This dish is a tourist trap in Italy. Photo / 123rf
This dish is a tourist trap in Italy. Photo / 123rf
It’s a common pasta combo but for Italians, it’s a red flag.
We’re sure you’ve heard by now all of the do’s and don’ts of making and eating traditional pasta, especially while travelling to Italy.
From the correct way to do Rome’s infamous carbonara to the right wine pairings, and even the best restaurants in town – all of us have surely gotten an earful from our pasta experts online.
However, there’s one pasta dish that we all love and enjoy at home, but is a big red flag for tourists looking for the perfect restaurant in any of Italy’s 20 regions.
If you see a restaurant’s menu including a pasta dish with anything chicken in it, you should run.
If you want to get an authentic dining experience, it's best to ditch the chicken-pasta combo in Italy. Photo / 123rf
Chicken fettuccine Alfredo, creamy chicken pasta, Cajun chicken pasta and more. Italians have an unmatched hate for pasta and chicken in one dish since they value a slow, delicious dining experience with several courses.
Of course, Italians love chicken too, with superstar dishes like Chicken Parmigiana and Chicken Cacciatore. But they enjoy it as the “secondi” portion, while pasta is reserved for the “primi” or the first course after the antipasti.
Experiencing great Italian cuisine can be a bit intimidating, especially if you’re not sure how to differentiate a traditional and authentic restaurant from a tourist trap.
Let us guide you to a few tips on how you can indulge in good and authentic Italian cuisine.
1. Know your Italian courses
It’s always best to check the menu of the restaurant you’ll dine at, especially if you’re a tourist. For Italian restaurants, the first thing to check is if the menu is broken down into antipasti, primi, secondi, contorni, and dolci. Of course, you’ll have to do your own research on traditional Italian dishes, but you’re off to a good start if they don’t serve chicken and pasta in one dish.
This is how to dine like a local in Italy. Photo / 123rf
2. Ask a local for a recommendation
No one knows Italian food better than Italians. If you’re staying at an Airbnb with a generous host, ask for their favorite local spot and their favorite dishes so you can eat like a local.
3. Reserve a table
Most good Italian restaurants can get pretty busy, especially if you’re in a popular tourist spot or you’re visiting in the peak season, so make sure to secure a reservation to avoid not dining at your desired restaurant. Make sure to be there on time, as being late is tolerated but you should drop a call to let the restaurant know.
4. Try local dishes
You might be an avid fan of the Americanised versions of Italian dishes but in Italy, you should opt for dishes you haven’t tried. For example, if you truly want a pasta dish with meat, you should try the lasagne alla Bolognese, a pasta dish made with a sauce made with pork and beef, or go for tortellini, which is often served “in brodo”, in a bone broth. You can also opt for a portion of traditional pasta with seafood, like risotto ai gamberi (risotto with shrimp), or pasta con sarde (pasta with sardines).
