“The food in Italy is nothing like the 'Italian' food that we eat here in New Jersey," a recent visitor to the “Bel Paese” may tell you (while also scoffing at your pizza dripping with cheese, chicken Parmesan coated in sauce or meal chock-full of meat). 

“Real” Italian food may look different to what we can find here on our own checkered tablecloths, but that certainly doesn't make it any less tasty. In fact, Italian-American eateries, sometimes known as "red sauce restaurants," should really be in a league all their own.