Comments on: Eating Out in Southern Italy, Part II: How to Order http://my-bellavita.com/2009/04/20/eating-out-in-southern-italy-ordering-your-meal/ Living and Traveling in Calabria, Italy Wed, 23 May 2012 14:59:55 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3.2 By: Kyle http://my-bellavita.com/2009/04/20/eating-out-in-southern-italy-ordering-your-meal/comment-page-1/#comment-5324 Kyle Thu, 23 Apr 2009 13:17:31 +0000 http://my-bellavita.com/?p=1670#comment-5324 Close the menu if you want the server to come take your order.   <strong><em>Absolutely! ha ha</em></strong>   Close the menu if you want the server to come take your order.
 
Absolutely! ha ha
 

]]> By: Anne http://my-bellavita.com/2009/04/20/eating-out-in-southern-italy-ordering-your-meal/comment-page-1/#comment-5287 Anne Mon, 20 Apr 2009 16:07:40 +0000 http://my-bellavita.com/?p=1670#comment-5287 When we were there, Our restaurant didn't have a menu. They just told you what you could have, we took pot luck..but they never ceased to amaze us...we had all three courses, but with the primo we shared one, they asked if we wanted to! Just read the above post and we didn't have anything strange like that at all!!!!   <strong><em>That is great you enjoyed it. I always ask what it is when they bring it so I don't have strange stuff. Also, I sometimes ask for vegetarian to ensure I'm getting "real" food. More so than the icky stuff, though is the thought that you are getting the freshest food if you order from the menu. That is my husband's thought on it anyway! :-)</em></strong>   <abbr><em>Anne’s last blog post..<a href="http://anne-arnott.blogspot.com/2009/04/hi-all.html" rel="nofollow">Hi All.....</a></em></abbr> When we were there, Our restaurant didn’t have a menu. They just told you what you could have, we took pot luck..but they never ceased to amaze us…we had all three courses, but with the primo we shared one, they asked if we wanted to! Just read the above post and we didn’t have anything strange like that at all!!!!
 
That is great you enjoyed it. I always ask what it is when they bring it so I don’t have strange stuff. Also, I sometimes ask for vegetarian to ensure I’m getting “real” food. More so than the icky stuff, though is the thought that you are getting the freshest food if you order from the menu. That is my husband’s thought on it anyway! :-)
 
Anne’s last blog post..Hi All…..

]]> By: Judith in Umbria http://my-bellavita.com/2009/04/20/eating-out-in-southern-italy-ordering-your-meal/comment-page-1/#comment-5283 Judith in Umbria Mon, 20 Apr 2009 11:22:42 +0000 http://my-bellavita.com/?p=1670#comment-5283 I was hoping for a Calabrian menu in this post... oh well. I'll have to come and check it out. What's different? Ummm, it used to be that you needed to order 3 courses, but they made them bigger so you can order one if you like. NO tipping except for exceptional help. Waiters get paid just like busdrivers, electricians and clerks here. Just be nice and always polite. Unless I know what's on I don't want them bringing me whatever, because sometimes it's lamb guts and strange leggy creatures.   <strong><em>I don't like them bringing out whatever, either. Maybe I am too finicky. Maybe. I said maybe! :-)</em></strong>   <abbr><em>Judith in Umbria’s last blog post..<a href="http://www.judithgreenwood.com/thinkonit/macedonia-di-frutta/" rel="nofollow">Macedonia di Frutta</a></em></abbr> I was hoping for a Calabrian menu in this post… oh well. I’ll have to come and check it out.

What’s different? Ummm, it used to be that you needed to order 3 courses, but they made them bigger so you can order one if you like. NO tipping except for exceptional help. Waiters get paid just like busdrivers, electricians and clerks here. Just be nice and always polite.
Unless I know what’s on I don’t want them bringing me whatever, because sometimes it’s lamb guts and strange leggy creatures.
 
