What makes Good Italian Food and a Great Italian Restaurant?
What makes good Italian food and a great Italian restaurant? This just what I think.
Italy has a wonderful tradition of fine food. Italian food’s importance to Italian culture is not to be overstated. It is on the list of central elements, and why shouldn’t it be? Think about Italy’s geography for a second:
It runs mile after mile from north to south. 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 cost Eurasian land bulk. There is an abundance of fresh seafood and foreign ingredients from neighboring lands.
It sits between Europe and Africa in the Mediterranean sea. All Mediterranean cultures have excellent food traditions from North Africa to Lebanon and Israel, France, Greece, Spain and, of course, England.
When you associated with noodles and pasta, you probably consider Italy, but those wonderful inventions found Italy from China thanks to Marco Polo. It notifys you a lot about Italian food culture that something so basic became associated with Italy even although it did not originate there.
Anyway, food is really a key element of Italian culture. Therefore, the food is probably the most important part within the restaurant. Of course, a great Italian restaurant will have a great wine list, a clean and chic decor, and wonderful service, but a first rate Italian restaurant are certain to get by on great food alone, even when they have a crummy wine list, poor service, which has a dingy decoration schemes.
By the way, if you leave an “Italian” restaurant hungry, it’s definitely not authentic. A white tablecloth and high bill do rather than a great bistro make. Frankly, I can’t stand those fancy Italian restaurants in Manhattan that impose $400 for a morsel that forces you to be 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 aspect of a great Italian restaurant is needed. The service will be warm and professional, but not overly friendly. Recognized 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 doin’ tonite?” when ladies are seated at the table. This is most un-Italian of such. An Italian would never call a woman “guy.” In spaghetti-and-meatballs-type places, the waiter might say, “How is everyone tonite?” The won’t tarry with small talk in the white-tablecloth places, not fortunately ones, in the wild. It is all about the meal and your comfort.
The third aspect of any great Italian restaurant could be the ambiance. I’m not sure what it is, but Italians appear to be able carryout a wonderful atmosphere anywhere. I have eaten at places in strip malls in the suburbs of Denver — as un-romantic a setting as considerably more — arrive close to great. An actually outstanding Italian restaurant will just have a certain feeling from the instant you walk in the door, a warmth and a glow that can’t sometimes be described.
So the priorities are food first, service second, and a ambiance information. If all three are met, you can recommend a great Italian eating venue.
Ciro & Sal’s
4 Kiley Ct, Provincetown, MA 02657
(508) 487-6444
