Stella D’ORO
Chef Marco
When you go to Italy what do you look for? Food? Well which kind of food? Local or tourist? You might say, “what’s the difference?” Local food is the food that Italy is known for. It features excellent service, a unique experience and fresh, simple food. Touristy food is the opposite of Italy. To find touristy food look in fancy guides and famous places. To find local food you must only explore and ask the locals where they eat.
If you’re looking for fancy, but local food, Stella D’ ORO is the place for you. At 8:15 on a regular week day night it’s half full with buzzing enthusiastic eaters. The front is a market set aside from the restaurant that sells many Italian products, from Hams (Prosciutto) to beans. As you sit on leather couches to await your seating you will notice that all the waiters and waitresses speak only Italian. This may be a problem, but only makes the experience more authentic. As we, a party of three, are seated we hungrily await the arrival of our menus. As soon as we are settled in the chef, a plump cheery looking man, swoops out of his hiding place, the kitchen, and warmly welcomes us. Marco Pallabona starts rapidly talking in Italian then stops as if to say, “your not Italian?” and then begins again not caring if we understand him or not.
Me with Restaurant in background.
Looking over the menu, which is of course in full Italian, I was inspired to see that there was not only seafood, but Foie Gras and ricotta with asparagus plus Le Carni (meats).
We try to order, but fail miserably, and allow Marco to choose our dishes. We are not good Italian speakers and with no hints or suggestions we could not order from an all Italian menu. After Marco fades away I take a glance around. The room we are sitting in is one of three glamorous rooms. Each room has white table cloths and white puffy chairs. At one table a beautiful blonde sat with her rich Italian boyfriend drinking bottles of old wine. The woman was layered in jewelry and tight cloths while the man sat with a satisfied smirk on his face as if he was about to make a winning deal. At another table were two American looking men drinking brandy and talking quietly. At the last table in our small room was the king and queen. The couple was dressed as though they were at a wedding and they ate like there would be no tomorrow. Finally our food arrived.
As if answering my calls to heaven an angel brought the first course. Raw fish.
Middle School Food Critic 
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