I've never real Italian food before, and I'm trying it for the first time this weekend on a date...

I've never real Italian food before, and I'm trying it for the first time this weekend on a date, at a restaurant that specializes in Sicilian cuisine.

What should I order? And what kind of wine should I have?

cacioevino.com/menu

Zuppa di pesce (fish and seafood soup)

Where the fuck do you live that you've never eaten Italian food?

Just checked menu

Get the Baccala

I live in New York and I've eaten lots of Italian-American food, which is not the same thing.

Get the gabagool

My family got here about 50 years ago from that island, I have no idea why they're charging so much for the shit we ate every sunday

Because it's a nice restaurant and it's in Manhattan

>50 years

Is your family really making that kind of food or do they make the Tony Soprano style Italian food instead?

point taken

sort of varies. with the exception one of my grandpas and a great uncle, all the immigrants are still alive so they make this kind of stuff. not nearly as fancy and probably not as well prepared but I've probably eaten 2/3rds of this menu over the course of my 26 years. The fancier stuff like the squid ink pasta, analetti, braised short ribs no but the arancini, caponata, baccala, excessive use of sardines, squid and octopus, was very common.

that's really neat! does your mom make this stuff too?

She still does, yes. She's gotten lazier as she's gotten older, but if she knows I'm coming home and I request something special she'll make it with the same flair as she used to. The only thing she won't make is arancini, and I can't really blame her. It's a massive pain in the ass.

I've got a love of octopus, squid, sardines, and swordfish I just can never completely satisfy thanks to my upbringing.

I should note too that I love Italian American food as well. It's not exactly healthy but I've eaten plenty of it and is usually my go-to for a weeknight dinner. I have a hard time getting good quality seafood where I live

I don't think it's even that bad as long as you don't have massive portions of it on a regular basis.

That's cool! I can't wait to try some of that stuff on Saturday. I wonder what my date is gonna order.

stfu nigger

It's not, but whenever people cook Italian-American they'll serve something like spaghetti and meatball with a side of garlic bread or excessive amounts of pizza. It's fine if you work out regularly I think

I hope you enjoy yourself dude. It's some wonderful and very distinct food. After your pasta I'd suggest getting the grilled fish platter. It looks gr8. Remember to have a drink before and after dinner too

So is the sequence antipasti then either pasta or secondi?

And If it goes well, I'll take her to a nice cocktail bar afterwards

The "full meal" for Italians as far as I know is Drink->antipasti->prima which is a pasta -> secondi which is meat based. After that it's usually a dessert, then coffee, then another drink.

damn I didn't know I'd have to order 3 courses lol. I'm guessing the portions are small so it makes sense. I don't mind paying though, because the girl is really sweet and I think it's worth it.

Italian here, looks legit but overpriced as fuck for my standards.
What's your budget?

Idk how this place does it obviously but I'm going to assume they're small courses because that's how these places are. I hope she enjoys it, she's getting a treat .

perhaps you can weigh in better than a terrone-american for our man on his mission?

I mean, it is in NYC and it looks like an upscale restaurant.

I don't mind spending up to 150 dollars or so because. I often spend close to that amount on a Saturday night going out so it's okay to me.

That makes sense. If anything I can have the waiter explain. I hope this chick isn't uncomfortable when she sees how expensive it is lol.

You forgot the fruit before dessert.

Oh and I'm thinking about going for the Tiramisu for desert, or maybe the Cassata Siciliana

i will help a fellow terrone out

The most traditional antipasti in there are the Arancini, the Sarde and the Caponata; the "panelle" in the caponata are basically fried bread made with chickpeas flour, good shit.

For the pasta either you keep eating with and you have the Bucatini with sarde or the inksquid spaghetti, or i'd go with the aneletti.
Pasta with vongole is good but a bit basic imo.

Brasato is not tipically Sicilian so i'd cross it out, Octopus and baccala looks great

For desserts, both Cassata and Cannolo are great, go for it

Do you like Tiramisu?

bump

I love but it's not specifically a Sicilian traditional dish.
Cassata and cannolo are more regional and better IMO.
You can have a decent tiramisu in most places, but it's more difficult to get other stuff

Still me, the Italian guy
If you want something really good, ask for the Passito or Pantelleria wine.
It's a liquorous wine specific of Sicily, sweet, strong and tasty.
If they have it take a couple of glasses, it's da bomb

italian food is overrated

Matriciana, Carbonara, not cancer-filled pizza, even a Caprese is enough.
Without all that disgusting stuff americans like to add to it. Plain, simple. Effective.
And for the love of God, stop eating Mozzarella Cheese, just eat normal Mozzarella.

Went to Sardinia last year.
Good food, good times.

Swordfish is big in Sicily. One of the best things I ever ate in my life was swordfish spaghetti in Taormina. Every ingredient sang of its freshness, I knew in my heart that swordfish was swimming in the sea as I lay in bed asleep the night before. The tomato sauce... Ivenever tasted tomato so... Fucking... Pure.
And I generally don't like spaghetti.

Diocane stai zitto e quantomeno leggi il menù in op

T. Italiano autistico

Bump

Good point. I'll probably get one cannolo and one cassata then.

>Mozzarella
Burrata, even better