I’ve been traveling and eating my way through a lot of places lately, and I finally got to dive deep into some real deal Italian food. It was an amazing experience, but let me tell you, not every popular dish is a slam dunk depending on what you like. I want to share my honest thoughts on ten big ones I tried, keepin’ it real so you know what might be worth your money and what you might want to skip next time you go out for Italian night.
ORDER: Pizza Margherita
You simply cannot go wrong with the classic simplicity of a real Neapolitan Pizza Margherita when it is done right with fresh mozzarella and basil. The light blistered crust combined with the sweet tomato sauce is absolute perfection every single time.
ORDER: Arancini
These deep-fried rice balls stuffed with cheese and ragu are the ultimate Italian comfort food and street snack. Getting that perfect crispy outside crunch that leads into creamy cheesy rice is an absolute must-try experience.
AVOID: Spaghetti Bolognese
This might shock you but many places outside of Italy serve a bland watery meat sauce over regular spaghetti that just does not satisfy like the real deal does. If it is not a rich slow-cooked ragu served over fresh egg pasta you might want to consider ordering something else.
ORDER: Tiramisu
When you need a dessert this classic coffee-flavored treat layered with mascarpone cheese and cocoa powder is almost always a very solid choice. The lovely combination of rich creamy textures and bold coffee flavor makes for a perfect ending to any meal.
AVOID: Premade Gnocchi
Gnocchi can be amazingly soft pillows of potato but too many restaurants serve mass-produced ones that end up being very heavy and gummy in your mouth. Unless you know they are making them fresh by hand right there in the kitchen you might just be disappointed with the texture.
ORDER: Carbonara
A real Carbonara made with just egg yolk pecorino romano cheese and guanciale is an incredibly creamy and salty taste explosion in the best way possible. Just make sure the restaurant makes it traditional without any added cream otherwise it is just not the same delicious experience at all.
AVOID: Seafood Risotto
Making great risotto takes a lot of serious time and patience that many busy restaurant kitchens just cannot manage properly during a rush. You often end up with rice that is either still crunchy in the middle or way overcooked and mushy which ruins the whole thing.
ORDER: Gelato
It is very easy to tell the difference between airy tourist gelato piled high in big bright mounds and the real dense intensely flavorful Italian stuff. Once you find that genuine creamy scoop with natural colors you will understand exactly why it is famous worldwide and worth every penny.
AVOID: Veal Saltimbocca
When this dish works it is great but often the veal gets pounded too thin and cooked too fast making it very dry and incredibly tough to chew through. The prosciutto on top also can become overwhelmingly salty when fried which unbalances all the other nice flavors.
ORDER: Bruschetta
This is one of the very best ways to start any Italian meal because it is so fresh with that lovely grilled bread taste holding up juicy tomatoes and garlic. It is simple raw ingredients shining together and it very rarely disappoints when you sit down to eat.
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