What makes good Italian food and a great Italian restaurant? This is what I think.
Italy has a wonderful tradition of fine culinary. Italian food’s importance to Italian culture can not overstated. It is among the 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, it possesses a great 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 by the sea but also connected to the main reason Eurasian land aggregate. There is an abundance of fresh seafood and foreign ingredients from neighboring lands.
It sits between Europe and Africa in the Med. All Mediterranean cultures have excellent food traditions from North Africa to Lebanon and Israel, France, Greece, Spain and, of course, England.
When you consider noodles and pasta, you probably think of Italy, but those wonderful inventions located Italy from China thanks to Marco Polo. It notifies you a lot about Italian food culture that something so basic became along with Italy even though it did not originate there.
Anyway, food is often a key element of Italian culture. Therefore, the food is important part belonging to the restaurant. Of course, a great Italian restaurant will possess a great wine list, a clean and elegant decor, and wonderful service, but a positive Italian restaurant can have by on great food alone, despite the fact that they have a crummy wine list, poor service, which has a dingy decoration scheme.
By the way, if you leave an “Italian” restaurant hungry, it’s definitely not authentic. A white tablecloth and high bill do not really a huge great bistro acquire. Frankly, I can’t stand those fancy Italian restaurants in Manhattan that charge $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 regarding a great Italian restaurant is 200 dollars per month. The service will be warm and professional, but is not overly friendly. Recognized orders are taken and the meal gets rolling, true should be nearly invisible. Run — don’t walk — from any Italian restaurant where the waitperson address the table like this:
“How you doin’ for dinner?” when ladies are seated at the table. This is most un-Italian of them. An Italian would never call girls “guy.” In spaghetti-and-meatballs-type places, the waiter might say, “How is everyone this evening?” The won’t tarry with small talk in the white-tablecloth places, not the good ones, however. It is all about the meal properly comfort.
The third aspect connected with a great Italian restaurant could be the ambiance. I am not sure what it is, but Italians seem to be able to create a wonderful atmosphere anywhere. I’ve eaten at places in strip malls in the suburban areas of Denver — as un-romantic a setting as can be — that come close to great. A completely outstanding Italian restaurant will just possess a certain feeling from the second you walk in the door, a warmth and maybe a glow that can’t actually be described.
So the priorities are food first, service second, and a ambiance final. If all three are met, you have found a great Italian eating venue.
Ciro & Sal’s
4 Kiley Ct, Provincetown, MA 02657
(508) 487-6444