American & other food in Rome??
Aug 2nd, 2007, 08:48 PM
#61
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I just remembered. A year or so ago in N/W Rome (way outside of the historical district) IKEA and also a large shopping mall has recently been built. It is down the street a few miles from the house my son-in-law owns which is one of many houses in their family compound.
The shopping mall has a food court. My son-in-law was chuckling this last Easter as one of his cousins and her spouse decided since their two children were going to be gone over Easter for a spring vacation that they would not cook the traditional Easter dinner. They "escaped" the family and went to the food court at the shopping mall and enjoyed an "Easter" dinner at the Japanese restaurant. Their first experience with Sushi etc. It is now their favorite restaurant.
Hi Tuscan, pasta al dente sounds perfect. Not to much sauce though please, lol!! I prepared a light pasta dish tonight (it is quite hot here in our area). I sauted chopped shallots in olive oil. Then I added minced garlic along with some red pepper and black pepper and a dash of lemon juice. Meanwhile Rotini was cooking in salted water. I added a few Tablespoons of the pasta water to the shallot/garlic mixture before draining the pasta. Put pasta in a bowl and put the shallot/garlic mixture over the pasta. Yum!!!
The shopping mall has a food court. My son-in-law was chuckling this last Easter as one of his cousins and her spouse decided since their two children were going to be gone over Easter for a spring vacation that they would not cook the traditional Easter dinner. They "escaped" the family and went to the food court at the shopping mall and enjoyed an "Easter" dinner at the Japanese restaurant. Their first experience with Sushi etc. It is now their favorite restaurant.
Hi Tuscan, pasta al dente sounds perfect. Not to much sauce though please, lol!! I prepared a light pasta dish tonight (it is quite hot here in our area). I sauted chopped shallots in olive oil. Then I added minced garlic along with some red pepper and black pepper and a dash of lemon juice. Meanwhile Rotini was cooking in salted water. I added a few Tablespoons of the pasta water to the shallot/garlic mixture before draining the pasta. Put pasta in a bowl and put the shallot/garlic mixture over the pasta. Yum!!!
Aug 3rd, 2007, 03:47 AM
#62
hi, again, julie,
just remembered [how did I forget?] on teh street where our apartment was, there were no less than three indian restaurants, plus a japanese. It's the via dei serpenti, which runs up from the colosseum to the via nazionale, on the north side of which, further up towards termini, is another big spar [agaim small frontage, large store].
as for salad dressings mayo isn't necessary or usual. standard in italy is 3-4 parts oil [extra virgin olive for preference] to one of vinegar [wine, red or white or balsamic if you want to be posh] plus salt, pepper, french mustard if you want a standard french vinagrette. place all ingredients in a screw-top jar, and shake vigorously. it will keep for a week in the fridge.
to this basic, you can add chopped herbs, garlic and cream to make a sort of caesar dressing, use lemon juice and use it to dress fish - the choices are endless.
as to the pasta, pizza, panini dilemma, our son dislikes all three and has never starved in italy. chicken and potatoes, roast veal, steak, pork chops, are all staples in neighbourhood italian restaurants.
if you want more sauce on your pasta, try asking for it "con molto sugo" [with much sauce], which may help.
regards, ann
just remembered [how did I forget?] on teh street where our apartment was, there were no less than three indian restaurants, plus a japanese. It's the via dei serpenti, which runs up from the colosseum to the via nazionale, on the north side of which, further up towards termini, is another big spar [agaim small frontage, large store].
as for salad dressings mayo isn't necessary or usual. standard in italy is 3-4 parts oil [extra virgin olive for preference] to one of vinegar [wine, red or white or balsamic if you want to be posh] plus salt, pepper, french mustard if you want a standard french vinagrette. place all ingredients in a screw-top jar, and shake vigorously. it will keep for a week in the fridge.
to this basic, you can add chopped herbs, garlic and cream to make a sort of caesar dressing, use lemon juice and use it to dress fish - the choices are endless.
as to the pasta, pizza, panini dilemma, our son dislikes all three and has never starved in italy. chicken and potatoes, roast veal, steak, pork chops, are all staples in neighbourhood italian restaurants.
if you want more sauce on your pasta, try asking for it "con molto sugo" [with much sauce], which may help.
regards, ann
Aug 3rd, 2007, 04:27 AM
#63
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I can sympathise with the OP. I once spent a month in Turkey and hated the food every day. Faving said that i quite like italian food.
However one thing that perhaps people might not know is that Johnny Roman (Giovanni Romani?) has recently rather fallen in love with the idea of the pub. (Joe english has yet to return the favour by falling in love with pasta and living with his mother until he's 35).
