Over the years we’ve figured out a few easy-to-recognize signs that an “Italian” restaurant’s menu, although it might be yummy, definitely isn’t Italian. A lot of people ask us for recommendations on how to find an authentic Italian restaurant, and it’s best to learn what to avoid if you want a taste of Italian cuisine.
To illustrate the signs we look for, we decided to play a game of “Restaurant Red Flag Bingo” with the (anonymized) listings of our own, local Italian restaurants on Yelp! Winner, winner, chicken parm dinner…
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43 Comments
If there's a cuisine you're very familiar with, what are some red flags that immediately tell you a restaurant isn't serving the real deal?
I am Armenian and I have to side-eye most "middle eastern" restaurants' food. It's always this weird, homogenized collection of the same foods (sometimes with incorrect names) over and over. So unappealing. When it's done right, when it tastes like my grandparents cooked it, I always have to compliment the chef and owner. It's a rarity!
why are you italians keep disrespecting us italians americans.
I think that restaurant think that more ingredients means better food. This is a trap. Great i.g. Italian food is simple and does not need extra components! Simplicity is brilliant!
I adore Eva's incredible talents and hair! ❤
Italians are doing it all wrong. Meatballs with pasta and sauce…Mmmm.
My good friend from Jesolo ( he owns a restaurant there) told me to always check the ingredients in a restaurant/spizzeria 'Pizza Marinara', if it contains any seafood then get up and leave. It should only be tomatoes, garlic and basil. Nient'altro!!
How do you make Jewish omelette?
Start by borrowing 3 eggs !
I’ve been waiting years for someone to validate my “no balsamic on caprese or bruschetta” rant. Thank you!
Pepperoni vs. peperoni seems to me more of a translation issue than an actual food issue – if you describe what we call a pepperoni pizza a spicy salami pizza nobody here would know what it was.
I will never understand why Italians care so much about putting the pasta on a different plate than the meat. It’s all ending up in my mouth, why do you care how I eat it? It’s really bizarre. I guess it’s your version of kosher or something. Every culture seems to have dos and don’ts that don’t really make logical sense.
Restaurants that put ‘French’ dishes on their menus but can’t even be bothered to make sure the French is correct.
hmm, Ettore Scola's Brutti, Sporchi e Cattivi shows poor Italian people eating stewed meat with pasta, something that I've always seen among traditional Italian dishes cooked by Italians (actual Italians born and grown) in the River Plate region
Intersting that here the UK, "Parmesan" is just the English word for Parmigiano Reggiano. We don't really make our own fake Parmesan style cheeses here. I think it's illegal under DPO/DOP rules. Both the names Parmesan and Parmigiano Reggiano are protected. It's all imported from Italy. Also other cheeses like Feta (which must be from Greece), and Stilton (from the UK) are also protected. This is also true for the EU, and although the UK isn't in the EU any more, we still follow the DPO/DOP regulations. All our packs of supermarket Parmesan cheeses have the words "Parmigiano Reggiano", and the DOP mark, and the name on the rind.
Every time I see what is called German food in America, I shudder.
Aloha! I love ketchup on my hot dog!
Very creative video…really enjoy them each week…😂
I love ketchup on my hot dog!
What's wrong with ketchup on hotdogs? Australian here, never knew this was a no-no!
On the other hand, that Penne Mango sounds gross!
Hi Eva and Harper, Almost all countries cuisine from around the 🌎 get Americanized especially Asian food and some foods are native to The USA. 🍝 🍷 Beautiful Primavera!❤❤! Ciao. Al from Sarasota via Philadelphia (Filadelfia)❤❤❤❤❤
Maybe take a course speaking real American Italian, because you sound like an Italian caricature from a bad American movie or a cartoon. Personally, I don't think you speak with such an accent in real life. So why??
In the UK we also put ketchup on hotdogs
How is Bingo not Italian? It ends in a vowel!
