Going to Italy - Don't like Pasta

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So, I'm heading off to Italy for a week on Sunday.

Thing is.

I don't like Pasta, of any kind, I can't stand the texture of it in my mouth.

So, apart from Pizza, what else will there be for me to get my chops around?

(Northern Italy, Venice area if that makes any difference)

abouttobebanned

Not being smart...but it's like saying, going to Ireland...hate cabbage.

All restaurants up there have loads of pasta dishes, that's true...but they also have great steaks, burgers, all kinds!

dlambirl

abouttobebanned wrote: »

Not being smart...but it's like saying, going to Ireland...hate cabbage.

All restaurants up there have loads of pasta dishes, that's true...but they also have great steaks, burgers, all kinds!

Exactly - Italian resturants dont just serve pasta. And sure, there will be other types of resturants there - just as there are italian resturants and chinese resturants in Ireland!!

If you do go into an Italian resturant - you can eat chicken, steak, fish,....

hal9000

uuhh they do more than pasta and pizza in italy, had some good spuds when I was there

Mr. Presentable

Think of pasta as the Italian equivalent of what spuds are to Ireland!

It's not the only thing they eat. You'll have no problems, they eat steaks and chops and potatoes and chips, stews, casseroles, kebabs, burgers.

Venice is amazing, but be prepared for massive crowds. Have fun!

The Hill Billy

Des - You'll find that in restaurants in Itlay that you'll have a wide range of dishes to choose from. Generally the meat and pasta courses are separate. So just skip the pasta course & if you want carbs ask for some bread with your meat course.

The best meal I have ever had in my life was in Grottaferrata (just south of Rome). I had buffalo with truffles. Bloody marvellous! Went for the house red at €2.30 for a half-litre carafe (had two). Homemade vanilla ice cream with 30yo balsamic for dessert. The chef then gave me a glass of 51yo port by way of thanking me for enjoying his food so much. Meal for me & Mrs Billy came to €65 including tip. Not half bad for an amazing meal in a Michelin-starred restaurant.

docmol

pasta is not even considered a main course in Italy, just a warmup for the real thing. If you can find them try gnocci (looks like pasta but made with spuds) or polenta or risotto for a carb fix. Btw, the food in Italy is both amazing and cheap, and wine in a restaurant is actually affordable! You will be ruined for ever going to a restaurant in Ireland again!

olaola

As the lads have said - it's just the bit between the starter & the meat course. You'll be grand And northern Italians love their steak - try to snout out a bistecca fiorentina!

antoniosicily

docmol wrote: »

pasta is not even considered a main course in Italy, just a warmup for the real thing. If you can find them try gnocci (looks like pasta but made with spuds) or polenta or risotto for a carb fix. Btw, the food in Italy is both amazing and cheap, and wine in a restaurant is actually affordable! You will be ruined for ever going to a restaurant in Ireland again!

pasta is a proper course, not a warmap; if you are in northen Italy there are many things you can enjoy, starting from risotto; probably it's not the best time of the year for polenta Anyway just skip the pasta dishes and get whatever you want. Don't forget to post a full report here when you get back

Spastafarian

Des wrote: »

So, I'm heading off to Italy for a week on Sunday.

Thing is.

I don't like Pasta, of any kind, I can't stand the texture of it in my mouth.

So, apart from Pizza, what else will there be for me to get my chops around?

(Northern Italy, Venice area if that makes any difference)

Oooh, no recession here!

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Spastafarian wrote: »

Oooh, no recession here!

lol

Flights for 2 return

€120 Total (60 each, incl taxes &c)

Hotel Accom €70 per night for 7 nights

Worked out just over €300 each for the week.

Not too shabby.

olaola

Des wrote: »

lol

Flights for 2 return

€120 Total (60 each, incl taxes &c)

Hotel Accom €70 per night for 7 nights

Worked out just over €300 each for the week.

Not too shabby.

Jaesus, where you staying!?

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olaola wrote: »

Jaesus, where you staying!?

http://www.booking.com/hotel/it/storione.en.html

As recommended by my parents

Private beach space

Each room has it's own sun beds on the beach too.

Looks/sounds like a cracking little spot

olaola

Des wrote: »

http://www.booking.com/hotel/it/storione.en.html

As recommended by my parents

Private beach space

Each room has it's own sun beds on the beach too.

Looks/sounds like a cracking little spot

/me taking note ...

Looks great! Enjoy Venice, it's really fabulous!

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olaola wrote: »

/me taking note ...

Looks great! Enjoy Venice, it's really fabulous!

It's a town Outside Venice called Lido Di Jesolo, so will get to Venice, Lake Garda, Verona (and hopefully Rome next Wednesday for the football if she'll let me:pac:)

bronte

Aw, enjoy yerselves des! Am jealous!

NickNolte

Great city. Although Venice is a lot pricier than the rest of Italy. I'm surprised your accommodation is so cheap. The fact that there are a finite amount of hotels and no land to build more on (as well as the fact that most of them are mafia-run) usually means they're very, very expensive. They certainly were when I was there.

Anyway, back on topic. As has already been said, Italian food is quite varied. I don't think I've ever actually eaten pasta more than once or twice in Italy... and I lived in Rome for a while! The meat dishes up North are great and the fish dishes South of Rome are usually really good... if you find the right spots of course. Rome itself can be a little trickier... and a lot more expensive.

That sounds fabulous.

There is absolutely no reason to eat anything other than proper decent ice cream, while you have access to it in Italy.
I too despise pasta with every fiber of my being.
But even that is lush in Italy.

antoniosicily

NickNolte wrote: »

Great city. Although Venice is a lot pricier than the rest of Italy. I'm surprised your accommodation is so cheap. The fact that there are a finite amount of hotels and no land to build more on (as well as the fact that most of them are mafia-run) usually means they're very, very expensive. They certainly were when I was there.

Where did you get the information that most of the hotels are mafia-run? Contrary to the popular belief mafia is confined only to particular parts of Italy, the fact that there is mafia everywhere is just a belief coming from some movies and a generalization about Italy.

NickNolte

antoniosicily wrote: »

Where did you get the information that most of the hotels are mafia-run? Contrary to the popular belief mafia is confined only to particular parts of Italy, the fact that there is mafia everywhere is just a belief coming from some movies and a generalization about Italy.

It's off topic so I'm not going to get into it. Everything you've said it wrong anyway.

antoniosicily

NickNolte wrote: »

It's off topic so I'm not going to get into it. Everything you've said it wrong anyway.

Since the guy is going to such a 'dangerous' place I think that it is better that you clarify how things work over there; being Italian myself I didn't understand what you meant but anyway...

NickNolte

antoniosicily wrote: »

Since the guy is going to such a 'dangerous' place

I never said it was dangerous. Like I said, it's off-topic and I'm not going to discuss it on a food & drink forum. Google is your friend.

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[Mod Note]

There will be mo more talk of the Mafia please.

Or else there will be some people sleeping with the fishes.

[/Mod Note]