Sexy Roman – Scottsdale, Arizona
The Sexy Roman restaurant inside the W Scottsdale (a vibrant, luxury lifestyle hotel) was christened to reflect its identity as a “mischievous,” sultry, and high-energy take on Roman and Mediterranean dining. Created by the Alliance Hospitality Group, the name signals a playful, glamorous nightlife vibe rather than a traditional, quiet trattoria. Uh oh, as a culinary historian, those terms conjure images of “dining” taken to extreme. At its immoderate peak, the Roman dining lifestyle hearkens back to the days of baccanalian excess, wild and rowdy celebrations dedicated to Bacchus, the god of wine. A bacchanalian feast involved massive wine-drinking, chaotic dancing, and a total breakdown of normal social rules. Chronicled some 200 years after the peak of the practice, writings offers a scandalized and extremely colourful account of the bacchanalia. Frenzied rites, sexually violent initiations of both sexes, all ages and all social classes were all part of the celebrations. Large amounts of wine and food apparently prompted participants to lose all inhibitions. Wild, chaotic parties featuring heavy drinking, loss of normal behavior, and unrestrained physical or sexual celebration were more than commonplace; they were expected. Hmm, much as I love to eat, I probably would have limited my participation…