Anna_Issa

I guess if I'm in Italy I should eat Italian food - and I plan to. However, I'm also interested in eating international food (American,Chinese,Arab and Spanish). Healthwise, my husband can't tolerate Italian food too much, amoung other reasons, because of the contents in the sauces. Are there alternatives in restaurants that serve other than Italian cuisine? I appreciate your recommendations.

ekscrunchy

I have no idea about other cuisines in Italy; of course you can find all of these but if you want specific recommendations it would help if you said where you were going. You should be aware, however, that sauces are not a huge part of the cuisine of Italy as they are in France, for example. There are lots of sauces for pasta but your husband can easily skip them and concentrate on meat or fish dishes or the many other options that do not incorporate sauces. What is it about sauce that he does not like if you don't mind my asking?

suze

Similar to the answer above, there are many Italian dishes that are not sauced. Grilled meats, poultry, fish, vegetables come to mind.

ira

Hi A,

What is it that DH can't eat?

LoveItaly

Hi Anna, there certainly are Chinese restaurants in Italy. Italy now has a lot of people from China living and working there.

As far as American food you can order food in an Italian restaurant that would be like ordering here in the states. As others have said you do not have to order pasta. BTW, your husband might enjoy risotto (northern Italian rice dish). Your husband can order all kinds of meats, poultry, fish and seafood, vegtables, potatoes etc. I don't know as I have never looked for any but no doubt in major cities such as Rome or Milan you could find a Spanish or Arab restaurant. Perhaps go on Google and do a search.
Best wishes.

Grinisa

There are Chinese restaurants in just about any good sized Italian towns. In Rome there is also:
Zen and Hamasei--Japanese
L'Eau Vive and Charley's Sauciere--French
Oliphant--TexMex
Jaipur--Indian
Africa--Ethiopian

Plus many Irish/English pubs, Hard Rock Cafe and others, but these are what come to mind.

aeiger

Hi
There are alternatives to dishes with sauces, especially red sauces which are usually served before the main course anyway. Risotto is eaten, especially in northern Italy as well as polenta. Many dishes are served grilled etc. There is also American Burger places. I haven't come across too many Asian restaurants but have seen some middle eastern places. I'm sorry but you didn't state which type of sauce either.

Anna_Issa

We will be in Rome for a few days prior to taking a cruise though the Mediterranean, which also includes Naples, Messina, Sicily Florence/Pisa/Livorno. Perhaps when I think about Italian food what comes to mind is red sauce with much oregano and other strong spices that upset the stomach and - I'm embarrassed to say - hemorrhoids. Although, when I posted the question, I wasn't really thinking that I have seen and eaten other dishes that are not made with red, but white or brown sauces. But just to be on the safe, I would prefer to go with steaks, chicken and seafood. Just by eating pizza or lasagna (with red sauce), my husband perspires more than when he goes jogging - then comes the upset "this" and the upset "that". I, on the other hand, can eat just about everything. There's nothing that a little Pepto can't fix.

Thanks for all your replys.

Neil_Oz

LoveItaly's risotto suggestion is a good one.

It does sound as though your husband's problem may be with what most Americans associate with the term "Italian food" - pasta with tomato-based sauces, and pizza. Perhaps his stomach is revolting against the acidity of the tomatoes rather than any "spices", which oregano isn't - the only spice that goes into most tomato sauces is a little pepper (although chilli sometimes makes an appearance).

I've known a few people who couldn't stomach garlic, but I heard that this is usually the case with garlic that's old and beginning to sprout (in which case remove the green bit in the middle) and/or not carefully sauteed in oil first.

The worst heartburn I've ever had in my life was after we made the mistake of eating in an Olive Branch restaurant when visiting the US - we didn't realise it was a franchise operation until it was too late. It was beyond awful, a ghastly travesty of Italian food.

The Italians I know don't usually consider pasta, or risotto for that matter, as a main course (US "entree&quot but as a first course (primo piatto), eaten before the main event of meat or fish and vegetables.

IMO it would be a great pity not to explore the joys of real Italian cooking while you're there.

Lexma90

It does sound like the tomato-based sauces may be the culprit for your husband's discomfort.

I love Italian food, all except for tomato sauces. You'll find pasta dishes that do not have tomato sauces, especially if you seek out restaurants in Rome that have northern Italian cuisine, which tends to have more white sauces and fewer tomato-based ones.

Also, you'll notice that fewer Italian pizzas have tomato-based sauces.

Lastly, sauces on Italian pastas are included in the dish in smaller amounts than in the U.S. (as in, you won't finish your pasta and have a pool of sauce at the bottom of your dish), so that will help as well.

P_M

My mom has a very sensitive stomach, but when traveling around the Mediterranean she had no problems at all because they use a lot more olive oil there than the US or Northern Europe. But if you still don't want Italian, you shouldn't have any problem finding other cuisines such as Chinese.

LoveItaly

Hi Anna, your husband can order pasta that just has olive oil and garlic and a bit of parmesan cheese. Get a small Italian menu guide. Your husband might be allergic to tomatoes, I have a family member that is. No point eating something that is going to cause a problem. Please don't worry, you will be surprised how easy it will be for your husband to eat well in Italy without eating any tomato based foods.

Neil, the Olive Garden!! On behalf of us Americans I send you my sincere apologies. I almost gag when I see their ads on the TV.

blackduff

I didn't mention from the posts but Italy has great roasted meats. Look around to find the Rotiseurie (spelling?). I've bought a roasted chicken which is stuffed with herbs and spices. It served with some french fries. I took along this meal onto the train. Superb meat!

Of course you don't have to buy the whole bird. Get a sandwich with the roasted meat inside.

Blackduff

Neil_Oz

Sorry, LoveItaly, I meant to say the Olive Garden. No need to apologise, it was our own silly fault - something didn't look right when we walked in, and it looked even wronger when we opened the menu. Live and learn.

Kate

Anna_Issa, as others have said, many Italian pasta and pizza dishes do not come with tomatoes, or spices. Handily for you, they also list all the main ingredients beneath the name of the dish so you can identify a dish with tomatoes when you see it (pomodoro = italian for tomato). Take a mini Italian dictionary out with you so you can translate the ingredients.

For example, if a pizza doesn't list 'pomodoro' amongst its list of toppings, then there won't be any. It's very common in Italy to not have a tomato sauce base on pizza.

ekscrunchy

Most Italian dishes do not come with tomato sauces so you should not worry. Nor is oregano used all that much, especially in Rome.

Anna_Issa

You've all made me happy and more confident with your recommendations and suggestions. I've learned that we do have many alternatives to choose from, and won't be starving. As far as the Olive Garden is concerned, my husband wouldn't even think about going there again. They include pepper in all their dishes, even when you tell them not to.

LoveItaly - I'll be looking into getting my hands on an Italian Menu Guide, which I know might help our food selections.

Kate - Thanks for the translation of tomato (pomodoro); I'll stay away from that. I also plan to get a small Italian dictionary. Since the Italian language is alot like Spanish, I thought I could get by without one on this trip. But I realize that many words are completely different.

"Gracias" and "Grazie" to all who replied.

Anna-Issa