There's a list here:
http://www.romeguide.it/FILES/amenin.htm
Click on beer houses and pubs. Most have food - mainly non-italian type.
I do hope you like european beer though - otherwise I will have to get all Pausinias on yo' ass.
Audere - Pubfinder General.
However one thing that perhaps people might not know is that Johnny Roman (Giovanni Romani?) has recently rather fallen in love with the idea of the pub. (Joe english has yet to return the favour by falling in love with pasta and living with his mother until he's 35).
There's a list here:
http://www.romeguide.it/FILES/amenin.htm
Click on beer houses and pubs. Most have food - mainly non-italian type.
I do hope you like european beer though - otherwise I will have to get all Pausinias on yo' ass.
Audere - Pubfinder General.
Aug 3rd, 2007, 05:04 AM
#64
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welch, I have to giggle at your comments about Japanese food! DH and I are going to Japan for the first time in October and I'm rather worried about the food, mainly because I don't eat any seafood whatsoever. What can I say...I'm just a picky eater! It would never keep me from traveling, but it is an obstacle at times.
Tracy
Tracy
Aug 3rd, 2007, 05:07 AM
#66
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Aug 3rd, 2007, 03:01 PM
#69
L'Insalata Ricca
http://www.linsalataricca.it/
Several locations around Rome. Simple, fresh, inexpensive homemade salads. We liked it a lot (October 2006).
Though, I am surprised you have difficulty finding salads in Italy. We have never had a problem finding lots of fresh vegetables and fresh salads, and we've always eaten in local Italian restaurants.
http://www.linsalataricca.it/
Several locations around Rome. Simple, fresh, inexpensive homemade salads. We liked it a lot (October 2006).
Though, I am surprised you have difficulty finding salads in Italy. We have never had a problem finding lots of fresh vegetables and fresh salads, and we've always eaten in local Italian restaurants.
Aug 3rd, 2007, 03:05 PM
#70
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Just two quick thoughts:
1. Get Rome's Time Out guide for a good list of ethnic restos.
2. Despite the weight limit, why don't you bring 2 or 3 bottles of your favourite salad dressings from home and buy the veggies you like at the grocers or the Campo de' Fiore market.
Best of luck.
1. Get Rome's Time Out guide for a good list of ethnic restos.
2. Despite the weight limit, why don't you bring 2 or 3 bottles of your favourite salad dressings from home and buy the veggies you like at the grocers or the Campo de' Fiore market.
Best of luck.
Aug 3rd, 2007, 04:23 PM
#71
I think you can get all the foods you want to eat (except the iceberg lettuce). It's just you can't get them in restaurants in Rome! You need a kitchen, learn your local shops, and bring a few recipes (like for the creamy style salad dressings).
Aug 3rd, 2007, 05:23 PM
#74
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I can't believe how hateful some of the people on Fodor's can be. I've seen several others that sound like the posters are trying to impress everyone with what world travelers they are. Perhaps they should stop traveling and take a charm course! The OP simply states she doesn't like the food in Rome and all these people are basically saying she will just have to change her mind! Well, I don't like coconut, and all of you that do like it are not going to make me like it.
I didn't like the food in Rome either. Perhaps it's there, but I certainly didn't find it.
Sandi Travelnut says "You should also be willing to experiment a little." They did. They didn't like it!
MikeT says "I'm a little baffled by why you keep going back if you find the food such a chore." She didn't say it was a chore. She said they didn't like it! MikeT also says "No need to be passive-aggressive." I don't think she was being passive-aggressive. I think she was being facetious. You say " I still find it baffling and confusing." You also didn't get that she was being facetious.
Grinisa says "I too am baffled but to each their own. Although anyone who would prefer Olive Garden type pasta to what is found it Italy is certainly marching to the beat of their own drummer." She never said she prefers Olive Garden pasta. She said they don't like the Italian food! You also said "Again, you are mistaken if you think you have to spend 40 euros for baked chicken....you are not looking at the right places." Her original question was "what food places are available in Rome?". Do you have the answer? If not, why respond at all?
Suze says "why not go somewhere else besides Rome since you've already been many times before." She didn't say they didn't like Rome. She said they didn't like the food! In fact, she said they LOVE visiting Rome. Why don't we advise that no one ever visit the Colliseum or the Vatican, etc., because the food is no good?
And Pausanias says "What a great big yawn. You have boring, unsophisticated tastes. It seems like you are learning to live with it. Brava. Snore, snore." Really?! I suppose I have boring, unsophisticated tastes because I don't like the food? Well, I drive a Ferrari. Just because they make great cars, doesn't mean they make great food. How unsophisticated is it to slam people because their taste in food doesn't match yours? Very!
Well, Julie, I just spent 15 minutes of my life I'll never get back, defending your honor
but it HAD to be said.
