The Pasta, the Parmesan, and the Waiter Who Decided He Knew Better

Italy has strong food rules. One of the biggest? You do not put cheese on seafood. Not suggested. Not offered. Not happening.

One night in Venice earlier this fall, we went to a restaurant called Bistro 1473, a newer spot that came highly recommended. We ordered, or so we thought. When the pasta arrived, I looked at the plate and said, “I don’t think this is what we ordered.” Our waiter just smiled, almost proud of himself, and then admitted he had changed our order because he didn’t think our original choice went with the fish we were sharing.

According to him, what we picked was “too heavy” and wouldn’t pair well with the seafood, so he decided squid ink pasta was the better match. He didn’t tell us. He just sent it out that way. I don’t think I’ve ever had a waiter take it upon himself to override our order.

For the record, the fish was amazing… a whole branzino baked in salt and presented tableside as they cracked it open and plated it for us. Beautiful, simple, delicious. And we were sharing both dishes, so it worked out.

The restaurant itself was great. The service was actually excellent, even though the waiter took it upon himself to redesign our meal, and honestly… he was right. The only shock was the visual. Squid ink pasta is jet black, so when it arrived, it was a surprise compared to what we actually ordered, which was spaghetti carbonara.

And because we were already in deep, I figured if he’s changing the pasta, the least he can do is bring the parmesan cheese. That was apparently the line I was not allowed to cross. He refused at first, paced around a little dramatically, and eventually came back with the cheese, laughing while he shaved it over my plate like he was breaking a sacred law.

By this point, the tables around us were fully invested in the whole scene. They were watching, laughing, nodding, and silently rooting for the parmesan.

So yes, he chose the pasta.

And yes, I still ate the parmesan.

And yes… it was delicious.

He also insisted we try a fish sampler appetizer we never would’ve ordered on our own. I’m glad we tried it. It was interesting, but definitely a little more adventurous than what we wanted.

Travel really does teach you how to eat with curiosity, with humor, and without too many rules. Sometimes the best meals are the ones you didn’t plan, the ones someone else decides for you, and the ones you’ll still be talking about years later.

And yes… I know it’s very American to want parmesan on seafood. I still like it.