Osteria dell'Orologio in Fiumicino (Rome), Italy
Fiumicino is not just a town in Rome where your airplane lands and departs to enter and leave Italy at the Leonardo da Vinci International Airport. Just a few kilometers from the main flying hub is the town proper where the main road overlooks the canal that comes from the Tiber River then leads to the Tyrrhenian Sea and on a sunny warm day, eating al fresco at Osteria dell'Orologio is a pleasant experience. Right beside the restaurant is the town's historic building with the imposing orologio or clock from 1822 that was designed by the famous Italian architect Giuseppe Valadier. Valadier's most famous clocks are the Oltramontano Clock and Italian Clock on the facade of the St. Peter's Basilica at the Vatican.
Fiumicino is a simple fishing town with a few important ancient Roman ruins just outside its confines. It doesn't pull so much the interest of some visitors but there is something about it that makes it a good destination. This unassuming small town is the address of some very good seafood restaurants like Osteria dell'Orologio (and a couple of Michelin-starred restaurants too) which is in the French Michelin Guide and the Italian Gambero Rosso Guide, a couple of trustworthy restaurant guides that will lead you to the right places to enjoy good food. If you love seafood, then you are in the right place.
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| Top: Chef Marco Claroni (picture from Osteria dell'Orologio's site) Bottom: Sous-Chef Alessandro Lambiase |
Osteria dell'Orologio has been operating since 2009 in the helm of Chef Patron Marco Claroni and his partner Sommelier Gerarda Fine while Sous-Chef Alessandro Lambiase takes the second in command in the kitchen. The restaurant's crew has maintained an atmosphere that is both professional and friendly over the years. What constitutes a successful restaurant that longtime patrons like me keep on coming back to? Exemplary service and exceptional food and wine go hand in hand together and at Osteria dell'Orologio, you are assured of a good dining experience.
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| Both pictures, top and bottom, taken from Osteria dell'Orologio's Facebook page |
Having eaten in this restaurant for years, the quality
has never wavered from its original objective of providing quality with
originality and taste. It's the kind of seafood restaurant that I know I can always count on for something wonderful to eat and drink that doesn't require traveling because it is just a 3-minute drive from where I live.
The menu changes every season using fresh ingredients sourced from the best resources. Chef Marco Claroni puts different components that knit together into gastronomic delights. They are visually striking and decidedly delectable. Over the years, having tasted a number of dishes with his signature on them, I am always assured of a steady flow of very interesting creations from his kitchen.
His dishes are of Mediterranean influences with a clever mixture of elements that don't overwhelm the flavors of each ingredient. You can distinguish the components in your mouth and yet the blending is orchestrated well.
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| All three pictures from the Osteria dell'Orologio's site |
One of the best ways to taste his foremost dishes is to take the menù degustazione (food tasting) between 7 plates (€50) or a more abundant number of 10 plates (€60). Ask the person attending to you what kind of wine fits well with the dishes and they are always happy to oblige. With that taken cared of, just relax and enjoy the gastronomic trip that the chef prepares for you.
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| Spaghetto affumicato con ricci di mare e stracciatela (Smoked spaghetti with sea urchin and stracciatella cheese) |
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| Sorbetto Misto 100% Frutta con Schiuma di Yogurt (Mixed fruit sorbet (100% fruit) with foam of yogurt) |
For an unforgettable seafood meal where you don't stray too far away from the airport, Osteria dell'Orologio is one of the optimal choices that the town of Fiumicino can offer. Be sure to call ahead and book because the place is on the small side and it can get full easily and fast. On a pleasant sunny and warm day, dining al fresco under one of their outdoor umbrellas is a wonderful way to enjoy a nice meal at the restaurant.
Osteria dell'Orologio
Via della Torre Clementina, 114
00054 Fiumicino, Roma
Tel: +39 06.6505251 / +39 3475179051 (reservations are accepted only by phone)
Email: gerardafine@gmail.com
Open everyday for lunch and dinner except Mondays
More Restaurants in Rome:
Ristorante Red Fish: Lido di Ostia (Rome), ItalyRistorante Livello 1 in Rome, Italy
Marzapane Ristorante in Rome, Italy
