‘They came looking for me' – new Lion Thomas Clarkson reveals Italy made approach before he received Ireland call-up
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The Irish Sun
3 days ago
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Italian restaurant red flags revealed and how to know if it's a tourist trap – the garlic bread is a giveaway
PIZZA, pasta, Parmesan - everyone loves a taste of Italy. But how do you know a place is authentically Italian? One expert has offered their advice on how to tell whether you're in a good 5 One expert revealed the way to tell if an Italian restaurant is authentic Credit: Alamy 5 The menu won't be too long if it's a good restaurant Credit: Alamy Orazio Salvini, founder of And sadly for Brits, there's one tasty side dish that shouldn't be on the menu. Orazio said: "If you see garlic bread listed as a starter, you're probably not in a good restaurant. "This dish simply doesn't exist in Italy in the form Brits know it. What Italians actually eat is 'bruschetta' - toasted bread rubbed with garlic and topped with good olive oil, sometimes with fresh tomatoes added." Read More on Holidays There's more bad news for anyone who loves a carbonara with chicken and mushrooms. Orazio added: "Real "If you see cream, peas, chicken, or mushrooms, the restaurant isn't following traditional recipes." Another way to know whether or not you're at a good eatery is quite simple - all you need to do is glance at the menu. Most read in News Travel According to Orazio, if the menu has lots on offer then it might be a sign that it's not authentic. Most real Italian restaurants have small menus with dishes that change seasonally. I visited the tiny island that is Italy's best kept secret and you can avoid the summer crowds 5 Garlic bread shouldn't be on the menu Credit: Alamy 5 Carbonara is made up of five ingredients with no extra toppings Credit: Alamy If there are lots of various dishes on offer, then it could be a sign that the eatery is using frozen ingredients and that the food isn't fresh. And when you order a seafood pasta, hopefully you won't be offered any Orazio advised that "no Italian would ever add cheese to seafood pasta". He even added that it's considered a "culinary sin" - so a definite no no. Another sign of inauthenticity is if a restaurant is mixing specialities from across regions. Areas like If you really want to put a place to the test, ask a server about ingredients and cooking techniques. The expert revealed that most authentic restaurants will happily divulge facts like where the olive oil is from, or which region a dish is from. For more, check out the Check out the 5 An Italian expert reveals the signs of a truly authentic Italian restaurant Credit: Alamy
Irish Independent
23-07-2025
- Irish Independent
‘They came looking for me' – new Lion Thomas Clarkson reveals Italy made approach before he received Ireland call-up
He goes by Thomas but Lion No 866 was christened 'Tomasso', and the Wicklow native is proud of his Italian heritage on his mother's side.
