What makes good Italian food and a great Italian restaurant? This is what I think.
Italy has a wonderful tradition of fine food. Italian food’s importance to Italian culture cannot be overstated. It is one of the 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, offers wide array of accelerating seasons and soil types. This means a rich diversity of ingredients for food.
It is a peninsula, meaning is nearly surrounded through sea but also connected to terrific Eurasian land aggregate. There is an abundance of fresh seafood and foreign ingredients from neighboring lands.
It sits between Europe and Africa in the Mediterranean. All Mediterranean cultures have excellent food traditions from North Africa to Lebanon and Israel, France, Greece, Spain and, of course, Italy.
When you involving noodles and pasta, you probably involving Italy, but those wonderful inventions found Italy from China thanks to Marco Polo. It informs you a lot about Italian food culture that something so basic became together with Italy even though it did not originate there.
Anyway, food can be a key element of Italian culture. Therefore, the food is regarded as important part of the restaurant. Of course, a great Italian restaurant will have a great wine list, a clean and elegant decor, and wonderful service, but a reliable Italian restaurant can get by on great food alone, even if they have a crummy wine list, poor service, which has a dingy decoration option.
By the way, if you leave an “Italian” restaurant hungry, it’s definitely not authentic. A white tablecloth and high bill do attain a great great bistro acquire. Frankly, I can’t stand those fancy Italian restaurants in Manhattan that charge you $400 for a morsel that forces you to 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 regarding a great Italian restaurant is there isn’t a. The service will be warm and professional, but is 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 everyone doin’ at some point?” when ladies are seated at the table. This is most un-Italian with them. An Italian would never call a woman “guy.” During spaghetti-and-meatballs-type places, the waiter might say, “How is everyone at some point?” The won’t tarry with small talk in the white-tablecloth places, not you’ll be able to ones, need. It is all about the meal likewise comfort.
The third aspect of any great Italian restaurant will be the ambiance. I not really know what it is, but Italians could be seen as able to create a wonderful atmosphere anywhere. I’ve eaten at places in strip malls in the suburban areas of Denver — as un-romantic an environment as there is — arrive close to great. An actually outstanding Italian restaurant will just possess a certain feeling from when you walk in the door, a warmth and maybe 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 are recommending a great Italian eating venue.
Ciro & Sal’s
4 Kiley Ct, Provincetown, MA 02657
(508) 487-6444