Bite club: When in Tempe, do as the Romans do

• The restaurant is a celebration of ancient Rome, with a menu inspired by the wood-fired cooking of the Roman hearth, co-founder Teddy Myers told the Phoenix New Times.
• Ancient Rome also guides the decor, with statues and other artistic elements straight out of antiquity.

Zoom in: Roman God of Fire was opened by Pretty Decent Concepts, which owns other uniquely thematic Valley restaurants like Cleaverman, Wren & Wolf, Chico Malo and Carry On.

Best bites: I figured you can't go wrong with rigatoni alla carbonara.

• And when in a Roman-inspired restaurant, do as the Romans (probably) would do and get something wood-fired — my server recommended the artichokes, which she compared to sausage when it came to the seasoning. I couldn't resist.
• The carbonara didn't disappoint — rich and delicious. The al dente pasta helped scoop up the creamy sauce.
• I don't know that I would've thought to compare the artichoke hearts to sausage if it hadn't been suggested to me, but they were juicy and seasoned to perfection.

The bottom line: Roman God of Fire is worth your time, especially if you're looking for a classier, fancier outing for lunch or dinner.