Thursday, January 28, 2010

Restaurants, Cafes, Bistros, Bars, and Pubs

I didn’t really intend on writing the travel version of War and Peace, but apparently I have a lot to say. Anyone who knows me will laugh at that last sentence because I always have a lot to say, I don’t know why I’m surprised by it. I should be a tour guide...yeah, I am (visit Great Explorations Tours to see my tours).

What I’m getting at is that this entry won’t be any shorter. That’s because some of my fondest travel memories involve dining in a restaurant or having a drink in a pub. The problem that most people run into is that they are nervous about walking into strange, unknown places in a country they’re not familiar with. Therefore they end up with a sub-par meal or drinking in whatever country’s version of an American bar. Those can be memorable too, but not usually in a good way. I’m hoping that knowing what to expect will make you more comfortable when trying out a new place.

What I’m going to do is break it down by country and, as I said in the beginning of my hotels post, I’m going to focus on the countries that we run tours to (Ireland, England, Scotland, France, Germany, and Italy). The reason I’m doing this is because there are subtle (and less subtle) differences between many of those. Before I get into that, here are some generalities with restaurants and bars in Europe:

- Smaller is usually better. I’m not saying that the big, popular places are bad, but usually the quaint, family-run establishments are where you get the best mix of quality and service. Plus, they’re not as used to foreigners (especially Americans) so they tend to be excited to talk to you...really.

- Locals know best. The way to find a good place is just by looking in the window. If it’s reasonably crowded and it seems like a lot of locals, that’s a good place. If it’s dead, that’s not a good sign, no matter what country you’re in.

- Cleanliness. This is a gimmie, because no one is going to walk into a dirty restaurant to eat. What you have to look at though is that you’re not mistaking age for dirtiness. Some European restaurants are 600 years old, therefore may have exposed stone walls or wood beams. What you want to make sure of is that the wait staff’s uniforms and the tables are clean because those better not be 600 years old too.

- Service. A lot of people find the service sub-par in European restaurants and bars. I actually find it to be of a higher quality generally. The difference in opinion comes from understanding the differences. The big one is that Europeans consider it rude to interrupt diners, so they will wait to be summoned if you need them. Americans are used to getting the food, being asked if everything is okay, getting drink refilled, etc, so when they dine in Europe they think they’re being ignored. That is not the case, the wait staff will be there immediately upon request, but not before. In bars, there usually is no wait staff, you have to go to the bar to order everything and then the bartender will bring it to the table.

- Language. For those countries that don’t speak English as a first language, many people worry about reading the menu. For the most part this is not an issue. I have found that most restaurants print descriptions in English, and even those that don’t usually have staff members that speak enough to explain things to you. Of course, if you’re adventurous, you can just pick something and figure it out later (I’ve done this before and been pleasantly surprised).

- A word on prices. I’m not going to discuss pricing because it has so many variables to it. Like everywhere, you can find bargains and expensive meals. One advantage to European restaurants is that in most countries they are required to post their menu outside, so you know the prices before you go in. Bars are easier to tell the price because, let’s face it, we all know a cheap dive bar when we see it.

- Specific dishes. I’m also not going to get into any specific dishes or styles of cooking because inside any given country the food ranges greatly depending on where you are. This is long enough already without me going through the difference between Parisian and Provencal cooking.

Okay, now to the country breakdowns. There are two categories here, countries that are food and wine oriented (France and Italy), and countries that are beer oriented (Ireland, the UK, and Germany). I’m going to start with the food and wine.

Italy

Restaurants

Everyone has been to an Italian restaurant. For the most part, saying an Italian restaurant in America is just like a restaurant in Italy is like saying you and your cousin are the same person. What I mean is that you can see some resemblance, maybe even the same name, but it’s a whole different thing.

The similarities: Pasta, sauce, meat, desserts, wine. These items are all found in Italy, but they may not be exactly the same as what you’re used to.

The differences:
Pasta - Many different types of pasta that is usually handmade
Sauce - the sauce is used as a compliment to the pasta, not to drown it; the sauce is usually very sparse and very rarely tomato based
Meat – This is pretty much the same except that you’ll see meats that aren’t as popular in the US like veal and lamb.
Desserts – very similar
Wine – Also similar due to the prevalence of foreign wines in America now. The advantage is that most Italian restaurants offer a house wine, served in a jug (often straight from the cask), that is cheap and excellent.

There are two main differences between eating out in the US vs. Italy, and they both have to do with timing.

