What makes good Italian food and a great Italian restaurant? This is what I think.
Italy has a wonderful tradition of fine things you eat. Italian food’s importance to Italian culture shouldn’t 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 some distance from north to south. Therefore, is an efficient wide array of growing seasons and soil types. This means a rich diversity of ingredients for food.
It is a peninsula, meaning might be nearly surrounded in the sea but also connected to terrific Eurasian land muscle. There is an abundance of fresh seafood and foreign ingredients from neighboring lands.
It sits between Europe and Africa in the Mediterranean and beyond. All Mediterranean cultures have excellent food traditions from North Africa to Lebanon and Israel, France, Greece, Spain and, of course, Italy.
When you regarding noodles and pasta, you probably consider Italy, but those wonderful inventions began to Italy from China thanks to Marco Polo. It notifys you a lot about Italian food culture that something so basic became along 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 maybe by on great food alone, whether or not they have a crummy wine list, poor service, and a dingy decoration schemes.
By the way, if you leave an “Italian” restaurant hungry, it’s not always authentic. A white tablecloth and high bill do attain a great great bistro make. 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 involving a great Italian restaurant is needed. The service will be warm and professional, but is not overly friendly. Following your 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’ tonite?” when ladies are seated at the table. This is most un-Italian industry experts. An Italian would never call like a “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 you’ll be able to ones, while. It is all about the meal likewise comfort.
The third aspect of a great Italian restaurant is the ambiance. I am not sure what it is, but Italians are able to create wonderful atmosphere anywhere. I’ve eaten at places in strip malls in the suburbs of Denver — as un-romantic an environment as tend to be : — that come close to great. An actually outstanding Italian restaurant will just possess a certain feeling from as soon as you walk in the door, a warmth and a glow that can’t often be described.
So the priorities are food first, service second, and a ambiance third. If all three are met, you can see a great Italian eating venue.
Ciro & Sal’s
4 Kiley Ct, Provincetown, MA 02657
(508) 487-6444