I didn't like the food in Rome either. Perhaps it's there, but I certainly didn't find it.
Sandi Travelnut says "You should also be willing to experiment a little." They did. They didn't like it!
MikeT says "I'm a little baffled by why you keep going back if you find the food such a chore." She didn't say it was a chore. She said they didn't like it! MikeT also says "No need to be passive-aggressive." I don't think she was being passive-aggressive. I think she was being facetious. You say " I still find it baffling and confusing." You also didn't get that she was being facetious.
Grinisa says "I too am baffled but to each their own. Although anyone who would prefer Olive Garden type pasta to what is found it Italy is certainly marching to the beat of their own drummer." She never said she prefers Olive Garden pasta. She said they don't like the Italian food! You also said "Again, you are mistaken if you think you have to spend 40 euros for baked chicken....you are not looking at the right places." Her original question was "what food places are available in Rome?". Do you have the answer? If not, why respond at all?
Suze says "why not go somewhere else besides Rome since you've already been many times before." She didn't say they didn't like Rome. She said they didn't like the food! In fact, she said they LOVE visiting Rome. Why don't we advise that no one ever visit the Colliseum or the Vatican, etc., because the food is no good?
And Pausanias says "What a great big yawn. You have boring, unsophisticated tastes. It seems like you are learning to live with it. Brava. Snore, snore." Really?! I suppose I have boring, unsophisticated tastes because I don't like the food? Well, I drive a Ferrari. Just because they make great cars, doesn't mean they make great food. How unsophisticated is it to slam people because their taste in food doesn't match yours? Very!
Well, Julie, I just spent 15 minutes of my life I'll never get back, defending your honor
but it HAD to be said.
Aug 3rd, 2007, 05:35 PM
#75
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And if you want a crunchy fresh vegetable, buy "puntarelle" at an outdoor market like the one at Campo de' Fiori. It's a kind of chicory that the market women prepare in strips. The Romans serve it with an anchovy vinaigrette, but who knows, you might like it with a creamy salad dressing.
Aug 3rd, 2007, 05:49 PM
#77
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Julie, I don't usually use mayonnaise when making a creamy dressing at home. Often the recipes call for plain yoghurt or buttermilk or both, plus or minus good olive oil, sometimes with lemon juice for a mayo-y zing. The key here is a whisk! But again, try making some at home first so that you can figure out what you like--and then start researching what you can substitute in Italy. I'd think of it as an interesting challenge.
p.s. I love Italian-in-Italy food and a good oil-and-vinegar-only dressing, but most certainly you're entitled to your own likes and dislikes. Have fun with this!
p.s. I love Italian-in-Italy food and a good oil-and-vinegar-only dressing, but most certainly you're entitled to your own likes and dislikes. Have fun with this!
Aug 3rd, 2007, 05:51 PM
#78
dherron, if you don't like Italian food, fine. I have no problem with that -- at all.
But to deny that it's one of the greatest cuisines in the world -- just because <i>you</i> don't like it -- that's simply oppositional.
I don't like Ferraris -- they're just not my thing. I would never, though, be so naive as to say, "Just because the Italians can cook doesn't mean they can manufacture good cars."
But to deny that it's one of the greatest cuisines in the world -- just because <i>you</i> don't like it -- that's simply oppositional.
I don't like Ferraris -- they're just not my thing. I would never, though, be so naive as to say, "Just because the Italians can cook doesn't mean they can manufacture good cars."
Aug 3rd, 2007, 06:41 PM
#79
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What I'm having trouble getting my head around is this: given that Italian cuisine is so richly diverse, how is it possible to dislike it all, or even most of it? I'm assuming that it's possible to find representatives of all, or at least most, of the regional cuisines in Rome. Perhaps someone could correct me if that's not the case.
Aug 3rd, 2007, 07:22 PM
#80
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I've been studying up on Rome & Venice restaurants, and it's true there is a lot of diversity within the cuisine, which is part of the problem. I have to use a menu translator for everything - very little of the dishes' names sounds familiar. So I can imagine that someone might want to have a 'fall back' or a break from 'working' at it so hard. I'm not a very adventurous eater, and hubby even less so... don't want innards, feet, or octopus! That "5th Quarter" thing is not my thing, be it Italy or France.
We went on a bus tour in 1996 as our first entry into Europe. About 1/2 way thru the trip of 17 days, a young guy said 'if I see one more church, I'm gonna croak'. Maybe it's the same with one more pizza, or one more plate'o'pasta...
We went on a bus tour in 1996 as our first entry into Europe. About 1/2 way thru the trip of 17 days, a young guy said 'if I see one more church, I'm gonna croak'. Maybe it's the same with one more pizza, or one more plate'o'pasta...
