What makes good Italian food and a great Italian restaurant? This precisely what I think.
Italy has a wonderful tradition of fine food. Italian food’s importance to Italian culture shouldn’t 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 a long shot from north to south. Therefore, is an efficient wide array of skyrocketing seasons and soil types. This means a rich diversity of ingredients for food.
It is a peninsula, meaning can nearly surrounded in the sea but also connected to the main reason 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 and beyond. All Mediterranean cultures have excellent food traditions from North Africa to Lebanon and Israel, France, Greece, Spain and, of course, Toscana.
When you involving noodles and pasta, you probably consider Italy, but those wonderful inventions reached Italy from China thanks to Marco Polo. It reveals a lot about Italian food culture that something so basic became associated with Italy even though it did not originate there.
Anyway, food is a key element of Italian culture. Therefore, the food is regarded as important part within the restaurant. Of course, a great Italian restaurant will possess a great wine list, a clean and elegant decor, and wonderful service, but a good Italian restaurant are certain to get by on great food alone, regardless if they have a crummy wine list, poor service, including a dingy decoration pattern.
By the way, if you leave an “Italian” restaurant hungry, it’s rarely authentic. A white tablecloth and high bill do not really a huge great bistro make. Frankly, I can’t stand those fancy Italian restaurants in Manhattan that impose $400 for a morsel that allows 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 associated with a great Italian restaurant is there isn’t a. The service will be warm and professional, however, not overly friendly. Following your orders are taken and the meal gets rolling, there isn’t a should be nearly invisible. Run — don’t walk — from any Italian restaurant where the waitperson address the table like this:
“How all of you doin’ for dinner?” when ladies are seated while dining. This is most un-Italian . An Italian would never call women “guy.” There is spaghetti-and-meatballs-type places, the waiter might say, “How is everyone today?” The won’t tarry with small talk in the white-tablecloth places, not fortunately ones, need. It is all about the meal at the same time comfort.
The third aspect of any great Italian restaurant will be the ambiance. I’m not sure what it is, but Italians seem to be 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 absolutely outstanding Italian restaurant will just possess a certain feeling from the second you walk in the door, a warmth and too a glow that can’t actually be described.
So the priorities are food first, service second, and a ambiance 3. If all three are met, you are recommending a great Italian small business.
Ciro & Sal’s
4 Kiley Ct, Provincetown, MA 02657
(508) 487-6444