Italian Restaurants

Italian cuisine and Italian restaurants have remained popular with diners all over the world for some time. Italian food is well known for its variety of flavours including a range of pasta dishes and complimentary sauces. Italian food covers a range of tastes and flavours from rich desserts to simple vegetarian dishes and salads.

If you are going out for Italian food there is a great choice to choose from. The following is a typical order you may place when dining out.
Italian Caesar Salad

The perfect starter and appetiser, Caesar salad has been enjoyed by many diners worldwide. The starter was originally created by Italian chef Caesar Cardini in the 1920's.

There are many variants of the Caesar salad that can be prepared. The classic recipe is made using traditional salad ingredients such as lettuce leaves and vegetables to garnish. For a crunchy texture try adding cos leafs or rocket leaves and a few croutons to the mix. Add a little vinaigrette and garnish with cheese to balance the flavours.

Alternatively soups such as minestrone, fennel and mushroom and other simple recipes made from stocks work well as an appetiser. Italian soups are perfect for a starter that's not too filling but is still brimming with flavour.
Italian Pizza Recipes

A firm Italian favourite and a versatile option, pizza is the perfect choice for a main course and is also great for sharing. The traditional choice is pizza margherita a simple pizza with a tomato base and a light cheese topping.

There are many different choices of pizza available to suit all tastes. Pizzas such as Hawaiian and sloppy Giuseppe appeal to American markets and are also enjoyed around the world. Hawaiian pizza has a tomato base with a cheese topping and ham and pineapples to create a sweet flavour. Sloppy Giuseppe is traditionally made with a doughy base that has a soft consistency under the weight of the ingredients and toppings. The pizza is usually topped with onions, pepperoni, sausage or ground meat with peppers or chillies as requested.

Alternatively many people choose a pasta dish for a main course. There are many different pasta dishes to choose from such as spaghetti, ravioli or lasagne.
Italian Tiramisu Dessert

Tiramisu is a rich indulgent dessert to round off a night of full flavours. This dessert is an Italian classic embodying a heady mix of luxurious ingredients.

Like many classic dishes the recipe for tiramisu has changed subtly over time as the delicacy has reached new shores. Tiramisu always remains an excessive dish and the main emphasis is on flavour over calorie counting.

Typical ingredients for tiramisu are usually a shot of espresso coffee, lady fingers or similar soft biscuits, eggs, mascarpone cheese, whipped cream and brandy or another strong flavoured liquor of choice. These are often prepared in different proportions and with slightly different ingredients to create a unique take on the dish.