What to Look for in a Good Italian Restaurant

Italian restaurants at one time used to conjure up images of red and white checked tablecloths, a chalkboard menu advertising the daily specials, fat white candles stuffed into wine bottles and the soothing sounds of Italian opera in the background. However, all this has changed drastically over the years. Italian restaurants now vary from the classic family style decor to the ultra chic with dining rooms designed to impress. The one thing any good Italian restaurant must have is exemplary food. Italian food demands elaborate menus made from simple ingredients, meals that can stretch over a few hours and the enjoyment of each morsel and moment that makes Italian cuisine a culinary delight.

In Italy a meal is never rushed. The food served is simple but with flavors that linger on long after the experience is over. Along with your meal, there will be a selection of the best wines Italy has to offer and you can expect to get through several glasses of red and white before the meal is through. Indulgence is part and parcel of Italian cuisine. A good Italian restaurant will always have an array of dishes to offer. There will be freshly made lasagna and cannelloni, crusty just-baked breads ready to be dipped into saucers of fragrant olive oil, melt in the mouth meats and seafood and decadent desserts to round off the feast. The chef in charge will create them all in keeping with age-old recipes and culinary secrets passed down from generations.

Another mark of a great Italian restaurant is the quality of its pizza. While the lines still stand drawn between lovers of the thin crust verse those who prefer the more doughy thick crust preparations, both parties are unanimous when it comes to the freshness of the tomato sauce and the simplicity and freshness of the ingredients used. There simply cannot be anything better than a freshly baked pizza with a juicy tomato sauce, topped with basil and delicious mozzarella. If the restaurant has mastered this one thing, you pretty much know you are in for a wonderful meal ahead.

Apart from the food, the service should always be courteous and friendly, and the ambiance warm and welcoming. And when all three of these come together in the right combination, you will know for sure that you have found a great Italian restaurant! This is exactly what proprietors Stacey and Kevin Jennings planned for their newest restaurant Vivace in Charlotte. Designed by the James Beard, award-winning restaurant design firm, The Johnson Studio, Vivace in Charlotte boasts two floors, including a mezzanine lounge area for more casual dining and a formal dining room, a glass enclosed cheese and meat aging room, and two bars including an indoor/outdoor mezzanine bar with dramatic views of Uptown Charlotte. Diners enjoy a specially created seasonal menu by Executive Chef Jeremy Sabo and Chef de Cuisine Andrew Schaumann. The menu consists of classic Neapolitan pizzas, homemade pastas, and a selection of delicious entrees along with their highly rated Italian wine selection and well-stocked bar. Queen city diners can look forward to a true Italian experience at Vivace which opened on November 2, 2009.