curious

I know in Britain, Indian food is popular and in Australia there's a Vietnam restaurant on every corner. Anyone know if Italy is known to have a surplus of a certain kind of ethnic restaurant other than Italian? Not that I think I'll get tired of Italian food over 3 weeks but just wondering??

JOdy

I remember seeing ONE Chinese restaurant in Rome, near Pz. Navona. This post really is funny because I'd never thought of it before but I can't recall ever seeing anothe ethnic restuarant. Maybe I'm just not observant! I'll look forward to the responses!

Nan

I know there is a Chinese Rest. in <BR>Poggibonsi in Tuscany.

scurry

<BR>This is a great topic. <BR> <BR>After ten days in Italy, I was so sick of pasta & similar dining options -- regardless of how good it was. There is variety in the different regional cuisine, but not ethnic variety. <BR> <BR>We did visit a Chinese restaurant in Rome which was quite good (sorry I don't remember the name), but we didn't across another option until we crossed the border into Switzerland.

Ed

Well, the reason Indian, Italian and other ethnic food is popular in England is the exact opposite of the reason one won't find too much ethnic food in Italy. <BR> <BR>Really, in Italy, the basic standard for restaurant food is Mama's. It must be something in the genes ... or the water. Every Mama and Nona in Italy is a marvelous cook. What could be better? <BR> <BR>On the other hand, in England ... <BR> <BR>Well, you get the idea. <BR> <BR>There is a bit of Chinese, Japanese, Indian, I think Thai, certainly some French, but not many. Check the appropriate Fodor's guide and you'll find ethnic restaurant listings. <BR> <BR>Actually the regional variations of "Italian" are quite. The cucina of the Bologna is really quite different from Napoli. Almost as different as between Thai and German. <BR> <BR>twenj

Santa Chiara

Italians do not, I repeat, do not cook good food other than their own. And for some peculiar reason, ethnic groups (i.e., Indians, Chinese, Thai) cannot produce as good as they do in other countries, for instance, U.S. and Britain. Ed is right. There is a very good reason for this: the food is already so good in everywhere but some restaurants in Venice and in the dining car on the IC train. And it does vary tremendously region to region. <BR> <BR>Of course this doesn't explain why a city like Paris has such good ethnic food, because I think French cuisine is also usually exquisite. I just know I have never had an outstanding ethnic meal anywhere in Italy.

John

Reminds me of a question my wife posed. We planned on going to Spain, Italy, Germany, Czech Republic and France on a recent trip. <BR> <BR>My wife asked me, "What kind of food is Czech food"? And continued with, "I have never seen a Czech restaurant in the U.S.". <BR> <BR>Thinking quickly I quiped, "Of course you have seen Czech food - Rice Chex, Corn Chex and Wheat Chex." <BR> <BR>Hitting the WEB, I found a tremendous variety of food and preparation material in the Czech Republic. And best of all it exceeded expectations. <BR> <BR>Moral of the Story - <BR> <BR>Italian food is quite diverse region to region - city to city. If you get tired of it, try a market and make up your lunch. <BR>

Barbara

The only other restaurants I found in Italy were Chinese, Japanese, Indian, (and McDonald's). I had Chinese in Milan which was pretty good. I asked if they would please speak to me in Chinese rather than Italian so at the least I could understand what they were saying. I think I saw Japanese restaurants in Milan also. I managed to stumble upon an Asian market/grocery store in Florence & was quite impressed. They carried many Asian food items I find in Los Angeles Asian supermarkets. Even in Ferrara I found a Chinese restaurant. Saw an Indian restaurant in Bologna & of course McDonald's in Milan, Verona, & Bologna. I didn't get sick of Italian food after 3 weeks but each region's cuisine varies. go & eat some for me!

