Dining Out in Italy

Dining Out in ItalyIn order to truly enjoy the Italian dining experience you will need to go to Italy if you ever get the chance.  However, before you prepare for such a trip, it is important to understand the major differences that exist in Italian dining.

Understanding The Menu

The first thing that you will need to understand is how to read a restaurant’s menu. Of course, this will be easier if you know some Italian.  With this in mind, here are some words to make sure that you take with you:

  • Antipasti: Appetizers
  • Contorni: Vegetable side dish
  • Dolce: Desserts
  • Formaggi: Cheeses
  • Insalati: Salads
  • Primi Piatti: The first course, which is usually either a pasta or a soup
  • Secondi: The second course, which is usually either meat or fish

You will also need to understand that everything is ordered a la carte, which means each item is ordered separately and that you will need to take the time to order precisely what you want. There are some travel agencies that will be able to recommend Italian classes that are directed to the traveler.

Understanding The Ingredients

Whenever you are dining out in Italy you will get to enjoy unique, fresh ingredients that you may not otherwise get to enjoy.  The foods that are in season will be listed as the special and will taste the best.  Some of these seasonal favorites will include arugula, artichokes, boar, chicory, cod, fennel, mushrooms, and rabbit depending upon what part of Italy you are visiting. Some parts of Italy will serve familiar tomato based sauces and pasta cooked with olive oil. In other parts of Italy you will find rice and seafood cooked with butter.

Mind Your Manners

Make sure to mind your manners.  This includes never asking the wait staff to modify a dish if you don’t like something that is in it because this is considered offensive (Italians are so passionate about their food).  So, if you don’t like how a dish is prepared, simply choose something else.  You will find that there are a lot of choices, which means that you will definitely be able to find something that you will like.  Of course, you may need to try something new but this shouldn’t scare you.  It is simply a part of the Italian dining experience.

Meal Lengths And Times

You are not going to get a quick meal in Italy unless you purchase a snack from a street vendor.  This is because Italian moods focus on great taste, not quickness.  For this reason, most Italians enjoy their meals later in the day.  Of course, there are a lot of restaurants that do open around noon for lunch but most Italians don’t eat until at least one and then they eat dinner around 9PM.  If this is too late for you, then have an afternoon snack while you are out and about in the afternoon.  You will definitely be able to find a lot of pastries and fruits available from vendors.

When you can’t go to Italy for dinner, try a local Italian restaurant. In Miami, Florida you can go to Mama Jennie’s Italian Restaurant, Pizzeria, and Catering. You will find many traditional dishes to choose from for dinner of for catering an event or family gathering.

Share and Enjoy:
  • Print this article!
  • Digg
  • Sphinn
  • del.icio.us
  • Facebook
  • Mixx
  • Google Bookmarks
  • Turn this article into a PDF!
  • Technorati
  • Twitter
Professional Catering on Any Budget

Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,