"If you're not an expert on Italian foods, or you're looking to branch out from those typical big-name Italian chains, it can be difficult to discern a good restaurant from an imitator. Maybe you're flipping through the menu, and you're seeing the signs of a good meal - all those saucy and cheesy entrees typical of Italian classics - but you're still hesitant. The key to spotting a good Italian restaurant doesn't boil down to olive oil on the table or white linen napkins, but whether or not the place has an antipasti menu."
""I think that antipasti moment, particularly for an Italian restaurant, is really vital and important," he said. As Conant explained, "I think that's the entree to conviviality at the table, if you will ... those are the things that whet the appetite, and then you're getting ready for the pasta." Conant shared that he also ensures his own restaurants serve an assortment of antipasti. Maybe it's a short selection, only four or five items, but given that antipasti are a vital part of an Italian meal, seeing them on the menu at an Italian restaurant can make all the difference."
Antipasti function as the first course in an Italian meal and are intended to stimulate the palate rather than fill the stomach. Antipasti translate roughly to "before the meal" and prepare diners for pasta and main courses. The presence of an antipasti menu signals attention to traditional meal structure and convivial dining. Celebrity chef Scott Conant emphasizes antipasti as vital to an Italian restaurant experience and notes that even a short assortment of four or five items demonstrates culinary intent and quality.
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