I don’t like them bringing out whatever, either. Maybe I am too finicky. Maybe. I said maybe! :-)
 
Judith in Umbria’s last blog post..Macedonia di Frutta

]]> By: nyc/caribbean ragazza http://my-bellavita.com/2009/04/20/eating-out-in-southern-italy-ordering-your-meal/comment-page-1/#comment-5282 nyc/caribbean ragazza Mon, 20 Apr 2009 09:13:35 +0000 http://my-bellavita.com/?p=1670#comment-5282 Great tips Cherrye. For me the best thing I've notice about eating out here is that you are not rushed through your meal. I understand why it happens in most places in the States. Restaurants want to turn tables. The more tables turned per night the more money they make. Many places in Italy are family owned. Your table is yours for the night. There are no shifts. The idea of eating in 30 or 45 minutes again is not appealing to me. That is not eating, it's inhaling. Another thing l like is the waiters don't hover. I want to talk to the people I'm having lunch/dinner with, not hear about the waiter's (this is more of a L.A. thing) latest audition, head shots, dating problems, etc. One time a friend and I were trying to have a very serious conversation about something heavy going on in her life, and our waitress sat down and talked to us for a good 15 minutes about her guest spot on some TV show. ha   <strong><em>Wow. That *is* bad. Here you actually have to track 'em down to get served! lol</em></strong>   <abbr><em>nyc/caribbean ragazza’s last blog post..<a href="http://sistergirltales.blogspot.com/2009/04/pandamonium-in-piazza-del-popolo.html" rel="nofollow">"Pandamonium" in Piazza del Popolo</a></em></abbr> Great tips Cherrye.

For me the best thing I’ve notice about eating out here is that you are not rushed through your meal. I understand why it happens in most places in the States. Restaurants want to turn tables. The more tables turned per night the more money they make.

Many places in Italy are family owned. Your table is yours for the night. There are no shifts. The idea of eating in 30 or 45 minutes again is not appealing to me. That is not eating, it’s inhaling.

Another thing l like is the waiters don’t hover. I want to talk to the people I’m having lunch/dinner with, not hear about the waiter’s (this is more of a L.A. thing) latest audition, head shots, dating problems, etc. One time a friend and I were trying to have a very serious conversation about something heavy going on in her life, and our waitress sat down and talked to us for a good 15 minutes about her guest spot on some TV show. ha
 
Wow. That *is* bad. Here you actually have to track ‘em down to get served! lol
 
nyc/caribbean ragazza’s last blog post.."Pandamonium" in Piazza del Popolo

]]> By: joanne at frutto della passione http://my-bellavita.com/2009/04/20/eating-out-in-southern-italy-ordering-your-meal/comment-page-1/#comment-5281 joanne at frutto della passione Mon, 20 Apr 2009 09:10:42 +0000 http://my-bellavita.com/?p=1670#comment-5281 I like small family run places where the owner comes out and says *Leave it to me and I'll take care of everything* and he then proceeds to bring out a sampling of all his best dishes pairing a different wine with each course. That has happened to us so often - especially when we go out in a large group, and I love it. So many times I end up enjoying something that I would never have ordered!   <strong><em>I've been burned by that a few times, Joanne so I am skeptical. I'd LOVE it for the reasons you do, though. The times we've done that we've felt we got the leftovers and food they were trying to get rid of...</em></strong>   <abbr><em>joanne at frutto della passione’s last blog post..<a href="http://fruttodellapassione.wordpress.com/2009/04/10/forte-e-gentile-tu-sei-abruzzese/" rel="nofollow">Forte e gentile, tu sei abruzzese</a></em></abbr> I like small family run places where the owner comes out and says *Leave it to me and I’ll take care of everything* and he then proceeds to bring out a sampling of all his best dishes pairing a different wine with each course. That has happened to us so often – especially when we go out in a large group, and I love it. So many times I end up enjoying something that I would never have ordered!
 
I’ve been burned by that a few times, Joanne so I am skeptical. I’d LOVE it for the reasons you do, though. The times we’ve done that we’ve felt we got the leftovers and food they were trying to get rid of…
 
joanne at frutto della passione’s last blog post..Forte e gentile, tu sei abruzzese

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