1. The way you order is a little different. Eating in American restaurants, there are generally three courses; appetizer, main course, dessert. In Italy, there are more courses; appetizers, pasta, meat and fish, dessert, cheese or aperitif. These will vary slightly depending on the region and restaurant, but they’re close. Most restaurants expect you to order several courses and I’ve received the odd look for only doing two of them, but they would never say anything, it’s just what they’re used to. As a side note to this, there are also no side dishes; everything is ordered (and priced) separately.

2. You’re probably wondering now how you can eat five courses every night. Well the other difference is that the Italians eat very late and for a very long time. Many restaurants don’t even open until 7pm, and those that open before that may be tourist traps so beware. Italians don’t usually eat until around 8, and it is not uncommon for them to sit at the table until 10 or 11. Dining out is a very social experience in Italy. People chat and socialize and have a generally good time. It is a very enjoyable environment, even if you don’t know what they’re saying. Once they find out you’re an American though, you may get some interest (in a good way), such as the time we were in Venice and had a very long conversation with a restaurant owner about Jack Daniel’s Bourbon vs. Grappa. He used to live in Texas and insisted that Grappa was better, although you’ll have to wait a few weeks until my alcohol post for my feelings on Grappa. Anyway, we had a very nice time (and he gave us two free shots, although afterwards that wasn’t so nice) and all because we were in a small place immersing ourselves in the culture.


Bars

I don’t have a lot to say (imagine that) about bars in Italy because I usually just like to have my wine with dinner and go to bed shortly afterward. If you are the night owl type, there are many dance clubs in Italy (and all of Europe) that are open much of the night. There are not many of what Americans consider “bars,” and I think that’s because they just don’t drink a lot of beer. You will see Irish and English style pubs in many places, which can be an interesting experience in itself.


You can see our tours to Italy by clicking these links:
Rome, Venice, and Florence Tour
Mediterranean Italy including the Amalfi Coast, Isle of Capri, and Pompeii




France

Restaurants

Most people have a preconceived notion of what a French restaurant is. If you’re one of those people (like I was once), you’re picturing a very fancy, very expensive place with white tablecloths, snooty waiters in tuxes, and very pretty food that is about the size of a hockey puck. I’m not going to say that you’re wrong if that’s what you’re picturing, but you’re not right either.

If you want to spend $1,000 on one meal and eat some of the fanciest food you’ll ever see, you can absolutely do that in some restaurants in France (and especially Paris). However, if you just like earthy, home-style, good quality food (and who doesn’t) you’ll be very pleasantly surprised by the majority of French cuisine. Like everywhere in the world, French food is derived from the home kitchen, and you can still find those fantastic dishes in restaurants and bistros throughout France. A few notes:

- Like the Italians, the French eat dinner late and eat for a long time. 8 or 8:30pm is the common dinnertime, and it may last until 10 or 11. As far as lunch is concerned, the French also take their time, often taking a 1 or 2 hour lunch break.

- Also like the Italians, French menus are compartmentalized. If you want a side of potatoes, you have to order it separately. If you order a steak, you get a steak, nothing else.

- Speaking of steak, the French like their meat rare. They offer three choices of doneness; Well done, Medium, and Rare, there is no in-between like Medium Rare. Be aware that French cooks will not actually cook meat to what we consider well done, in fact it will be closer to medium than well done. Medium will be closer to rare and frankly I like meat on the rare side, but even I’ve never been brave enough to see what they consider rare.

- This is where it gets odd. The French “attitude” is well known, although a little misunderstood. You will see it most often at mealtimes because no one takes food as seriously as the French do. They invented many of the techniques used in cooking around the world and they strongly believe those techniques to be superior (and they’re right in many cases).

What you must remember is that the French cook to honor the food, not the customer. When a Frenchman sees a steak, he sees an opportunity to honor that animal by cooking it perfectly and applying the perfect sauce. If you request something that would dishonor the food, they will simply refuse. If you ask to cook a steak longer, they will request that you order something else. If you ask to hold a sauce, they will insist that it’s better with the sauce and that you try it. If you ask for dessert to be brought early, they will refuse. And yes, I’ve personally seen all of these situations.

They are not being rude (in their minds, anyway), they are simply trying to give you the best food. The best way to approach it is to assume they know better than you and let them do what they do. That may not be what everyone wants to hear, but I’ve had very, very few bad meals in France, so they may actually know better.


