybe a little TOO friendly by asking for my cell phone number. I sat at a table outside, listening to an old Jewish man play the accordion nearby, chatting with the flirtatious waiter and watching him interacting with people walking by. "Hey! I think we are friends on Facebook!"
I also sampled a suppli. Originated in Rome, this deep fried croquette is filled with mozzarella, a dash of spices, and a tomato base risotto. I've had it a few times in Rome and this was by far superior to any other one I had tried. The cheese was melted to perfection and not lacking in formaggio. The more cheese, the better!