We spent a few hours buying last-minute gifts for our daughters and friends, and then started looking for a suitable place for dinner. The pressure was on because this would be our LAST DINNER IN ITALY.
I scoured the internet, reading reviews, checking out menus, considering recommendations. In the end, we just wound up (as was so often the case) just wandering around, but kept poo-pooing dining establishments for one reason or another.
“Too touristy.”
“Too expensive.”
“Too much fish on the menu.”
“Not enough fish on the menu.”
“Too not open.”
We were about to pull the trigger on another fairly well-reviewed spot that we weren’t exactly excited about when we turned the corner and happened upon a little dive that the couple entering was absolutely raving about, proclaiming it was one of the favorites of the Florence locals.
Even though it was kinda early, the place was jam-packed, and we got one of the last available tables. We overheard the group at the table next to us going on and on about this place, saying how great (and cheap) the food was.
We ordered, feeling confident that we’d lucked into a good choice and a fitting end to our Italian getaway. Then the food arrived and it was… really, really unremarkable. Not terrible, but nothing to write home about. Yes, it was cheap – the cheapest meal we had on our trip – but I can remember nothing about it other than it was cheap. Oh well…
Sometimes you win, sometimes you whine.
Don't trust the locals.
ReplyDeletelol. too funny. Oh well, if that is what the locals eat, then you should be glad to go on home, right? eh, italy...a good place to visit, but you wouldn't want to live there.
ReplyDeleteI swear the same exact thing happened to us in Florence! My traveling partner was usually pretty good about finding places that were full of locals, not tourists. And when we were in Florence we happened upon a little hole in the wall where we got the last table and were told it would be the meal of a lifetime. All I can remember about it was this story. The meal? Meh. I wonder if it was the same place.
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