Talk of The Villages Florida - Roberto's Restorante

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Quote:

Originally Posted by Dr Winston O Boogie jr (Post 1675896)

It's surprising how different food is in Italy. My grandparents came from Avellino in Campagna. My grandmother cooked pasta with tomato sauce and some kind of meat every day and my mother used her same recipe but most of the food in Italy is very different than what they made. I have to wonder if the types of food are very localized. Tuscany is in the north. I guessing that most Italian food that we have here is more from the south. I think that originally a lot of the early Italian immigrant were from Sicily.

As you get into the very northern part of Italy you'll find people with blond hair and blue eyes and very, very different food. They are more like the Swiss.

I guess my point is that we have restaurants in this country that are owned by people who have come from Italy yet the food is very different than what they have over there. I am wondering why.

The foodstuffs in the USA have had most of the flavor processed out of them over the decades...I suspect for food safety reasons.

I can't even find a decent flavorful chicken egg in the USA.

It is getting harder to keep the weight off so I am down to just beef, pork, eggs, shrimp, and tuna now. Carbohydrates are totally out so Italian food is out :)

Pro Tip: Go to Florence Italy to any hole-in-the-wall restaurant and order an authentic Bistecca alla Fiorentina (from Chianina). It will be the best thing you ever put in your mouth!

Quote:

Originally Posted by karostay (Post 1676452)

1st Visit we'll be back food & service were great..Could do without the music

Music? That will surely keep me away.

Quote:

Originally Posted by retiredguy123 (Post 1676482)

Music? That will surely keep me away.

Dino's "That's Amore" and Perry Como's "Papa Loves Mambo"........ ahhhh LOVE that music, especially in an Italian restaurant.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Jazzcat (Post 1672408)

Hubby is Italian and I learned many years ago how to make all his favorite traditional Italian meals from old family recipes.

How do you make Eggplant Parmesan? I learned from my Italian Mother how to make this classic Italian dish. Bread and fry the 1/2" slices of eggplant. Layer the fried slices of eggplant with tomato sauce and grated Parmesan cheese, Start with sauce in the pan and end with sauce on top with at least four layers of eggplant. Mozzerella cheese on top if desired. When sliced it looks like a brick, sort of like a slice of Lasagne.

I ordered Eggplant Parmesan at Roberto's. What I received was a plate of pasta topped with one slice of Eggplant. The eggplant was prepared properly as my mother taught me but only ONE slice. Needless to say, I was disappointed in the way the dish was assembled and presented.

I went back another time and ordered the Eggplant Rolatini. That was MUCH better. This was served with three slices of eggplant, breaded and fried then rolled with a Ricotta filling inside and served on top of a plate of pasta. For the same price as the Eggplant Parmesean with only once slice of eggplant, I will always order the Eggplant Rolatini and have three times the amount of Eggplant for the same price.

Quote:

Originally Posted by karostay (Post 1676452)

1st Visit we'll be back food & service were great..Could do without the music

That's put me off straight away.
Background noise in restaurant to us 'deafy's' is a real problem to conversation, but add music and that will kill it!