Glenda Glayzer asked:


People love Italian food.?From Pasadena, California to its Sister City Xicheng (shee-chung) District, Beijing, Peoples Republic of China, Italian Restaurants are universal. What is it about Italian food that we love?

Americans are addicted to the combination of tomato and cheese. That tangy tomato sauce brightens and lightens the heaviness of cheese. ?Or perhaps what we love is the traditional flavors we’ve come to recognize as Italian; herbs like rosemary, oregano, marjoram and thyme. Even though pizza doesn’t really count as authentic “Italian”, it’s almost everyone’s favorite.

However, the Italian Fine Dining experience is a plate apart from these. A typical dinner menu might include:

Small Cove Oysters on the Half Shell

California Citrus Colossal Shrimp - “Property Grown” Fennel and Cilantro Salad

Beef Tenderloin Carpaccio - Porcini, Lemon Vinaigrette, Parmesan

Ahi Tuna Tartare - White Truffle, Soy, Pine Nut and Avocado

Dungeness Crab Cakes - with House-made Sweet-Hot Mustard, Heirloom Radish Salad and Dried Tomato Aioli

Cocoa Crepe ?- Stuffed with Sauteed Lobster in a Lobster Cream

Vine Ripened Tomato Pizza - Fresh Basil, Roasted Garlic, Fresh Mozzarella

Brick Oven House Flat Bread

Proscuitto Ham, Arugula and Sun-Dried Tomato Pizza

Pappardelle Pasta - Porcini Mushrooms, Beef Tenderloin, Sun-Dried Tomatoes, “Garden Sage”

King Crab Ravioli - Asparagus, Baby Greens and Lemon “Musto” Oil

This menu is from a high-end restaurant. As you can see, pasta and cheese are there, but with refinements, and most fine Italian cuisine features seafood. ?Many such restaurants make their own bread daily from scratch. Another thing we like about dining a la Italiano is the serving style called “family”. ?This is much more hospitable for families with children, as the food is placed in the center of the table in containers which encourage people to serve themselves, and is reminiscent of eating at home. The portions are usually large, geared to serve 2 or groups of 4 or more. Here is another example of an Italian restaurant menu:

Baked Pasta Specialties:

Chicken Cannelloni - Stuffed with chicken sausage, provolone, ricotta, and fresh sage, smothered with Romano and marinara, and baked to perfection.

Lasagna ?- Nine layers of lasagna noodles stuffed with our homemade meat sauce and a savory combination of ricotta, mozzarella, provolone, and romano cheeses, baked in made fresh daily marinara.

Roasted Specialties - Served with roasted potatoes and fresh vegetables

Porchetta Rustica - Herb roasted boneless pork loin topped with a rustic red wine sauce that blends balsamic vinegar, blueberries, capers and hazelnuts.

Tuscan Chicken & Vegetables - ?Rosemary marinated bone-in chicken.

Fresh Salmon with Pesto - Sun-dried tomatoes, pesto cream sauce and pine nuts, served with vegetables

Entrees -

Chicken Saltimbocca with prosciutto and artichokes

Chicken Marsala with fresh mushrooms

Chicken Parmigiana with prosciutto

Veal Limone with escarole and white tuscan beans in a lemon butter sauce

This menu sounds less pretentious, yet the food might be just as good tasting. Only you as the diner decide which you prefer.

Italian food is comfort food. ?Maybe that’s what we like most about the italian dining experience.