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 shouldn’t be overstated. It is among the central elements, and why don’t it be? Think about Italy’s geography for a second:
It runs some distance from north to south. Therefore, it has a 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 through sea but also connected to terrific 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. All Mediterranean cultures have excellent food traditions from North Africa to Lebanon and Israel, France, Greece, Spain and, of course, Toscana.
When you associated with noodles and pasta, you probably imagine Italy, but those wonderful inventions came to Italy from China thanks to Marco Polo. It informs you a lot about Italian food culture that something so basic became along with Italy even although it did not originate there.
Anyway, food is really a key element of Italian culture. Therefore, the food is important part from the restaurant. Of course, a great Italian restaurant will have a great wine list, a clean and chic decor, and wonderful service, but a reliable Italian restaurant can have by on great food alone, regardless if they have a crummy wine list, poor service, including a dingy decoration scheme.
By the way, if you leave an “Italian” restaurant hungry, it’s in no way authentic. A white tablecloth and high bill do not really a huge great bistro making. Frankly, I can’t stand those fancy Italian restaurants in Manhattan that charge you $400 for a morsel that gives you want to stop for a slice of pizza during your studies home. A great Italian ristorante will leave you full, not stuffed, but full.
The second regarding a great Italian restaurant is each month. The service will be warm and professional, but not overly friendly. After the 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 all of you doin’ tonite?” when ladies are seated at the table. This is most un-Italian of them. An Italian would never call girls “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 the good ones, in the wild. It is all about the meal likewise comfort.
The third aspect of any great Italian restaurant could be the ambiance. I’m not sure what it is, but Italians are able carryout a wonderful atmosphere anywhere. I have eaten at places in strip malls in the suburbs of Denver — as un-romantic a setting as there is — arrive close to great. A totally outstanding Italian restaurant will just possess a certain feeling from the instant you walk in the door, a warmth and too a glow that can’t be described.
So the priorities are food first, service second, and a ambiance 3. If all three are met, you have found a great Italian restaurant.
Ciro & Sal’s
4 Kiley Ct, Provincetown, MA 02657
(508) 487-6444