What makes good Italian food and a great Italian restaurant? This precisely what I think.
Italy has a wonderful tradition of fine culinary. Italian food’s importance to Italian culture can’t be overstated. It is among the many central elements, and why shouldn’t it be? Think about Italy’s geography for a second:
It runs the distance 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 it is nearly surrounded through sea but also connected to the cost 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 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 consider noodles and pasta, you probably involving Italy, but those wonderful inventions began to Italy from China thanks to Marco Polo. It informs you a lot about Italian food culture that something so basic became connected with Italy even though it did not originate there.
Anyway, food is a key element of Italian culture. Therefore, the food is probably the most important part of this restaurant. Of course, a great Italian restaurant will have a great wine list, a clean and chic decor, and wonderful service, but a good Italian restaurant can have by on great food alone, even if they have a crummy wine list, poor service, including a dingy decoration option.
By the way, if you leave an “Italian” restaurant hungry, it’s in no way authentic. A white tablecloth and high bill do attain a great great bistro ensure. Frankly, I can’t stand those fancy Italian restaurants in Manhattan that charge a fee $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 associated with a great Italian restaurant is there isn’t a. The service will be warm and professional, but 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 all of you doin’ for dinner?” when ladies are seated while dining. This is most un-Italian of such. An Italian would never call a woman “guy.” During 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, anyway. It is all about the meal at the same time comfort.
The third aspect in regards to a great Italian restaurant is 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 suburbia of Denver — as un-romantic an environment as can be — that come close to great. An absolutely outstanding Italian restaurant will just have a certain feeling from the minute you walk in the door, a warmth and the glow that can’t sometimes be described.
So the priorities are food first, service second, and a ambiance three rd. If all three are met, you can recommend a great Italian dining.
Ciro & Sal’s
4 Kiley Ct, Provincetown, MA 02657
(508) 487-6444