Multi-Course Dining

[Nathan P.]

While there seems to be an increasing interest in regional Italian cuisine with both chefs and consumers, we seem to have hit a brickwall in adopting many multi-course dining options outside of the 'higher end' Italian restaurants. (Perhaps it is different in NY) Now I assume that this is mostly the result of our national love of pasta, at least pre-Atkins hysteria, and that most customers expect a pasta dish to be a complete meal and there meat course to come with starch but this is frustrating for those of us that want a mid-size pasta course followed by a smaller than full entree second/contorno. I am curious to learn how many of your customers order this way, if you see more restaurants embracing the pasta course, and how you manage portion size in this environment. (unless of course you have a totally enlightened customer base )

And a personal thanks for your shows. My increased knowledge of Italian cuisine and the techniques I have picked up have significantly improved my own cooking- of course my olive oil consumption has tripled but that has to be a good thing.

Thanks for your time,

Nathan

[Mario Batali]

historically protein poor agricultural italy's table was first set with a large portion of grain based pasta rice, polenta or rich soup, followed by either cheese or a small portion of protein, heightened or extended on religious holidays as a way of strengthening the churches hold on the gullets of the working class into the 20th century with affluence, wealth and distribution the birth of the antipasto course was initially regarded as the affectation of the rich, and was then embraced by all in the post war economy of comfort and tv.. then diet fads and the response to the new weight of the bourbons we are now at a new crossroads post atkins post south beach savvy long term consumers realize that limited portions of pure carbs and starchy grains are in fact good for the body in limited portions and not every day.... blah blah at all of the restaurants associated with me pasta is selling more now than ever... is this reaction??? i think not, tis probably due to the fact that we make it like they do in italy... properly cooked and sauced pasta is delicious and not filled with hollow glycemic elevators.. it is goooooood for you!!!!!

all that said the best way to do it right at babbo or lupa or esca or otto is to order an antipasto, split a pasta with someone at your table and then have a main course, followed by a dessert or cheese we sell a lot of pasta mains and it does not bother me that some walk out without having tried the depth of the menu... some days you want the whole shebang and somedays you want dessert followed by a salad.... cooool beans ... we are in the business of making people happy and hopefully providing them the opportunity to come back often and for a long time if you pay attention to the organism and nurture (not torture) it you will live long and prosper watch the olive oil too..... it is, in the end, a fat too.... replacing the satch fats is good, but adding more fat to our fat/carb rich american world is also risky mb yes we are starting perfect pasta at otto on the 12th you heard it here first