Know Your Noodle: Italian Picks for Italian Restaurants

Italians know something about food, and even more they know about good cooking. Or at least I hear their mothers do. In Beijing, with both the number and variety of Italian restaurants increasing, appreciation for good pasta, tomatoes and robust, earthy flavors is at an all-time high.

In the Beijinger Reader Restaurant Awards, the final vote tallied Tavola as the Best Italian (Fine Dining). But do the Italians in Beijing agree with you? No. They preferred Mercante which got an "Outstanding" mention in the awards.

In fact, their vote differed across the board. For the Best Italian (Casual), they were gaming for La Pizza, instead of the winning favorite, Annie’s. And for pizza, they preferred Tavola and Pizza Plus for the "Outstanding," although they did agree on the top award with both camps going for La Pizza.

Are they picking up elements of basil, subtleties of oil where we are not? Maybe, or maybe they're just being difficult. Whatever the reason, it's always nice to know an Italian disagrees with you.

READERS ON BEST ITALIAN (FINE DINING)
Best
Tavola
Outstanding
Mercante
Barolo, Ritz-Carlton Beijing

ITALIANS ON BEST ITALIAN (FINE DINING)
Best
*Mercante
Outstanding
Tavola
Barolo, Ritz-Carlton Beijing

READERS ON BEST ITALIAN (CASUAL)
Best
Annie's
Outstanding
La Pizza
LM Plus

ITALIANS ON BEST ITALIAN (CASUAL)
Best
*La Pizza
Outstanding
LM Plus
Pizza Plus, Annie's (tie)

READERS ON BEST PIZZA
Best
La Pizza
Outstanding
Gung Ho! Pizza
Kro's Nest

ITALIANS ON BEST PIZZA
Best
La Pizza
Outstanding
*Tavola
*Pizza Plus

Photo: Mercante