I really wish you were putting subtitles on your videos. I'm not a native English speaker und I find Eva incredibly hard to understand. The automatically generated subtitles don'r really help, either. 🙁
This is an informative and educational episode, fun.
Harper and Eva, just wanted to tell you most people understand and appreciate what you do. In overcommercialized American restaurants, ordinary people wouldn't ever discover traditional ciabatta if they're led to believe garlic bread is all there is in Itally. You're broadening average Americans' horizon and we ask you to keep up the good work. We know you're not questioning any Italian Americans' puredbloodedness. There are too many sensitive people. No need to let them bother you.
🤣🤣🤣 Deconstructed Cannoli
What do you mean Americans don't have ketchup on hot dogs?! 🤔 Why then there are so many photos (and american movie scenes) with ketchup on hot dogs or at least on the iconic NY carts in the streets?
Anyway, it could be another evidence that deep down Harper was italian even before he realized it. 😉
P.S. tbh I admit that, when I read "Grammar Mistake", for a second I intended it as a typical mistake reported by your channel 😅… which would totally make sense after all these years promoting italian cuisine abroad.
I got to the Parmesian / Parmigiano thing when I stopped myself to recall that contemporary Italian Parmigiano is nothing like it was, even 100 years ago.
This, my friends, is pedantry.
Eva what do you think? One of the best Sunday dishes that my nonna and my mamma (I'm Sicilian, no expat) cook is pasta (never spaghetti) with meatballs sauce, that is a plate of pasta with the sauce in which you cooked the meatballs and the polpette served separately. Technically it's not pasta and meatballs….
I've commented before about when our Italian-born ancestors came here, they used what is available to adapt recipes. Also, as time went by, we adapt them to our American tastes. I get the point of this video and I ADORE this channel. I'm truly not trying to be a 'Debbie Downer' BUT, would it make true Italian-born Italians feel better if we put a disclaimer at our restaurants that say something like, 'Italian-American Restaurant' or, oh what's the new phrase….Italian-American FUSION? lol. I feel bad that it brings such frustration to the Italian people. It's truly a love for your country's cuisine that inspires our cooking. After all, imitation is the sincerest form of flattery. Love you guys
La piccata è un piatto tipico della cucina italiana: fettine di carne di vitello o di pollo che vengono infarinate da crude e poi cotte in padella, quindi servite co una salsina cremosa fatta con succo di limone burro e capperi
have ya'll tried Pizzaria Bianco in Phoenix? I watched a show about Chris Bianco and his pizzas sounded very interesting. I think i have seen his tomatoes on one of your shows??? maybe?? im not sure you would think some of his pizza combinations are authentic Italian though. I'd love to hear your take on it.
About the "aioli", it is NOT French! It is Catalan, or possibly Mallorcan/Balearic. It is in fact "all i oli", which means "garlic and oil", i.e. aglio e olio! And the purists do NOT add egg: the emulsion is made ONLY with garlic and oil, plus a pinch of salt.
What is your favorite EVOO to purchase here in the US?
I once cooked the bolognese sauce that chef John posted (Food Wishes). Following the instructions of Marcella Hazan. Who they call the Julia Cild of italian cooking in the US. I'm not guilty to judge that: I'm just a german guy. What do you think of it?
I also cooked the pasta alla genovese, the way "Glen and friends cooking" from Canada described it. And LOVED it! Am I to blame?
Pls tell me! We're all here to learn. Aren't we?
MANGO penne?????LOL…Sorry just it's so silly. WHY???
Dipping things into other things is the best, so much fun and flavor combos!
dovevate aggiungere anche aglio a propusione, oppure aglio e cipolla insieme. Roba da matti
Sometimes I dip my croissant in my cappuccino…I picked that up while living in Paris.
Does she have to talk for the majority of every video? Her voice is so grating.
The grammar thing can possibly be explained due to many US Italian families immigrating before Standard Italian became widespread. They passed down their regional dialects, so you can get odd spelling and pronunciation.
Spaghetti alla Bolognese is one of most popular dish used by italian university student, obviously with tuna!