A Foreign Delight: "da il Latini"

For this week we move out of the United States and into Italy for a restaurant out in the alleys of Firenze, Italy. Throughout our trip through Italy we ate at many places that were very good (it is true italian food after all), but no place was as great as "da il Latini".

People lining up outside the restaurant before opening.

Don't be fooled by the look of the exterior as they lead you to your table you will see that it is actually massive on the interior. As you walk through the restaurant you will see all different sorts of meats hanging from the ceiling in nets. This happens to be a precursor to what kinds of foods they will be serving you when you find your way to your table. For those who are vegetarian I assure you that they have pasta and salads that are just as amazing.

Like many other Italian restaurants, they like to start off with some salted meat and some sort of fruit. Both are meant to help with the wine that you will undoubtedly be consuming because you are in Italy after all and if there were any place in the world you would drink wine, it would be Italy. In this instance, the fruit was cantaloupe.

Chicken, Beef, Pork, and Lamb.

One of the best reasons to go to
da il Latini is for this dish. Meat lovers rejoice for this plate as it contains four different types of meats for you to try ranging from chicken to lamb. The meat is fresh and juicy and cooked to perfection. Don't be fooled by this picture as the dish is much larger than it appears here. We were barely able to finish it with 9 people. One of the reasons may be because they feed you like it's a feast and food is numerous.

After dessert, they serve you this for the last meal of the day. It is called Limoncello and it is an Italian made liquor. It is pure lemon juice mixed with a strong liquor. They serve biscuits on a plate with the liquor and is meant to be dipped and eaten in that fashion. If you wish to just drink the liquor itself then I will warn you that it is very strong stuff. For the last thing served before leaving, it will certainly give you a kick.

These were just a few of the dishes that were served during an ordinary meal. I say this again, there is no need to worry about all the meat if you are vegetarian because they will serve you accordingly. My sister is a vegetarian and when we told our servers that she is vegetarian, they served her individual dishes that vegetarians could eat. The service is great and the people that work there are nice. If you find yourself near Firenze, Italy on your trip, I would recommend taking the time and going out of your way to eat here, preferably with an empty stomach. There were many other dishes that I didn't talk about but here are some pictures from the meal:

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The Sum of your brunch is Dim Sum!

If you love seafood like I love seafood, then try Ten-Ten Restaurant because it's the perfect place to eat breakfast, lunch, and even brunch! Going here isn't just to eat a one course meal, but its to eat a variety of different small dishes they have.  This art of food is commonly referred to as Dim Sum. They have carts going around with various foods inside. Sound confusing?  Well it's not that confusing because I'm here to help you desire these amazing small dishes:

 Hakao: This dish right here is called the Hakao, it is shrimp in a ball goodness. If  you love shrimp like I do then this dish right here is something you would definitely get plenty of at your table.








Shumai: This is my favorite Dish.  This dish is called Shumai, it is very similar to the Japanese gyoza, which is a type of dumpling, it is usually made with pork and shrimp filling.









 Shrimp Rice Noodle Rolls: This dish is also referred to as "Cheong Fun".  This roll is a very plain roll with shrimp inside, but before serving they drizzle sweet soy sauce for the sweet taste it gives you before you dig in.






 Banh Bao: This ball-shaped bun has pork in it.  It really depends on which Dim Sum place you go to. This one in particular has pork in it and let me tell you its one amazing piece of work.  It is also referred to as "enveloping cake".





 Chicken Feet: This dish right here, as disturbing as the name sounds and how disturbing it looks, it is one of the most famous dishes at a dim sum restaurant.  If you love cartilage, skin, and bones this is the perfect dish for you. It is also referred to as "Phoenix Claws".




 Tea: You can't finish this amazing course meal without some sort of drink.  At Dim Sum places people who eat there drink tea.  It helps wash down the dishes you have finish and it smells great! If you don't believe me, try it!






I highly recommend this.  If you guys haven't tried Dim Sum before then you guys are definitely missing out!  So try it as soon as possible and you tell me if you like these dishes or if you like any other ones they have!




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Red Robin Gourmet Burgers Restaurant

                                               

   
     
         Red Robin is a popular gourmet burger restaurant chain with over 450 locations nationwide. It is a casual dining, family oriented restaurant. It is a perfect place to celebrate graduations, birthdays, or if you just want a great burger. Red Robin was founded in 1969 in Seattle, Washington. They are known for their awesome piping hot bottomless steak fries. Yes, they have bottomless steak fries that are available to all their guests. The menu is affordable for large families, groups, or even an intimate date. Red Robin is a very American restaurant with over 24 different gourmet burgers to choose from. The moment you walk into this restaurant you will have a huge smile and feel right at home with this comfort food.

   

          Not only is Red Robin known for their bottomless fries, they are also known for their second signature menu item, the onion ring tower. The onion ring tower comes with 13 deliciously fried onion rings served with 2 house-made signature sauces; campfire and ranch dressing. This item is usually ordered as an appetizer, however there is an option to substitute the fries for onion rings with any meal. The tower is perfect for large parties or for those who would like lots of onion rings. The tower is also available in an "O-ring shorty" version which comes with 6 onion rings. This is the perfect size for 2-4 people.
                      



        Red Robin is definitely a place to try if you have not been there before. Do not forget to order the bottomless refills for the Freckled Lemonade and the Root Beer Float. Yes, it is the only bottomless dessert you can drink.

        



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        The Hat is a popular SoCal restaurant that has been around since 1951.  They’re affordable for all struggling college students and most meals run around $10.  The meals are all filling and most of the time you need a box to take home all the food you are given.  They’re known for having the world’s best pastrami.  Let me tell you that this is a fact, not an exaggeration.  Pastrami isn’t a very appealing word and the meat itself isn’t one of my favorites, but trust me this place will change your mind about it!  Once you walk into this restaurant your sense of smell is overwhelmed with a heavenly aroma that takes you captive and makes every minute you are held prisoner in this establishment a joy.

Let’s start with the signature item which of course is a pastrami dip sandwich.  Again I am not a fan of pastrami, but they must do something to make it smell and taste so appetizing.  It’s always very moist and filled with flavors that pack a punch to your taste buds.  This sandwich comes on a French role that soaks up all the juices and is topped off with mustard and pickles.

Another item that is not only a fan favorite, but my favorite is the pastrami chili cheese fries.  This place makes it seem like these fries were made in heaven and that mortals like us are being graced with their presence, again not an exaggeration.  The fries are always delightful and the chili, cheese and of course pastrami just make the anticipation for the fries a mouth watering one.  Trust me when I say that these fries are meant to be shared and probably by a group.  They could definitely be a main course for a meal because it’s like you’re receiving a mountain of fries instead of just a side.

Other major items that The Hat serves are burgers, hot dogs and onion rings all of which are must haves!  Whether you dine in or just go through the drive-thru this is a place to try!

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