Bars

What I said about bars in Italy applies in France too, that traditional bars are not common, but night clubs can be found, especially in the big cities. One thing I will mention though is that due to the proximity of Paris to Belgium, it is possible to find places that have fantastic Belgian beers on tap if that interests you like it does me.


You can see our tours to France by clicking these links:
Paris Plus Tour also includes Versailles, Normandy, and Champagne
The French Riviera includes Marseille, Nice, Monaco and the rest of the Cote d’Azur




Ireland and the United Kingdom

I lumped Ireland, England, and Scotland together here because, as much as they would all hate to admit, they are pretty similar when food and drink is concerned.

Restaurants

This will be a short section because none of these countries are known for their food. Restaurants in all of them are more like what Americans are used to in style and service, and the food is often nondescript. Traditional food is hearty and yes, potatoes and stews are pretty prominent. There is a more recent movement toward continental cuisine (especially in Dublin, London, and Edinburgh) and you can also find many restaurants specializing in food from around the world.

Bars

This is where the Irish, English, and Scottish excel. To fully understand why I’m going to have to give a little history lesson (sorry). Pub is short for Public House and they are called that because a long time ago most houses did not have a reliable heat (or light) source, so people would head to the pub to relax, get warm, get their local news (gossip), and of course have a pint. Pubs were more like an extended living room where meetings were held, uprisings were started, and parties were ongoing.

To a certain extent, the old public house is still just that, a place where people go to socialize and have a pint. Sure there’s less official business done there (not none, but less), but it’s still part of the culture. A visit to at least one pub is a mandatory part of any tour to the UK or Ireland because of this. It’s not just a place to drink, but to meet people and enjoy the spirit of the country.

Beer is the drink of choice in all of these countries, although Ireland and Scotland certainly have a whiskey (or in Scotland, whisky) inclination too. Their beers tend to lean toward the dark, strong side to combat their rich food and cool weather, although you can find lighter beer (or foreign beers, if you must).

Bar food is also found everywhere in the UK and Ireland and it is usually pretty good and certainly well priced. One thing to note is that you order everything from the bar, pay up front, and then your food and drinks are brought out to your table. It’s actually a system I prefer, but a lot of time can be wasted sitting at a table expecting a waiter.

If you’re lucky, you may even be in a pub during a ceili (or ceilidh in Scotland), which is a gathering involving music and singing. It is a very intoxicating atmosphere.


You can see our tours to Ireland, England, and Scotland by clicking these links:
Gateway to Ireland is a perfect introduction to the best of the Emerald Isle
Our London Plus tour also includes Stonehenge, Bath, and Oxford
Discover Scotland on this tour of Edinburgh and the beautiful highlands




Germany

By Germany I really mean southern Germany. Our tour only encompasses Bavaria and a little bit outside of it (Heidelberg is in the region of Baden-Württemberg and Innsbruck is in Austria), so that’s what I know.

Restaurants

The Bavarians love sausage. You will see many kinds of sausages (wurst in German) all over and served with sauerkraut, potatoes, radishes and anything else that is stereotypical German. You will also see plenty of other well known dishes such as Sauerbraten and Weiner schnitzel. There isn’t a lot of variety in traditional German restaurants although, like everywhere these days, you can find all sorts of non-German food places.

The Germans are also fairly stereotypical when it comes to service, and I mean that in a good way. They are punctual, efficient, and clean. They do not engage in small talk if there is a job to be done. This is not because they are rude, they just have a very good work ethic. If your waiter has a minute to talk to you, you will find them to be very friendly.

Bars

Bavaria produces a lot of beer, and they consume a fair amount too. There may be no better place on Earth for having a beer than Munich with its beer halls and gardens. The Germans look at beer as an expression of life and they are not ashamed in any way if they spend the afternoon sitting in a beer garden with a few liters.

Beer halls large and small are found around Bavaria. On quiet nights they are very similar to American bars, but on rowdy ones they explode into a festival of music and singing. It really is something to experience. The beer gardens are outdoor bars, usually lined with trees that, at one point in history, kept the beer cooler when it was stored underground. The beer gardens were developed because no one wanted to walk too far to refill.

One word of warning if you get a beer; the standard size is 1 liter, which is 33.8 ounces. Most places you can get a smaller glass, but they refer to this as the ‘ladies size.’ Use that information however you will.


You can see our tour to Bavaria, Germany by clicking this link:
Our Bavaria tour includes Munich, the Alps, and Innsbruck, Austria

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