Malaysian in Rome {Court Delicati}

One of the food styles I eat the most of when I am away from Rome is Asian. Drunken Thai noodles, Vietnamese Pho, Korean BBQ and comfort food like General Tsao's chicken are some of things I make a beeline for as soon as we land. Rome has good Korean, and our neighborhood has good for Sunday night take-out Chinese, but I often find the Asian meals we have tried to be expensive and not quite flavorful enough.

Last week my husband's new boss invited us to try Malaysian cuisine. The restaurant Court Delicati is right next to FAO and is somehow one of those places I have never been to.


Court Delicati was one of the very first asian restaurants in Rome and it remains one of the most revered. It is probably best known as a Chinese restaurant and it does have an extensive Chinese menu, but it is in fact owned and run by a Malaysian.

Since I am usually the decider for all things food in our house, I love nothing better than trying a new place and having someone else order for the table. Particularly when it is a cuisine I know absolutely nothing about. 

Our host and his wife are friends with the owner and knew exactly what to order. Almost right away we were brought plates of sweet and spicy mango salad, tangy rice noodles with prawns and the most exotic green bean dish I have ever tried.

Known as a wing bean or a four angle bean,  it is found all over south-east Asia. At Court Delicati this unusual bean is served steamed until just tender and tossed with prawns and sauce with just the right amount of heat. 

We also tried a piece of swordfish topped with a slightly sweet, slightly sour tamarind sauce. 

For dessert we went next door to il Gelato, which is right and continued the flavor exploration with scoops of mango and habanero pepper gelato. 

This time of year is about beginnings. My husband has a brand new job, we have made some new friends and I have a new favorite vegetable.  

viale Aventino, 39
06 5746108