Introduction
When it comes to Italian cuisine, it can be difficult to know what to look for in a restaurant. With so many different types of Italian dishes, it can be hard to tell which restaurants are serving up authentic Italian fare and which ones are serving up something less than desirable. To help you make the best decision when it comes to Italian restaurants, Eat This Not That has compiled a list of nine Italian restaurant red flags that chefs say you should look out for. From overly-sauced dishes to suspiciously cheap prices, this list will help you make sure you’re getting the best Italian food possible.
9 Italian Restaurant Red Flags, According to Chefs — Eat This Not That
When it comes to Italian cuisine, there are certain standards that must be met in order to ensure a delicious and authentic experience. Unfortunately, not all Italian restaurants live up to these standards, and it can be difficult to tell the good from the bad. To help you out, we’ve compiled a list of nine red flags that chefs look for when evaluating an Italian restaurant.
1. Poor Quality Ingredients
The quality of the ingredients used in Italian cooking is paramount. Chefs look for restaurants that use fresh, high-quality ingredients, such as imported Italian olive oil, fresh herbs, and imported cheeses. If a restaurant is using subpar ingredients, it’s a sure sign that the food won’t be up to par.
2. Lack of Authenticity
Authentic Italian cuisine is all about simplicity. Chefs look for restaurants that use traditional recipes and techniques, and avoid those that rely on shortcuts or pre-made ingredients. If a restaurant is serving dishes that are overly complicated or don’t taste like they’re from Italy, it’s a red flag.
3. Unfriendly Service
Italian restaurants should be warm and inviting, with friendly and attentive service. If the staff is unhelpful or uninterested, it’s a sign that the restaurant isn’t taking its customers seriously.
4. Unfamiliar Menu Items
Italian cuisine is all about tradition, so chefs look for restaurants that serve classic dishes. If a restaurant is serving unfamiliar dishes or dishes that don’t sound Italian, it’s a red flag.
5. Low-Quality Wine List
Italian cuisine is all about pairing the right wine with the right dish. Chefs look for restaurants that have a well-curated wine list, with a variety of Italian wines. If a restaurant has a limited selection of wines or low-quality wines, it’s a sign that the restaurant isn’t taking its food seriously.
6. Unappetizing Presentation
Italian cuisine is all about presentation. Chefs look for restaurants that serve dishes that are beautifully plated and appetizing. If a restaurant’s dishes look unappetizing or are served in a sloppy manner, it’s a red flag.
7. Unfamiliar Chefs
Italian cuisine is all about tradition, so chefs look for restaurants that have experienced chefs who know the cuisine. If a restaurant has inexperienced chefs or chefs who are unfamiliar with Italian cuisine, it’s a red flag.
8. Unfamiliar Ingredients
Italian cuisine is all about using traditional ingredients. Chefs look for restaurants that use classic ingredients, such as tomatoes, garlic, olive oil, and fresh herbs. If a restaurant is using unfamiliar ingredients or ingredients that don’t sound Italian, it’s a red flag.
9. Unreasonable Prices
Italian cuisine is all about quality, not quantity. Chefs look for restaurants that offer reasonable prices for their dishes. If a restaurant is charging too much for its dishes, it’s a sign that the food won’t be up to par.
Defining what is authentic Italian restaurant food in the United States is a fool’s errand. With so many regions and different styles of cooking, from braised meats in the north to the bountiful seafood of the south, there are many restaurants offering the best the boot has to offer. However, there are some red flags that chefs look for when dining out, often to ensure they get the tastiest, freshest meal.
Italian restaurants are often sources of our favorite comfort foods and those vary from person to person. From big bowls of steaming pasta to regional desserts, we are all looking for something different from the experience. But that doesn’t mean that anything goes at an Italian restaurant. There are certain quality indicators you can spot on a menu before you even walk through the door, say chefs.
Read on to find out how to get the best out of your night out at an Italian restaurant.
There’s nothing more comforting than a warm loaf of bread tucked into a basket with olive oil or even marinara for dipping, says Johnny Burke, owner of Johnny Pomodoro in Massachusetts. “Whenever you see that Italian bread with something on the side to dip, you know it is going to be good,” Burke explains. “Everyone charges for it these days, but when it hits the table as fast as you sit, that’s a sign.”
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Yes, we all love iconic cheese pulls, but true Italian food shouldn’t be swimming in it, says Robert St. John, chef and author of An Italian Palate. “Restaurants in Italy use minimal ingredients in minimal ways,” explains St. John. “True Italian restaurants don’t over-sauce pasta dishes. They also don’t cover everything with cheese. Italians use way less garlic than we think they do.”
New Jersey-based Nunzio‘s executive chef and owner Michael DeLone says to avoid Italian restaurants that don’t make their pasta and bread fresh. “As a chef, the number one thing I look for in any restaurant is if items are handmade, in-house,” says Delone. “For us, that means not only our desserts and bread but also our pasta like fettuccine, cavatelli, pappardelle, casarecce, spaghetti, and ravioli.”
Chef Kam Talebi of The Butcher’s Tale agrees, saying, “Fresh pasta is a completely different experience compared to the dried stuff we are accustomed to.”
Don’t you love when the waitstaff comes by to grate piles of pillowy parm on top of your pasta, pizza or salad? It’s a major red flag if the cheese is already grated, Joseph Brenner, COO of Tuscan Brands, who own Italian restaurants in Boston and New Hampshire, tells us, stating, “Parmesan cheese 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 to use red chili peppers from Calabria in dishes like our brothy mussels and our fried Brussels sprouts.”
This one is pretty simple. Look for hearty meat dishes from the north, and fresh seafood from the south when you’re looking for an authentic experience.
Chef DeLone explains, “Real Italian food is more than pasta. Yes, we love our pasta and take great care to make it fresh from scratch, but there are so many dishes that hail from Italy to get excited about, 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 Piedmont, a northwestern region known for its beef.”
Look for simple preparations that highlight the ingredients, nothing more, says chef Christian Darcoli. “A red flag to look for is when restaurants add extra ingredients to a recipe,” says Darcoli. ” Italian dishes are meant to be simple. All ingredients should all be fresh and highlight the region that the chef obtained them from.”
A bottle of old-school chianti used to be something you’d see on the table at many Italian restaurants in the US, but Brenner says this dated practice is a dealbreaker, saying, “If there is a bottle of chianti on the table…run!”
Darcoli also looks for Italian imported ingredients on the menu, saying, “To me, when I see EVOO from a specific region in Italy, or that a dish on the menu has specific ingredients imported from Italy, that is a clear sign that the restaurant is authentic.” However, he notes supply chain issues are impacting Italian imports to the US, saying, “Since COVID-19 started, it has been difficult for restaurant operators to import ingredients directly from Italy.”