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Who Knew?

PostPosted: Thu Feb 07, 2013 12:49 pm
by Howie Hart

Re: Who Knew?

PostPosted: Thu Feb 07, 2013 1:04 pm
by Jenise
You go the memory wheels turning: we once had dinner in an Italian restaurant out on the suburbs of Orange County where good ethnic food was an oxymoron, and the food was surprisingly authentic and interesting. We said as much to the very-Italian proprietor, who laughed at our surprise and thanked us for understanding the difference, by commenting on the more average OC customer who thought Italian food was, he said, dropping his accent and sounding very clueless, "a plate of FEY-too-CHEENIE al-FRAY-dough and a big glass of CHAR-dough-NAY." We still make ourselves laugh pronouncing the names that way.

Re: Who Knew?

PostPosted: Thu Feb 07, 2013 4:56 pm
by Karen/NoCA
Jenise wrote:You go the memory wheels turning: we once had dinner in an Italian restaurant out on the suburbs of Orange County where good ethnic food was an oxymoron, and the food was surprisingly authentic and interesting. We said as much to the very-Italian proprietor, who laughed at our surprise and thanked us for understanding the difference, by commenting on the more average OC customer who thought Italian food was, he said, dropping his accent and sounding very clueless, "a plate of FEY-too-CHEENIE al-FRAY-dough and a big glass of CHAR-dough-NAY." We still make ourselves laugh pronouncing the names that way.


Are you saying that many of us put the empha'sis on the wrong sylla'ble? Does it make a difference in the taste of the wine? :P

Re: Who Knew?

PostPosted: Fri Feb 08, 2013 10:51 am
by Jenise
Karen/NoCA wrote:Are you saying that many of us put the empha'sis on the wrong sylla'ble? Does it make a difference in the taste of the wine? :P


I think it's just how anyone who isn't Italian sounds to a real born-in-Italy Italian. :) I still remember the pizza he made us--coated with lots of parmesan and chopped fresh oregano. Fresh!

Re: Who Knew?

PostPosted: Fri Feb 08, 2013 12:42 pm
by Karen/NoCA
I think it's just how anyone who isn't Italian sounds to a real born-in-Italy Italian.


Giada de Laurentis was born in Rome I believe and she uses Italian pronunciation on her show. I've noticed comments about her fake Italian pronunciation from her fans. I really can't comment on that since I, too, probably use the English pronunciation of most of the Italian dishes.

Re: Who Knew?

PostPosted: Sat Feb 09, 2013 2:26 am
by Mike Bowlin
Jenise wrote:You go the memory wheels turning: we once had dinner in an Italian restaurant out on the suburbs of Orange County where good ethnic food generally speaking was an oxymoron, but here the food was surprisingly authentic and interesting. We said as much to the very-Italian proprietor, who laughed at our surprise and thanked us for understanding the difference, by commenting on the more average OC customer who thought Italian food was, he said, dropping his accent and sounding very clueless, "a plate of FEY-too-CHEENIE al-FRAY-dough and a big glass of CHAR-dough-NAY." We still make ourselves laugh pronouncing the names that way.


I recently dined in a local small mexican cafe that had an interesting choice of words on their menu. Bacon raped shrimp and hole beans. I think I returned just so
I could read the menu and laugh. Subsequently someone used a spell check and the rest is history.
thought I would share this.
Mike

Re: Who Knew?

PostPosted: Sat Feb 09, 2013 11:53 am
by Mike Filigenzi
Mike Bowlin wrote:
I recently dined in a local small mexican cafe that had an interesting choice of words on their menu. Bacon raped shrimp and hole beans. I think I returned just so
I could read the menu and laugh. Subsequently someone used a spell check and the rest is history.
thought I would share this.
Mike


That's a hilarious one, and the kind of thing that would definitely have me going back to the restaurant, assuming the food was good. Too bad they changed it!

(And welcome back, Mike!)

Re: Who Knew?

PostPosted: Sat Feb 09, 2013 11:08 pm
by Robin Garr
Mike Bowlin wrote:Bacon raped shrimp and hole beans.

I hated to laugh, because the mom-and-pop (actually mom-and-son) proprietors of a Thai place in our neighborhood were so sweet and the eatery was so nice.

But how could you not laugh at a shellfish dish mistakenly spelled as "Crap Soup"?

Longer ago, a Chinese spot's "fried wantons" had me laughing for a good long while.

Re: Who Knew?

PostPosted: Sun Feb 10, 2013 5:38 pm
by Ted Richards
Mike Bowlin wrote:Bacon raped shrimp and hole beans.


My favourite Peking-style restaurant (alas no more) used to have "Seven Dwarts Snow Peas" on the menu.

I never saw it myself, but Toronto Life magazine once reported on a restaurant that advertised "Barbecued Prok with Nudies".