[Shipping up to Boston]

Originally Posted by fdpaq0580

? Have you traveled through Italy much? Some of the worst examples of Italian style along with some pretty good was my experience. Never had a good pizza there.
We all have our preferences and expectations Authentic, truly authentic food of any culture is going to vary greatly dictated by what was available. Peasant foods account for the most iconic dishes of most cultures.
I, for one, like Olive Garden. Great authentic Italian? No! (Thank God) But, I'm not native Italian, I'm American. So, for Italian inspired food, I like it.
Fredric, not Federico.

I have been to Italy. So if you like Olive Garden or I'm sure Pizza Hut, you clearly don't know Italian cuisine. Its all regional. Pasta in general is a side dish in Italy...not unlimited, all you can eat salad and breadsticks! As far as pizza, most is topped with farm fresh ingredients and cooked in brick ovens. If that's peasant food id love to know what you call the sawdust you're eating...

[fdpaq0580]

Originally Posted by Stu from NYC

Peasants who dont know better?

Peasants who know what they like and don't care if it meets "standards". Like me. I prefer red wine, even with fish or foul.

[retiredguy123]

Originally Posted by fdpaq0580

Peasants who know what they like and don't care if it meets "standards". Like me. I prefer red wine, even with fish or foul.

What kind of red wine is best with white wine?

[margaretmattson]

Originally Posted by WingedFoot78

How do you know your meal is made to order unlesss you go to the kitchen?

Biggest give aways? Foods the server must ask how you would like it done. Or, when ordering, the server explains there will be an extra wait for the food.

When you order pasta with sauce, it is probably sitting on the burners ready to scoop onto the plates. Clam sauce is not white! The kitchen served a sauce that was available. To make clam sauce you start with butter in a pan, add wine etc.etc. Obviously, the sauce served the OP was not made to order. If it were, the sauce would have been hot and buttery.

[Stu from NYC]

Originally Posted by fdpaq0580

In total? Or just Naples, It?

Would settle for either or both.

[Stu from NYC]

Originally Posted by fdpaq0580

True! Tipping should not be expected. Tips given at the end of the meal are, or should be, gratuities related to your appreciation of the service provided by the server, and in no way related to the price of the item you order. To warrant a tip service, imo, should be more than taking your order, bringing your plate to the table. The business should hire and pay for normal expected services related to operations of said business.
Can you imagine going to buy a $40,000.00 car and being expected to pay 20% tip to the salesman/woman? Assenine! Every sit-down restaurant operates in that manner because leaving a little change on the counter for the friendly waitress became expected easy money.

That ship unfortunately has left the port and no sign of it returning. Even asking for a tip at a take out restaurant where you place an order with cashier and than handed a bag by someone else.

[Stu from NYC]

Originally Posted by fdpaq0580

? Have you traveled through Italy much? Some of the worst examples of Italian style along with some pretty good was my experience. Never had a good pizza there.
We all have our preferences and expectations Authentic, truly authentic food of any culture is going to vary greatly dictated by what was available. Peasant foods account for the most iconic dishes of most cultures.
I, for one, like Olive Garden. Great authentic Italian? No! (Thank God) But, I'm not native Italian, I'm American. So, for Italian inspired food, I like it.
Fredric, not Federico.

Have been to Italy several times and this is my opinion.

Pasta and other Italian dishes better than here.

Pizza invented over there and perfected in NYC.

BTW like olive garden but all I ever order is salad and soup.

[Stu from NYC]

Originally Posted by fdpaq0580

Peasants who know what they like and don't care if it meets "standards". Like me. I prefer red wine, even with fish or foul.

Preaching to the choir. We like a sweet white wine like moscato, irregardless of what we are eating.

[Normal]

Originally Posted by Stu from NYC

Preaching to the choir. We like a sweet white wine like moscato, irregardless of what we are eating.

Dry here, Vernaccia with a good pasta smothered in truffle sauce. The ambiance of Assisi is preferred.

[Tyson]

Originally Posted by xhippee

This was almost amusing. Went to Napolinos last night with another couple. I told the waitress I'd like chicken parm, with linguini and white clam sauce. She said it would be a $3 upcharge. I said ok. When it arrived 40 minutes later, the linguini was doused in a thick, white gravy...devoid of clams. When I pointed this out to the waitress, she said if I wanted clams in my clam sauce, I'd have to order it as a dinner. I actually laughed. First and last time for me there.

Order what's on the menu and you wont have a problem.

[jebartle]

Different strokes for different folks!

[Normal]

Originally Posted by Tyson

Order what's on the menu and you wont have a problem.

Yes, it’s already microwave ready or in the boil bag.

[Sage327]

We stopped going there after they over cooked the shrimp Parmesan twice.

[Ecuadog]

Originally Posted by ChicagoNative

...

We had a couple good experiences when Napolinos was Chefs of Napoli, but have had a couple not-so-good experiences since. Everyone has different tastes as evidenced by the wide variety of opinions.

...

I used to go to Chefs of Napoli II in Inverness just for Luigi's Fried Calamari.

[fdpaq0580]

Originally Posted by Shipping up to Boston

I have been to Italy. So if you like Olive Garden or I'm sure Pizza Hut, you clearly don't know Italian cuisine. Its all regional. Pasta in general is a side dish in Italy...not unlimited, all you can eat salad and breadsticks! As far as pizza, most is topped with farm fresh ingredients and cooked in brick ovens. If that's peasant food id love to know what you call the sawdust you're eating...

Every country I've ever been in, from one region to the next, the folks from a different region will tell you, "oh, they don't make it properly here". All the great cuisines of the world started off as peasant food, with herbs, spices and sauces to make plain, or even lousy/questionable
food more palatable.
As for brick ovens and grilling over open flame, that is all Peasants had to cook on or in. Fresh fruits and veggies, often wild, were all that was available. Escargot, snails! Peasants so desperate for food tried to hide and flavor snails so they could swallow it. Amazing what butter and garlic can do. No kings chef would have dared serve the monarch snails. Heads would roll.
So, you can stop looking down your nose at those of us who like good food from all countries, regions, and all strata of society. 🤗