The Restaurant Doctor - Electronic House Call

ELECTRONIC HOUSE CALL - July 21, 2000

BUON GIORNO
We have been in Italy nearly a week now and I am finally starting to settle into the place. We started in Venice, took the night train to Naples, spent a night in Sorrento, visited Pompeii and arrived in Rome two days ago. We leave tomorrow for a week in the countryside of Umbria. The daily doings, insights and photos are all on the website (www.restaurantdoctor.com) under Trip Reports so I will not repeat any of the observations I made there. When you have a minute, check it out.

SCRIBBLINGS IN THE NOTEBOOK
What I notice is that once you are seated at a restaurant table in Italy, no one would dream of hurrying you up. "Turning the tables" is not really in the consciousness of the Italian operator. In fact, for them to bring a check before you have asked for it is considered the height of rudeness. This took a little adjustment as we are used to a different pacing in the States. In general, we have found the food to be good and reasonably priced, with the exception of places catering primarily to the tourist trade (which we try to avoid.) In the tourist places, the food is poor to adequate and usually overpriced.

I am sure the cost of real estate figures into it, but having grown up in a resort area (Cape Cod), I can understand the mentality of "let me pry every dollar I can from your clutching fingers because I will never see you again . . ." and if you approach it that way, you will be right

I have always found it dangerous to try to operate with one set of standards for the local trade and another for visitors. First of all, it confuses the staff but the truth is that you DO see the tourists again. They talk to each other. They pass recommendations to their friends. They return again next year. Rufus Pritchard, owner of the Dunes Restaurant in Nags Head, NC tells me he is regularly getting patrons from England! Someone visited, had a wonderful time and told their friends to stop by when they were on the Outer Banks. They did . . . and told their friends . . . and so on . . . and so on.

Currently being in the role of tourist (or at least of traveler), I notice that the places we enjoy the most and return to most often (three visits to one restaurant in Venice) are the ones where we connected with the owner. How are you doing in this regard?

Ciao . . . for now!

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