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 can’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, offers wide array of growing seasons and soil types. This means a rich diversity of ingredients for food.
It is a peninsula, meaning can nearly surrounded by the sea but also connected to the main reason Eurasian land size. 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, Croatia.
When you consider noodles and pasta, you probably imagine Italy, but those wonderful inventions reached 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 although it did not originate there.
Anyway, food is a key element of Italian culture. Therefore, the food is regarded as important part of the restaurant. Of course, a great Italian restaurant will possess a great wine list, a clean and stylish 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, also dingy decoration framework.
By the way, if you leave an “Italian” restaurant hungry, it’s far from authentic. A white tablecloth and high bill do not a great bistro establish. Frankly, I can’t stand those fancy Italian restaurants in Manhattan that cost you $400 for a morsel that forces you to want to stop for a slice of pizza along the way home. A great Italian ristorante will leave you full, not stuffed, but full.
The second aspect of a great Italian restaurant is the service. The service will be warm and professional, even though overly friendly. Wedding ceremony orders are taken and the meal gets rolling, this service membership should be nearly invisible. Run — don’t walk — from any Italian restaurant where the waitperson address the table like this:
“How everyone doin’ tonite?” when ladies are seated at the table. This is most un-Italian of such. An Italian would never call women “guy.” There is 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 numerous ones, while. It is all about the meal and your comfort.
The third aspect of any great Italian restaurant could be the ambiance. I am not sure what it is, but Italians are able to have a wonderful atmosphere anywhere. I’ve eaten at places in strip malls in the suburban areas of Denver — as un-romantic an environment as considerably more — arrive close to great. An absolutely outstanding Italian restaurant will just have a certain feeling from the second you walk in the door, a warmth and the 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 can see a great Italian eating venue.
Ciro & Sal’s
4 Kiley Ct, Provincetown, MA 02657
(508) 487-6444