Costa Masciarelli - L'AQUILA

Driving to L’Aquila, and saw the sign for the restaurant on the side of the road, so we decided to call in for lunch. We followed the signs to what looks like a house. Walked in, and yes it is a restaurant. No one was there and we thought it was not open, however the owner came out and said he was open. Bear in mind, he is speaking Italian, and our ability to speak and comprehend Italian is very poor. No menu was available, but the owner suggested antipasto and we ordered arrosticini. This was accompanied with a bottle of montepulciano and water. The antipasto was great, and the ricotta was fresh. The owner explained to us that the arrosticini would be ready in a while. This was not a problem, as we were in no hurry. When it arrived we thought it had been oven cooked, and not by the traditional method. This was not a problem, as we took in to account the fact that we were the only ones there, and that to light the coals and get the embers just right would have taken a long time. As I said, no problem. They were still nice, but not the best we have had. The wine was excellent. During our conversation we established that the owner played the guitar, so we asked if he would mind playing something for us. He gladly obliged and sang 3 or 4 songs of old Roman songs. He has a great voice, and we thoroughly enjoyed his music. The paintings on the walls are painted by his friends. We will definitely come back here again the next time we are in Abruzzo.