Introduction to Pierluigi

I have developed a relationship with one of the best seafood restaurants in Rome, Pierluigi. It all started over the summer when Florian and I went there on the recommendation of the concierge at his hotel (Hotel de Russie). After a massive meal where we never saw a menu we were both caught, hook, line and sinker. A few weeks later I went back with some family friends from New York (the Levis) whose son I went to Dalton with and who my father knew from when they were together at Yale, and they now quite conviently live across the street from Pierluigi on Via Monserrato. Again, another amazing meal, still no menus although this time we went into the restuarant to inspect the fish selection for the night and decide what we wanted. After that about two months went by during which I could not find an excuse to get back there until my parents came into town for a long weekend over Columbus Day. From that point on the restuarant became my place to take anyone who came to visit or to go to on any special occasion. Florian and I ate there with Rosanne, who was working with him, on her last night in Rome, I had Christmas lunch there with my grandmother (a meal neither one of us will soon forget) when she was visiting, I was there for my birthday with Florian, Melissa and Jon and then went there again when my sister was visiting two weeks ago.

As I got to know a few of the waiters and Lorenzo (the owner's son and manager) I started asking how the dishes were prepared, picking up little things here and there in hopes of addding to my limited (but ever growing) repetoire or Italian dishes, until finally last week I sent Lorenzo an email asking if I could come observe and maybe work a little bit in kitchen sometime. He replied that they would be happy to have me. So I went for the first time last night...