How to Find a Great Italian Restaurant
How can good Italian food or a great Italian restaurant be identified? What follows is one foodie's opinion.
First of all, you must understand Italy's wonderful tradition of fine food. The importance of cuisine to Italian culture cannot be overstated. Food is one of the central pieces of Italian life, and why shouldn't it be? The choices are endless! Think about Italy's geography for a second:
- It stretches far from north to south, from the heat of Sicily to the Alps. Therefore, it has a wide array of growing seasons and soil types. This means a rich diversity of ingredients for food.
- It is a peninsula, meaning it is nearly surrounded by the sea but also connected to the great Eurasian land mass. This provides both an abundance of fresh seafood and foreign ingredients from neighboring lands.
- It is situated between Europe and Africa in the Mediterranean. It is not an exaggeration to say that all Mediterranean cultures have wonderful food cultures. This is true from North Africa to Lebanon and Israel, France, Greece, Spain and, of course, Italy.
When people think of noodles and pasta, Italy is what comes to mind. Remember, though, that those wonderful inventions came to Italy from China thanks to Marco Polo. It tells you a lot about Italian food culture that something so basic became associated with Italy even though it did not originate there.
At any rate, Italian culture rests heavily on food. Therefore, the food is the most important part of any Italian restaurant. Of course, a great Italian restaurant will have a great wine list, a clean and elegant decor, and marvelous service, but a good Italian restaurant can get by on great food alone, even if they have a crummy wine list, poor service, and dingy decor.
By the way, if you leave an "Italian" restaurant hungry, this restaurant cannot be called authentic. A white tablecloth and high bill do not a great bistro make. Frankly, I can't stand those fancy Italian restaurants in Manhattan that charge you $400 for a morsel that makes you want to stop for a slice of pizza on the way home. A great Italian ristorante will leave you full, not stuffed, but full.
The second component of a great Italian restaurant is the service. The service will be warm and professional, but not overly friendly. After the orders are taken and the meal gets rolling, the service should be nearly invisible. Run -- don't walk -- from any Italian restaurant where the waitperson address the table like this:
"How you guys doin' tonight?" when ladies are seated at the table. This is most un-Italian of them. An Italian would never call a woman "guy." Even in spaghetti-and-meatballs-type places, the waiter might say, "How is everyone this evening?" The won't tarry with small talk in the white-tablecloth places, not the good ones, anyway. You and your comfort are all that matter.
The third aspect of a great Italian dining experience is the atmosphere. I don't know what it is, but Italians seem to be able to create a magical ambiance anywhere. I have eaten at places in strip malls in Kansas City suburbs -- as un-romantic a setting as there is -- that come very close to greatness. A truly outstanding Italian restaurant will just have a certain feeling from the minute you walk in the door, a warmth and a glow that defies description.
So prioritieze in this order:
- food
- service
- ambiance
If your favorite Italian restaurant meets all three conditions, you can call it great.
Questions and Answers
Italy has its reputation through a lot of things, from sports cars and interior design, but for all that Italian cuisine has earned a nationally renowned. Of course, Italian national football team won the 2006 World Cup, but Italian cuisine continues to win the hearts of millions of people every day.
Enjoy the finest Italian deli food in the comforts of your own home and benefit from a next day Italian food delivery from an online Italian food shop.
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