Cheese to the power of four

Where should we go for dinner tonight?? It's a tough question at the best of times let alone when we're in Rome for the first time. But choices were made a little easier with the discovery of Obika, a mozzarella bar. How could we not go? We find the place easily enough and are quickly given a seat, drinks and bread in that order. I get the classic negroni (still kicking ourselves for not going to it's spiritual home in Florence when we were there) and Kat a Garibaldi; campari and blood orange, both excellent.



The bread arrived in a too cute little wicker basket with oil vinegar and salt in a similar basket.



Now what we were here for....the cheese. They had four different types of DOP mozzarella on the menu Paestum (delicate),Pontina (stronger), Affumicata (smoked and very strong) and Stracciatella di Burrata (sweet and creamy , then there was a dozen different accompaniments you could have with each cheese. Knowing we couldn't leave one behind we ordered one of each debating fo a long time over which accompaniment to have with which cheese. There was just so much deliciousness. in the end this was our mix and match combo;
With the paestum we got a light basil pesto, fresh cherry tomatos and spinach.
The flavor of the cheese was light,sweet and creamy, tearing easily into fat pieces.



The Pontina we matched up with Anchovies from Cetara, near Amalfi and sundried Tomatoes the stronger flavored cheese going well with the salty anchovies and intense tomatoes.



The smoked mozzarella was a lot firmer in texture with it's the smoke was not as overpowering as we thought it might have been and it went well with the eggplant and tomato caponata we had chosen.



The last cheese to arrive was for me the best of four amazing cheese the burrata. Burrata is made from mozzarella and cream. The outer shell is solid mozzarella while the inside contains both mozzarella and cream, giving it an unusual, soft texture. The name "burrata" means "buttered" in Italian. So soft it arrived in aglass bowl already floating in it's own juices when we picked at it with our fork it seperated into unctious strands so rich and creamy.
With the peppery rocket and beef carpaccio it was an amazing experience.







Sitting outside on the Roman cobblestone in the mild autumn evening it was just spectacular.

Now off to find a vintage sweet to finish off with.

OBIKA' ROMA PREFETTI
Piazza di Firenze - corner Via dei Prefetti
00186 - Roma

Tel.: +39 06 6832630
Email: roma@obika.it

Open everyday from 10 am till midnight.
From 7.30 pm Aperitivo Obikà with little mozzarella "bocconcini" and tastings