russ i

I think that Santa Chiara right on track. From my experience living in Italy, I found that Italians are not very adventurous when it comes to trying non-Italian cuisine (understandably so, perhaps, with the quality of Italian cooking). Since the demand is not there, it is difficult and expensive to get the correct foreign ingredients for making "ethnic" dishes. The couple times that I tried eating Mexican food in Bologna, I could not have found a piece of Cilantro if my life had depended on it. It's not that you can't grow Cilantro in Italy (I saw plenty of it in France, Spain and Morocco), it's just that without the demand it isn't readily available. This applies to other ethnic ingredients as well. <BR> <BR>As to the question of getting tired of "Italian" food, I can't imagine it. You could never eat a bowl of pasta if you didn’t want to. Try a bowl of Tuscan Ribollita soup, or polenta ai funghi (with mushrooms); how about a Caprese salad (tomatoes, buffalo mozzarella, basil and olive oil) or prosciuto with sweet ripe figs; for meat there is a nice juicy “fiorentina” t-bone steak, veal chop, or all manner of chicken, pork, fish and game dishes. Try rabbit in Tuscany, muscles in the Cinque Terre, or Seppie (cuttle fish) on the Adriatic Coast. If you do decide on pasta, there is troffie with pesto; tagliatelle Bolognese (a rich meat sauce); rigatoni alla Norma (with eggplant); orechiette ai broccoli; or linguini with clams. I could go on, but you get the point. Happy eating. <BR>

Diane

We did notice the Chinese Restaurant near Piazza Navona. We also saw a Chinese restaurant in Florence, and one in Verona I think, sort of between Piazza Bra and Castelvecchio. Of course, there were the Mickey D's and we even saw a Burger King, someplace.

Diane

My husband just reminded me of a couple of Irish Pubs...

Jo

Rome <BR> <BR>There are Mexican restaurants in Rome and also an American type of restaurant <BR>www.t-bone.it/menu/index.htm <BR> <BR>There is also a Hard Rock Cafe <BR>

mark

Just went to Rome. I remember seeing a fair number of chinese restaurants - around Termini station (?). Also - the restaurant "Gusto" - mention in the Fodor's rest. rec's - does Italian fusion - and it was probably one of the best meals I had while in Rome. Great space - a lively hip crowd - be sure to make reservations. I agree with other posters that there is only so many pasta dishes and fiori de zuca I can eat - and change in taste is always welcomed.

Julie

As much as my husband and I LOVE Italian food, we reached our limit after day 13 in Italy. We were in Venice and there was a charming little Chinese restaurant on the "other" (not the San Marco side) of the Rialto bridge. Very good food, nice vine-covered patio, darling & friendly servers. Filled with American and British tourists! If I find the card, I'll post the name. <BR> <BR>Ciao! <BR>Julie

richard j vicek

Good evening, Curious ??? <BR>Venice - Ristorante HONG KONG, Cannaregio Strada Nuova, 4386 about <BR>one full block down from the Ponte <BR>Rialto on left side, hope they have <BR>resupplied their Sing Tao by now.... <BR>Wien also remember one located on the <BR>second floor on the Kartnerstrasse close <BR>to the Hotel Europa. <BR>Rome the Sogo-Asahi, Japonese, on the Propaganda. <BR>Bierreria Viennese, via della Croce <BR>Austrian ristorante. <BR>Both the above are near the Spanish <BR>Steps.. <BR>Also I feel that there is a wide variety <BR>of cooking within Italy for example there can be differences between Sicilian, Napolitian, Roman, Tuscan, <BR>Venetian and Milanese, especially in <BR>the sauces that are used, rice is <BR>heavy to the north and pasta to the <BR>south. Abruzzo cooking personally is <BR>about the tops, simple but good... <BR>Richard of La Grange Park, Il... <BR>

Paulo

In Milan here are a bunch ... See <BR>http://www.milanobynight.it/ristorantietnici.htm <BR> <BR>Among the Brazilian restaurants, Porcao Churrascaria and Oficina do Sabor are highly reputed (by meat conosseurs, that is). The menus available at Oficina do Sabor are listed on <BR>http://www.oficinadosabor.it/home%20page.htm <BR> <BR>Paulo

Jim

After a month in Italy, I also craved Chinese and foods other than pasta. I noticed the Chinese restaurant in Venice mentioned by an earlier post. I even took a photo of it, but had just eaten another pizza for lunch as I watched a classical guitarist near the Rialto bridge. I actually saw another Chinese restaurant near the train terminal. <BR> Also, in Santa Margherita we ate in Miami's (right across from the ferry docks). The steak with special sauces was wonderful, but a bit expensive. The decor is a bit off the wall, but refrshing as a change.