In a borough that is home to so many great mom and pop restaurants and the home of Arthur Ave, New York City’s REAL Little Italy, it always baffles me why someone in The Bronx would choose to go to a chain restaurant like the Olive Garden.
That’s DEFINITELY not the ‘cucina italaliana‘ (Italian kitchen) I grew up with spending time with my Italian high school friends and their families.
One of the beautiful things about growing up in The Bronx and going to school here was being exposed to the many ethnic groups that make up the beautiful tapestry that is our borough.
It was growing up here that I learned what authentic cuisine Italian cuisine was along with Albanian and many other flavors.
Not knocking anyone who loves chain restaurants and Olive Garden but seriously? With all our excellent, Italian restaurants why would you go there? Makes me wanna just shout, “Porca miseria!”
Anywho, hope you enjoy this video by Buzzfeed showing us what happens when you have Italian grandmothers to try Olive Garden for the first time.
After the video, check out some great articles on Arthur Avenue and why you should basically make that your stomping grounds for the real deal.
Now if only we could answer the age old question: Is it sauce or gravy?
The Ultimate Guide to Buying Italian Ingredients on Arthur Avenue
A Guide to Arthur Ave, NYC’S Better Little Italy
The Real Little Italy and Best Restaurants are in The Bronx
