PLACES TO EAT

PLACES TO EAT

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MOST IMPORTANT!

Your dining out in Italy will be ten times more enjoyable if you know the following:

TIPS ADDED TO A CREDIT CARD BILL ARE NOT GIVEN TO THE WAITERS

TIPS INCLUDED IN A BILL AS SERVICE COMPRIS ARE NOT GIVEN TO THE WAITERS

If you want to express your appreciation for a meal, tip in cash.

IN ITALY, BEING A WAITER IS NOT WHAT YOU DO WHILE AUDITIONING FOR ACTING PARTS OR TRYING TO SELL YOUR SCREENPLAY

Because waiting tables, serving, is an honored profession, you'll get excellent service (and be remembered even if you visit only once a year -- that happens to us) if you show interest in the men and women who are serving you. Ask where they come from and who the best tippers are and how they like serving the French -- that last is always good for a scrunched up face and a funny line.

We've got the first of the white truffles (just then bought at the back door and shown us in a basket), seconds on that killer potato concoction that is supposedly not available, and stuff not on the menu simply because, since we both have waited tables, we care about the people who are waiting on us.

As you can see from the shots on Cipriani in Venice, we even keep up with the steady advancement through the profession of some of our favorites.

The two dining recommendations below are not in cities you might visit and so are not listed separately above, yet ARE WORTH DRIVING 30 MILES OUT OF YOUR WAY to experience.
There are many more in Italy that would fit this definition.
We urge you to let us know your favorites.

GENERAL COMMENTS

    o    Don't eat in any place with trucks around it unless you're traveling with children. Then definitely eat there. They'll find it "colorful." Make an exception for the autostradas. If there is no recommended place near you at lunchtime, we've found some outstanding pre-packaged sandwiches and other stuff at "Interstate" places we'd avoid back in the States.
    o    Don't expect to do any serious eating in casual sidewalk cafes. (We learned the truth of this in one that came recommended.)
    o    Pay attention to the differences between ristorante, trattoria, etc. in your language book.
    o    Do eat in small places where Italians are waiting to get in. They'll offer decent food at good prices. Do not eat there, however, unless you're comfortable with your command of food Italian.  Even in Rome we found less command of English than of Italian and Greek in New York.
    o    Most guide books say that hotel dining rooms are not among the best in any given city. Unless you know of a recommended place in that city, however, or your concierge is enthusiastic about some place, stick to the hotel, unless you like, as we do, to wander streets trying romantic looking dining rooms. We've had an occasional poor meal that way, but it's still been romantic.
    o    Please don't ask for cappuccino after 11 a.m.   As one of our Italian friends said, "That's like having a milk shake at dinner."

PIEMONTE

Ristorante La Braja
Montemagno
Via San Giovanni Bosco 1
Fax 0141.63605
Closed Monday and Tuesday
No English spoken

Our absolutely favorite place in all of Italy is Ristorante La Braja, an afterthought in our travels through Piemonte to a more celebrated place. Run by four brothers and a sister, our waiter, and favorite, was Antonio, who painted all the pictures on the walls, including the disturbing one off in a little-used dining room. We've sent copies of photos to Antonio and are already planning our food for the next trip. (As of 2004 we hadn't got back, and it's not on the itinerary for 2005. Maybe it will be one of those places so perfect you are afraid to repeat the experience.)

EMILIA-ROMAGNA

Aquila d'Oro
Piazza XXIV Maggio 3
0522.628-686
Rubiera (off the autostrada from Milan to Florence)

If you're traveling from Milan to Florence, or Florence to Milan, or are anywhere in between, try to schedule a side trip to this restaurant. On a town square. Aquila d'Oro boasts several beautiful rooms, a beautiful decor, warm you're-a-member-of-the-family service, and extraordinary food. A meat cart, items carved at your request, and a dessert cart assured that our short lunch stop turned into an hour, and even then we felt we were hurrying.

Note: the long-winded sentence on the ITALIAN page about turning right at the signal is the actual directions to this restaurant when you get off the autostrada to eat lunch there. You'll need the directions to find it - but at least it is right in the middle of town.

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