Roman dishes?

I think it fair to say that I have been studying--carefully and in depth--both online, among my cookbooks, and in other sources to decide where to eat in Rome.

We will be there for a week in mid-November. But in the course of that study, I came across a stimulating post from Brother Antonius. In response to an earlier inquiry, he opined

"Now, if I were about to embark on a trip to Milan, Venice, Florence and Rome, what would I want to eat? Well, of course, I'd always be keeping an eye out for the new or the unusual, but there are some regional specialities that I either really like and always have when I go to the region in question or haven't gotten around to trying yet in the area whence they come. Now, sitting back at my desk, contemplating the trip, this is what comes to mind as things I'd like to eat....

Rome
• carciofi alla romana
• carciofi alla giudia
• puntarelle con le alici
• pizza bianca
• gnocchi di semola alla romana
• fettuccine alla romana
• rigatoni con asparagi e ricotta
• rigatoni con la pajata (intestines)
• coda alla vaccinara (oxtail stew)
• trippa alla romana
• lamb"

Of course! While it's nice to know where to go for some things, it's even more important that we should know what to eat no matter where we happen to find ourselves. Since we will be there in the fall, I imagine we won't have much opportunity for puntarelle (which I conceive to be a spring or, perhaps, summer) green. But go with your strengths, right?

So the query has two parts: what dishes are so quintessentially Roman that we must have them and what seasonal dishes should we absolutely be on the lookout for. For example, I note a spaghetti dish not on Antonius' list (for the simple reason that he's undoubtedly had it many times): cacio e pepe. As for seasonal, I just ran across an fascinating post on boar prepared alla cacciatore.

But I know enough to know that my knowledge is thin. What else should I put on our list?

For any assistance you might render to citizens in need, I remain,
your humble and obedient

Have you considered dormouse?

Il Tartufo bianco!

Not so much for Rome, but November is tartufo bianco month in Italy, and there are festivals in Piemonte, Umbria, and Tuscany (the famous La Sagra del Tartufo Bianco in San Miniato, for instance: http://goeurope.about.com/od/sanminiato ... ruffle.htm.) I'm sure you'll see some on menus further south.

Also, the season's probably wrong, but if you can find a stuffed zucchini flower (particularly in the Jewish quarter), don't pass it up.

Antonius' list is pretty comprehensive and hits most of what I crave when I think of Rome (though I will usually skip the pajata, a fritto misto alla Romana can be pretty good and has all the other parts you rarely get at home.). You might be a bit early for puntarelle, but any seasonal greens in the hands of a Roman chef would be an excellent choice. Nearly every one loves bucatini all'Amatriciana, pasta alla gricia, and pasta a cacio e pepe, but do try them in situ, if only to refresh your sense of why these dishes are so revered. Porchetta would be a nice find, and if you're thinking lamb, by all means make it abbacchio, the lamb taken tragically young but which the Romans prepare so wonderfully. You should also try a few enoteche and be on the lookout for cheeses from Lazio, accompanied by wines from the Colli Albani.

Begin a day at the Testaccio market followed by a visit to Volpetti on the via Marmorata. This will ensure an appetite for the meal ahead. Beh, buon viaggio, Gypsy Boy. Mo me sta a vvenì ffame!

For me, no trip to Rome is complete without at least on dish of Saltimbocca ala Romana. It is among my favorite dishes on the planet.

The gelateria at Tre Scalini for tortuffo -- a blob of intensely dark chocolate gelato rolled in chopped dark chocolate and served with just a bit of whipped cream.

Alfredo's al Augusteo -- may seem like a cliche, but fettucine Alfredo at Alfredo's is on a different plane from anything called fettucine Alfredo in the U.S.

For history, Hostaria dell’Orso. It was Dante's favorite spot. Very elegant, reservations a must. The Hostaria dell’Orso is in a splendid, 14th-century building (and worth the visit, I think, just for the rare opportunity to eat in a building of such antiquity). On the ground floor, there is a lovely piano bar for a before-dinner drink. The restaurant is on the next floor up, divided between the level’s several large rooms.

Another fun choice is Sora Lella on the Isola Tiberina. This island in the River Tiber was built up by the Romans to resemble a ship, because that caused the water to pass around the island, rather than tear it apart. Sora Lella is a small trattoria, but it is very Roman, with daily specials such as maialino all'antica roma (suckling pig with prunes, pine nuts, and raisins) and Roman ricotta cake. It’s fun to visit the restroom, because the water of the Tiber River rushes past only a few feet below the window! Begun by a local woman, Sora Lella, the restaurant has become something of a monument to one of her sons, who became a widely known entertainer in Rome. It’s not as cheap as some trattoria’s, but it’s more interesting than most other trattoria’s.

Buon viaggio.