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Defining what authentic Italian restaurant food is in the United States is a wild ride. With so many different regions and cooking styles, from braised meats in the north to abundant seafood in the south, there are plenty of restaurants that offer the best of the boot. However, there are red flags that chefs look for when dining out, often to ensure they get the tastiest and freshest meal.
Italian restaurants are often sources of our favorite comfort foods and these vary from person to person. From large bowls of steaming pasta to regional desserts, we’re all looking for something different from the experience. But that doesn’t mean it all happens in an Italian restaurant. There are certain indicators of quality that you can spot on a menu before you even walk through the door, chefs say.
Read on to find out how to make the most of your night out at an Italian restaurant.
There’s nothing more comforting than a warm loaf of bread slipped into a basket with olive oil or even marinara for dipping, says Johnny BurkOwner of Johnny Pomodoro in Massachusetts. “Every time you see this Italian bread with something to dip, you know it’s going to be good,” says Burke. “Everyone is charging for it these days, but when it hits the table as fast as you’re seated, that’s a sign.”
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Yes, we all love iconic cheeses, but real Italian food shouldn’t swim in it, says Robert Saint-Jeanleader and author of an italian palace. “Restaurants in Italy use minimal ingredients in a minimal way,” says St. John. “Real Italian restaurants don’t put too much sauce on pasta dishes. They also don’t cover everything with cheese. Italians use a lot less garlic than we think.”
Based in New Jersey Nuncioexecutive chef and owner Michael DeLone told to avoid Italian restaurants that don’t make their pasta and bread fresh. “As a chef, the first thing I look for in any restaurant is that the items are handmade, in-house,” says Delone. “For us, that means not only our desserts and our bread, but also our pastas like fettuccine, cavatelli, pappardelle, casarecce, spaghetti and ravioli.”
Chief Kam Talebi of The butcher’s story agrees, saying, “Fresh pasta is a completely different experience compared to the dry stuff we’re used to.”
Don’t you like it when waiters come and grate heaps of fluffy parmesan over your pasta, pizza or salad? It’s a major red flag if the cheese is already shredded, Joseph Brennerdirector of operations of Tuscan brandswho owns Italian restaurants in Boston and New Hampshire, tells us, “The Parmesan better not be pre-grated!”
Delone agrees, saying: ‘Parmesan on the table, that’s a red flag’
DeLone reminds us that Italian food should be packed with flavor, not just melty cheese, saying, “Italian food can be spicy! We love using Calabrian red peppers in dishes like our mussels in broth and fried Brussels sprouts.
This one is quite simple. Look for hearty northern meat dishes and fresh southern seafood when looking for an authentic experience.
Chef DeLone explains: “Real Italian food is more than pasta. Yes, we love our pasta and take great care in making it from scratch, but there are so many Italian dishes to elicit. , especially in the cooler, winter season. Right now we have a Veal Brasato on our menu which is a braised veal shoulder stew with root vegetables, whipped ricotta and speck. This dish comes from the Piedmont, a region in the northwest known for its beef.
Look for simple preparations that highlight the ingredients, nothing more, says chief Christian Darcoli. “A red flag to watch out for is when restaurants add extra ingredients to a recipe,” says Darcoli. “Italian dishes are meant to be simple. All ingredients should be fresh and highlight the region the chef obtained them from.
A bottle of old-fashioned chianti was once something you saw on the table of many Italian restaurants in the United States, but Brenner says this dated practice is a dealbreaker, saying, “If there’s a bottle of chianti on the table…run!”
Darcoli also looks for imported Italian ingredients on the menu, saying, “For me, when I see EVOO from a specific region of Italy, or a dish on the menu has specific ingredients imported from Italy, it’s a clear sign that the restaurant is authentic.” However, he notes that supply chain issues are impacting Italian imports into the United States, saying, “Since the onset of COVID-19, it has been difficult for restaurateurs to import ingredients directly from Italy. “.
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