Never been a fan of Italian food, don’t seem to “get it” My wife raves about it and is her food of choice when we go out. Me, a good ruby, perfect.
Well, we (finally) went to Italy a month or so back, Naples and Sorrento. Could do without the crowds in Sorrento, but we stayed there for several days.
Now, funny thing, in Italy Italian food is just called – food.
AND I LOVE IT. We found a couple of amazing places not top end by any means, full of locals which I always think is a good sign wherever you go. Well what a revelation. I had risottos, pastas, even a pizza. Oh my Lord. What fabulous food.
Big problem now, back in Blighty, tried a few locally rated Italians places. Not a patch on what we had.
I live near York, but frankly I’m happy to travel within reason (can’t go back to Italy just yet).
Any suggestions for a proper restaurant or am I doomed to be disappointed here? Not that it is a hardship to go back to Italy of course, but it’s a long way just to have a meal.
Any advice gratefully received.
Cheers all, and Merry Christmas.
Probably not the reply you want but we visit Italy two or three times a year and I’ve ate all over the UK - but yet to find anything that compares to the food over there !
There is just something special about it that I’m not sure you can just replicate over here 😟
likewise
if an indian mum served up the so called 'delicious' indian food from the take away that you use she would probably hang her head in shame
most chinese food also almost unrecognisable.
Good luck everybody. Have a good one.
Cook it yourself :) like with Chinese, I've yet to find an Italian restaurant (in my price range!) that actually sells authentic dishes. Always seems to be a twist based on local expectations
You should try Sardinia I can still taste the pizza I had in Nuoro,the wine and honey from the area was also superior.
They have a local delicacie involving cheese and honey that’s just sublime called seadas.
https://www.sardinianplaces.co.uk/bl...-from-sardinia
One my favourite food things in the Italian Alps is the white butter along with local bread, jam and coffee a breakfast of kings as you glance up at the mountains surrounding you.
Last edited by bwest76; 19th December 2017 at 11:14.
Got to say I agree; this statement generally stands up to most Countries cuisine and what gets served up as the UK equivalent.
However, in Chelmsford, if you steer clear of the usual chains there are some great small independents. A particular favourite of mine is to be found in Kiosk 5 of our local retail market, it is run by an Italian husband and wife and is called 'Pastasciutta'. The food is always cooked from scratch (base sauces pre-made of course) with a selection of hand made pasta. You really cannot go wrong and all for around £7 per plate. It's superb!
There is also another place called 'Polignano' Deli/Café in Chelmsford, this is run by a family from Puglia and is also excellent as to is 'Olio' restaurant.
All well worth a visit, but in particular the Pastasciutta kiosk in the Market, there is also a fantastic authentic Thai in there too.
Another fan of Italian food here. The thing is our restaurants here cater for what they think we 'need'. The pizzas I have had in Italy were gorgeous, thin crispy base and proper mozzarella cheese with various toppings. Here its a gamble what you will get, I've had thick doughy bases, all kinds of cheese, and god knows what for toppings. On the flip side though, you cant get a Full English over there like we can do here !!
Stuart
Interesting, I'm local and might try one in market.Originally Posted by yumma
Well
I am Italian, am a good cook of italian food. and been here for 30years.
Know quite a bit of places to go out, particularly in the Sheffield and south Manchester areas.
Best italian you eat with italin friends, sharing the cooking.
Best excellent italian pizza in Sheffield is Proove in Broomhill, who also have a subsidiary in Didsbury. Do not be tempted with accessories like salads or desserts, which are average.
My local is called "La Dolce Vita", in Crosspool. Know well the chef, and moreless can order what I want in advance - my favourite is "Linguine alle vongole". Going there with friend never has failed.
In London quite enjoyed Carluccio's in Neal Sreet, great favourite was Cotidie, which however has closed I think.
BWs
Franco
Last edited by Franco; 19th December 2017 at 11:27.
However I notice that people often get this weird idea that ever foreign person is some sort of cooking geniuses - my chinese friends basically like the chinese version of a big brown dinner - they don't care what's on the plate as long as its cheap and there is a lot of it and they feel sick from fullness at the end of the meal... Just like many English people...
Speaking of local versions of stuff - I remember about twenty years ago buying a 'english fry-up' for breakfast in Bolivia and not recognising much on the plate...
Have you tried Pontis in Fox Valley?
I live nearby and just interested to hear a native's take. I still haven't been yet (its been open 18 months) but gets good reviews. Their first venture outside of London
Agree with the posts too - you can't come close to how it is in Italy. I love it when there, not as fussed with the type we get in the UK
Like their take-away menus. Maybe 75 dishes but they all taste the same.
