So my closest representation of an actual Italian restaurant would be what I know from home. The biggest difference I've noticed between home and Wisconsin is the bread served before the meal. I'm used to something much heartier, but in the past few years I've had to get used to almost a sweet soft wonderbread-like roll served with butter rather than oil and parmesan. Last night we received a deliciously salty focaccia with oil no parm, but vinegar was on the table. I'll take it. Yes, the bread was soft, as focaccia should be, but at least it wasn't like a typical American dinner roll.
I ordered a dinner size salad which included mixed greens, sliced pears and strawberries, candied walnuts, bleu cheese and a raspberry vinaigrette. It was delicious. For my entree, a cappellini (angel hair) with crushed tomatoes and fresh basil. It could have been saltier, but I'm actually trying to cut salt out of my diet so that's not a complaint. Besides, there was salt on the table. For other people not so food savvy, though, I worry that they don't realize that a bland flavor can sometimes just be remedied by a little salt. I disagree that it's something chefs use just to hide something that doesn't taste that great to begin with (which does happen). Salt creates chemical reactions in food that changes the entire flavor and brightens the dish. I, however, have abused salt in the past few years and am trying to get used to blander foods.
So all in all, a happy satisfied customer. My problem? Almost every menu in almost every Italian restaurant. They are way to big. Why do I need to choose from 30 different pastas? Why are there 10 different chicken options?
I ate at another Italian restaurant last week that literally had a 5 page menu. Let's say we have the most critically acclaimed chef ever (unlikely), who actually does have 5 pages of winners. There is NO WAY a chef can make every single thing on that menu perfectly and tastefully for one night of dinner service. The kitchen has to get stocked with a number of different ingredients to be able to make each of the 150 options, and since there are more items on the menu than patrons, the ingredients are probably chock full of preservatives or just not fresh.
If the restaurant actually tries to use fresh ingredients, the cost of food waste most likely outweighs the profit. If the items on the 5 page menu all have the same 5 or 6 ingredients, why do they need to be prepared 150 different ways. It takes a restaurant-goer longer to sift through the rubbish, increasing turnover time, costing the restaurant more money. And as a customer, I go to a restaurant to see what this particular chef does best. I already know where to get the best lasagna, at the deli by my parents' house. The best gnocchi, the local Italian bistro, the best whitefish with garlic butter sauce, spinach and mashed potatoes, same bistro. Any other Italian food, I cook it myself.
When I go out, I want the chef to woo me. I don't care if there's only one thing on the menu. If that chef makes that one thing better than anyone else makes that one thing, people will return. Logically, a restaurant should choose 10 to 15 items that people just rave about and have that be the entire menu. My worry is that those Italian places with 150 different dishes don't do 10 things well so they that's why they have so many options, then people think, "Oh, I must have made the wrong decision. It's my fault. I'll go back and try the next pasta on the menu." Don't ever think that you made the wrong decision. I firmly believe that the more items on the menu, the worse the restaurant.
