| Because of the popularity of Italian dishes in America, | | | | before, Caesar's salad is such a strong dish. It can |
| we have seen a lot of restaurants that serve Italian | | | | overwhelm your taste buds, so it is definitely not for |
| food being put up at a steady rate. But when we take | | | | the faint-hearted. But if you are in a genuine Italian |
| a bite of our spaghetti with meatballs in those | | | | restaurant, you will find that you will have to look pick |
| American-Italian restaurants, do we necessarily equate | | | | an antipasto before you can proceed with your meal. |
| them to good Italian food? Most of the time we think | | | | An antipasto is just how Italians like their food. Italians |
| we are eating authentic Italian dishes even if the food | | | | make sure that they prepare food with quite subtle |
| being served to us are already Americanized versions | | | | flavors. They do not like adding too much dressing or |
| of the original. This is because only a few of us have | | | | condiments. They want the flavors to slowly pop in |
| really tried eating Italian dishes. Most of the time we | | | | your mouth while you are eating it, and not just in one |
| are lured to thinking that eating a Caesar's salad in | | | | bite. |
| some fancy restaurant is the equivalent of a real Italian | | | | The next course is the primo which is usually pasta. A |
| dining experience. But the robust flavors of the salad | | | | lot of American-Italian restaurants will not follow this |
| are what betray your so-called Italian dining. Italian | | | | Italian pattern of eating so they will probably serve you |
| cooking is all about balance and delicateness of flavor. | | | | with a very heavy dish that will leave you thinking that |
| And let us admit it; we have American palettes that | | | | you have already eaten the entire plate with just one |
| are attuned to eating those dishes that seemingly | | | | taste. As I have said, it should be all about balance. As |
| explode in our mouths because of the intensity of | | | | they say, it is not about the pasta sauce; it is about the |
| flavors. | | | | pasta. In a real Italian restaurant, you will be able to |
| When you enter an American-Italian restaurant, the | | | | taste that their food has quite strong flavors as well |
| first thing you need to look at is the bread they are | | | | but they do not overpower you. It is as if there is just |
| serving. Oftentimes, they serve white bread topped | | | | enough balance of boldness and subtlety. And you |
| with tomato. This is quite Italian in itself, but usually, they | | | | cannot argue with homemade pasta from those Italian |
| arrive already cold. If you want the genuine Italian | | | | restaurants. Most Italian restaurants make their pasta |
| experience, you better go to an Italian restaurant that | | | | using meat extruders so the resulting pasta is thick and |
| serves hot bread straight from the oven, like most | | | | chewy. And one thing that you should notice in |
| Italians do for their families back in Italy. You get crusty | | | | authentic Italian restaurants is that they do not like their |
| bread in the outside, but soft in the inside. And nothing | | | | pasta to be swimming in thick sauce. They want it to |
| can beat hot, homemade bread. | | | | just coat the pasta so that when you eat the dish, you |
| And then you go and order a salad. Most | | | | do not just taste the sauce but you taste the pasta as |
| American-Italian restaurants will serve a classic hit | | | | well. This is well thought of because the pasta is the |
| which is Caesar's salad. But as I have mentioned | | | | focal point of the dish. |