Thank you all, good to know I'm not alone and some good pointers and ideas. Franco, thanks for the Sheffield suggestions, Senwar, thank you too mate, (BTW your GMT is still lovely!)
I might give one a try once the turkey and left overs are a memory,
I do love this forum!
Last edited by Bazzman; 19th December 2017 at 11:42.
That's what the customer wants - my best mate runs a chinese restaurant, he tried to introduce some authentic dishes but they flopped. I remember he did some wonderful sort of sweet and sour balls but because the colour was no longer the same colour as a nuclear fire, the customers accused him of watering the sauce - so he went back to the stuff the punters want.
Last edited by Alansmithee; 19th December 2017 at 12:32.
There are some good Italians in York, Il Paradiso del Cibo is very authentic, as is Little Italy.
The biggest difference here is the fresh seasonal produce, Italian grown tomatoes, garlic and herbs are all bigger, fresher and tastier that our restaurants can source locally.
That's great to hear! Glad it is still good and you still have it! I've since sold it's replacement, the replacement for the replacement and now back with the same model as the original replacement! lol.
The one I mentioned in Fox Valley is a lovely looking place that's for sure. Very nice even if it's within a retail park.
Good luck with your food searching!
Does anyone like biscotti? I'm trying to get my mum some so might have to try a branch of Carluccios as I'm not sure if anywhere else sells proper biscotti.
No, actually is a bit out of the way. In a way I am not a great conoisseur of goumet italian resturants per se , because in my group of friends - of which many italians - when we want to socially be together we meet at somebodys house and each brings something a bit special - last time I did my "Fregola sarda alla Carlofortina" and my "Carbonara special". This way we also exchange information on where to find the best produce etc
When desire something sicilian or fishy, often decide to talk to my chef friend and he wil serve it for us in his restaurant.
Ciao
Franco
PS may be we should go there together sometime, and talk watches too
Franco: PS may be we should go there together sometime, and talk watches too[/QUOTE]
Well, there's a plan! I'm up for that!
Understandable to be fair.
And good idea! I'd be up for that all being well
Try Franco's at Thorpe Park business park ls158gb
He's been in the business 40 yrs + started Flying Pizza Headingley , Brio etc etc
Highly recommended .
Last edited by ozzies; 23rd December 2017 at 12:40.
It would be a long way to travel but if you’re ever in London, visit Saporitalia on Portobello Road, W11 (next door to the Tesco).
It’s the real deal. A proper Italian restaurant, owned, run and cooked by Italians. Antis, primo, secondo etc. Definitely not an Anglo-Italian (with oversized pepper grinders etc).
Sadly I have to agree with that.
My family have been going to Pinocchio's in Bournemouth for well over 30 years (maybe over 40!) and it's still got a great buzz and the food, imo, is the best Italian I've had in the UK.
It's (mostly) fairly plain fair, but always fresh and tasty and cooked to order.
Everyone will have their own view (not all reviews on Tripadvisor are positive), and having moved away I don't go there as often as I did 20 years ago and more, but I've never been disappointed in the food or the atmosphere.
As others have commented on other places, it's a family owned and run restaurant and always has been.
M
A new place in London - Palatino -
http://palatino.london/
is receiving rave reviews, eg
https://www.theguardian.com/lifeands...taurant-review
In London I have found Rossodisera at Seven Dials to be the most authentic (http://www.rossodisera.co.uk/menu/main-menu/)but as others have said you can never truly replicate it. But it's not just the food is it, it's the whole experience.
See my post above.
If you are ever in the Maidenhead area there is a good Italian in Bray village called Caldesi in Campagna.
I have to say that the last two times I ate there,which was admittedly a few years ago now,I was utterly underwhelmed.
Sorry to hear that, I've seen some less than positive reviews online, but my experiences have always been good.
As I say, though, it's been fairly infrequent visits in recent years.
M.
If you find yourself in Suffolk I cannot recommend my local pizzeria ‘pitch’ enough. Superb authentic Napoli pizza and the chef is a fantastic fella.
Good (really good) Italian food in the UK is rare but you do find the odd place. We might be a bit luckier here in S Wales due to our history.
Be careful though, the chef is everything. I've returned to Italian places only to find the chef has gone and the real taste of Italy has gone with him or her.
If ever in London try Riccardos, Fulham road Chelsea.
Owned and run for over 15 years by my mate called Riccardo (how's that for co-incidence :D ). :D
I'm a regular visitor and took some friends there for lunch on Saturday, and they thoroughly enjoyed it.
http://www.riccardos-italian-restaurant.co.uk/
Finding decent Italian food in England is very hit and miss.
The wife is Italian and we are fortunate to have a house over there in the North near the Austrian / Slovenian border.
