For the perfect marriage (pun intended) of fine dining, creative cuisine, and rustic Roman tradition, the husband-and-wife team of Agata Parisella and Romeo Caraccio is the top. The couple runs one of Rome's best-loved restaurants. Chef Agata is a well-known figure on the Italian restaurant scene, and she's both guest cooking instructor and author of a cookbook on Italian olive oils and vinegars. More importantly, she was perhaps the first chef in the capital city to put a gourmet spin on Roman ingredients and preparations, elevating dishes of the common folk to new levels, wherein familiar staples like coda alla vaccinara (stewed oxtail with celery) were transformed into a rich oxtail ragout with celery root, both as a puree and as shoestring fries. Her signature style is both simple and elegant, perhaps best seen in her sformato di formaggio di fossa (a soufflé-tart of sheep's cheese aged in special caves) with a pear sauce and Acacia honey -- a perfect balance between sweet and sharp. Pastas are more traditional, with paccheri di Gragnano (special oversize ziti of top quality, originating near Naples) all'amatriciana, as well as a risotto with asparagus, quail egg, crunchy prosciutto, and parmesan shavings. The baccalà secondo, here of top quality Icelandic salted codfish prepared four ways to show its versatility, is a case study in Agata's remodeling of a typically Roman favorite. And the desserts! Any of the chocolate offerings are to die for, and the famous millefoglie di Agata (Agata's Napoléon) is a winner. Husband Romeo presides over the dining room and delights in the selection of good wine and pairing it with food. The prices here are steep, yes, and at EUR 125 the tasting menu can induce facial ticks. But for those who appreciate extremely high-quality ingredients, homemade salami and breads, an incredible wine cellar and warm service -- all done with simplicity and clarity of purpose -- dining here is a real treat.

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