We went to Marco Polo and I had a great sirloin streak there that was off the hook.
It is when I am away from home that I get suckered into joints that are not real Italian. It takes a couple of visits to scope it out the right way. The one thing I hate is going to the chain stores that are all over the place. But I guess if that is all you know that it is a piece of home.
It is really funny to see tourists come to New York and see them eat in the Olive Garden in Times Square. But I guess it is what you are used to and familar with that you want to eat at.
Right Batman?
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It is when I am away from home that I get suckered into joints that are not real Italian. It takes a couple of visits to scope it out the right way. The one thing I hate is going to the chain stores that are all over the place. But I guess if that is all you know that it is a piece of home.
I ate real Italian once in Perugia. There was an old woman who ran a restaurant out of her flat. She would tell you what was on the menu on any given day depending on what she had on hand. Her son was the waiter. But Perugia is an awful long ways to go to get real Italian.
I'm making sauce right now to drizzle on some grilled peppers.
bagna cauda
Where I grew up, Chef Boyardee and Spaghetti were considered "Real Italian" Food.
So "Olive Garden" is probably a step up for many.
BTW, PF Chang is not "real Chinese Food".
Just sayin'
I wouldn't dine at Olive Garden or Red Lobster if they gave me a free lifetime pass. Horrible food. Dreck.
Mrs. Haz backpacked through China 30 years ago, before China was a tourism magnet. One evening she dined in a small hotel in Shichuan, near several women from NYC. As Mrs Haz was enjoying her meal of unrecognizable stuff, one of the NYC women complained "This isn't real Chinese food. It isn't anything like the food we get at the Chinese restaruant at home".
Tyr going to Sicily and complaining that the food isn't anything like the Olive Garden.
Lately I have been cooking a lot of Chinese and Thai food at home and it has caused a problem.
You see Lisa doesn't want to eat the food in the restaurants anymore because my stuff is better (he said modestly). Mainly because of the spices. For example I use a ton of garlic and ginger in my beef and broccoli so it is really tasty and what you get in the restaurant is bland in comparison.
Restaurants tend to bland down. It appeals to a wider array of people somehow.
Hey Troop, have you ever eaten at Marchi's Restaurant? It's at 2nd Ave and 31st St in the city. The reason I ask is there was an article in Sunday's Post about traditional New York and this place was mentioned. They've been in business for 60 years and the same 5 course Northern Italian dinner has been served nightly since like forever. Article says their outdoor garden is nice so now's the time to go.
Just checked urbanspoon and the reviews are pretty good.
Trooper, I have tried cooking Chinese. I just don't have the background knowledge. I followed recipes but they just weren't very good. There is horseshit Chinese in Madison except for one place. It's loaded w/ Chinamen.
I get why people would eat at Olive Garden if they live in bumfuckville and that is the best Italian food there. But how friggin hard is it to get a guide book and find a local authentic restaurant in some city or town you are visiting?
And those people from bumfuckville who go to Olive Garden? I bet there are great local places where they live. But they do not go there. They would rather wait an hour to sit down so they can have unlimited bread sticks with their crappy "ceasar" salad with some homoginized goop they call dressing on it.
The best burritos I ever had I found by driving around Napa and seeing some Mexican wine workers in the cowboy hats coming out of store front. I figured if they were there it must be good.
It was great.
I don't recall ever eating at an Olive Garden but I know someone who worked at one as waitress when she had to so I won't knock them.
I tried it once. It was Italian fast food. It was no better than Sabarros and that joint sucks too (once was enough).
You would have to work at it to have a bad meal in Sicily. Even a shitty hole in the wall has great food. And there are lots of moderately priced places that blow the doors off stateside Italian places.
I made a Pasta alla Norma the other day that would make Bellini weep. It was awesome, I must say. I got some good ricotta salata to pull it off.
I've eaten at the Olive Garden a couple of times. It's not any more offensive than, I dunno, Panda Express.
blake, and you could switch some of the entrees between Panda Express and Olive Garden and have a hard time telling which came from which.
I dunno, Blake. I've been to Olive Garden and was pretty sure I found the olives in a couple of entrees. At Panda Express, though, I've never been able to figure out which dish has panda in it.
I'm not saying either is good, guys, just saying they are what they are: Bland, inoffensive, reasonably reliable, and reasonably cheap.
Olive Garden is probably, for most people, more about going out to a sit-down than anything.
Panda Express is probably more about not having burger and fries.
And, Haz, panda clue: Tastes like chicken.
ndspinelli wrote...
"Trooper, I have tried cooking Chinese."
Use a slow cooker to make the meat more tender. They tend to be some stringy little bastards.
"The best burritos I ever had I found by driving around Napa and seeing some Mexican wine workers in the cowboy hats coming out of store front."
How "best" was it? Talking about the "Best Burrito" is like talking about the "Best hot dog".
I've had plenty of burritos with real Mexicans - and the ones you get at [insert name of near-by Tex-mex chain] aren't much different.
Maybe its a Cantonese thing, but my Hong-Kong co-workers and friends wouldn't expect to replicate good restaurant food at home, anymore than you could get cook a great pizza at home.
Its why there are so many Chinese restaurants.
I've noticed that real Mexicans aren't really concerned about real authenticity. They're just hungry. They'll mix (here, anyway) traditional Mexican ingredients with Anglo/American stuff with abandon. Whatever's cheap, filling and fast.
Which is, I guess, as authentic as any food gets.
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