Decoding Italy’s menu mysteries

The search for common ground between food lovers and weight-watchers, bargain-seekers and luxury-lovers ends in the most unlikely place: Italy. The country has reached the end of the reign of culinary extremists like chef Elena Fabrizi, whose restaurant sign on Rome‘s Isola Tiberina commanded non solo primi (no first courses only) as mercilessly as any emperor’s edict at an ancient Roman bacchanal. Tourist menus may still try to convince novices that pasta, mains and dessert are essential to the Italian restaurant experience, but Italians are no longer buying the three-course mandate.

Italy’s modern meal plan

Never fear, Italy has not gone on a diet – che orrore! the horror! – only become a bit more practical over the past decade. In Italy’s urban centres, tighter budgets have made ordering ample first courses such as pasta or risotto a decadent yet sensible choice. Many modern Italian workplaces are following Milan‘s trend-setting example of reducing the traditional three-hour pausa (break) between noon and three to a more literal lunch hour (well… hour and a half). This abbreviated lunchtime is good for shopping, and bad for sobriety. Beware Milan’s stylish Quadrilatero d’Oro, where Franciacorta and espresso imbibed in rapid succession with a light pasta can induce a woozy, giddy state that make psychedelic Pucci-print halters seem like must-haves with Missoni zig-zag tuxedo pants.

Travel Guides 2012

Lonely Planet hosts a weekly travel photography competition on our Flickr page. The themes can be anything from great hats you’ve seen on your travels to moments of adventure.
How it works: Each week we accept entries for a new challenge and vote on last week’s entries. You don’t need to enter a photo to vote (just be a member of the Flickr group), so come along and vote for your five favourites. The first-placed winner, selected by popular vote, gets a guidebook of their choice.
This week’s competition theme: Dance. Last entries accepted on Monday 17th July.
Previous winners:
Check out all the photos in the Hectic challenge

Check out all the photos in the Clothing challenge

Check out all the photos in the Exploring challenge

Check out all the photos in the Neon challenge

Check out all the photos in the Freedom challenge

Travel Guides 2012