The key is fresh ingredients..when we go back we can get fresh tomatoes, kiwis, peaches etc from the garden and love nothing more than cycling down to the local gelateria to pick up some fresh ice cream and cheese.
The only place that she has said has come close in 18 years is Posilipo in Broadstairs. It was opened by a couple of guys who came over from Naples in the 90s and now have 3 restaurants.
All the ingredients are fresh (especially the fish!) and the dishes all have a Neapolitan twist. Carluccio rated it in the top 10 of all Italian restaurants in the UK. In the summer you can sit outside on the terrace overlooking Viking Bay and if you squint (or have a few beers!) It could almost be the bay of Naples.
Well worth a visit if you are in the area. We normally try and get down 3-4 times a year from London and make a day of it with a walk from Broadstairs to Pegwell Bay and the beautiful Belle Vue pub
I haven't seen these beauties since the start of the old Uuni thread
Not sure about the owner :-) , but the pizza looks mean and excellent
Other than ingredients location, weather, smells and atmosphere play a big role in how we enjoy food/drink.
Almost everyone agrees Guinness is best in Dubllin, and I've enjoyed many a beer in the sunshine abroad that have been wonderful. If the exact same thing was served in your local 'spoons on a Friday night you'd believe the product was completely different.
Best bet for pizza is to find somewhere with a wood oven.
The biggest difference I find is the amount of sauce etc we is on pasta, it's far too much.
Not to mention how we cook pasta. Generally over cooked, not drained and stodgy.
Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
Best Italian I’ve has outside of Italy was in Berlin... it wasn’t posh and was in a rather pedestrian suburb called Schoenberg
The squid ink linguine with Vognolles was truly amazing and cost me a few euros
It’s so pleasing when you stumble across these places by accident
Had acceptable italian in the UK, but, nothing exceptional
Had some crappy meals in Italy too which was devastating
And if you are in Nottingham or Loughborough, why not try some authentic Gelato? http://www.dolcino.co.uk
For pasta, Padella in London SE1. But you won’t get in, so don’t bother. Also, Pasta Loco in Bristol. For which you stand a much better chance of eating. Back in London, also in SE1, the ridiculously named O ver. Quite a few in Soho, like Pastaio.
I agree with you, the overwhelming bulk of Italian food in the UK is bland.
OP is based in York - probably a bit far to travel?
When you look long into an abyss, the abyss looks long into you.........
I don't know if you were familiar with it but we used to enjoy the food at Forenza, I was shocked and slightly saddened to hear that it had closed down last year. We stumbled across it one evening after walking out of Pizza Express due to the state of the place, it was only supposed to be a pre-cinema meal but we ended up sacking off the film and made a night of it.
Such a great shame!
Only had it fired up maybe a dozen times this year but it has been a busy one.I haven't seen these beauties since the start of the old Uuni thread
- - - Updated - - -
So does the owner 😂😂😂
Cheers buddy
Thanks All,
Really appreciate all the comments although the general thrust is that I'll be lucky to reproduce what I experienced in Italy back here, with several notable exceptions.
My wife is already talking about going to Ponti’s in Fox Valley Sheffield in the new year. And if/when we do go, maybe we can get a few locals for a get together?
And we do get to London quite a lot so some great ideas there, and elsewhere too.
BTW, the best restaurant we ended up in - several times - in Sorrento (where frankly because of the tourist thing I was expecting very little) was not far from the main square, in a backstreet, Il Leone Rosso.
If you're off to Sorrento, it's the one I'd recommend for a great combination of quality, service and value.
Lord, all this talk of food has made me hungry.
Great Christmas all and thanks again.
Bazzman
As an example, here is yesterday’s Specials Menu from Saporitalia:
And the Set Lunch menu:
Like I said, the real deal. 👍 🇮🇹
Some great tips here! If you fancy DIY there's always:
https://www.amazon.co.uk/Silver-Spoo...3K3Q0PDQ67MVJA
Now if only you could get the ingredients..
Indeed, same in France on occasions, although with excellent ones along the way too!
The myth of universally good food is one that's often propagated, but never seems to hold true.
M
Hah! The "Cucchiaio d' Argento" was a present from my Mom in 1984, when I came to do a PhD in UK. By far the best book around all together, There are sectorial great ones, but this one covers it all.
There are suppliers of italian goodies online, plus in Edinburgh and manchester good italian delis, and the Wautrose their finest range stock many quality ingredients
You have to look for them of course, as it has been said there is a lot of garbage around.
That's a menu! Lovely...As an example, here is yesterday’s Specials Menu from Saporitalia:
And the Set Lunch menu:
Like I said, the real deal.
My local Italian/Thai/Indian/French etc is more authentic than yours. Discuss :roll:
Fas est ab hoste doceri
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