I'm Italian-American, married into an Italian family, and travel to Italy frequently. People think I'm nuts, but I really do not like the North End and think it is very difficult to find a good Italian dinner in Boston (Providence is much better). Vecchia Roma, however, does not disappoint. Yes, the portions are sometimes a little small. Yes, it's annoying that they refuse to give you tap water (very much like in Italy). And yes, it is super duper annoying that they will not allow you to put grated cheese on your seafood (I KNOW Italians don't put cheese on seafood, but I still think it tastes better this way). Their seafood risotto is superb (I like to have leftovers so I can take it home and put my own cheese on it). The gnocchi are very good (so many places mess those up), as are the ravioli. The meat specials are always good. Desserts vary on different days, but they are often excellent. The place is very small, so there is often a long wait, especially for a table for two. I give the place 5 stars for the food, but 3 stars for the experience (the wait and the cheese issue), so a 4 overall.
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