In response to our earlier review of Terra Rosa, entitled “Anatomy of a Check,” Big Vinnie writes:

Dear ELV,

There ain’t a Tally in Vegas who can cook Tally food. They are all “covonnes”. They use cheap ingredients and up the price. If Terra Rossa was in New York, they would be closed by now, let alone, fire bombed. Nora’s is another poor excuse for Tally food. Especially, when Mexicans are making it. Gimme a break. Same goes for pizza. It stinks. Non Italian’s eat at these slop joints. They don’t know any better.

Signed,

Big Vinnie

ELV responds:

Dear Big Vinnie,

A great food writer (we think it was us) once wrote: “The only difference between Italian food in New York and Italian food in Los Angeles is that in one, your meal is being cooked by overworked and underpaid Puerto Ricans and Dominicans, and in the other, it’s being prepared by overworked and underpaid Mexicans and Salvadorans.”

You find me an Italian kitchen in America staffed by Italians, and I’ll bet you ten Benjamins you’re in Rome (Italy, not Georgia).

Buon gusto!

ELV