You want the best pizza in Brooklyn? Di Fara’s, on Avenue J. Dominic grabs the pies out of the oven with his bare hands, which is something to see.
Dom must have either a) very big hands, b) very fast hands, c) very small pizzas, or d) very tough crust.
I’ve been to Lombardi’s. Very good pie, but not exceptional. The fustest ain’t necessarily the bestest.
I think the problem here is simply bad food.
For example, if you eat at Taco Bell, all the food is going to be about six ingredients arranged in different ways on tortillas. But in the world of real Mexican food, there is great variation. A fresh and lively ceviche is a world away from a deep complex mole. Carnitas taste way different than Chorizo. Sadly, like most food, we rely on mediocre chains who have spent years calibrating to food to be bland and crowd-pleasing to a nation weaned on white bread and Speghetti-Os.
Real Italian food is way more varied than a trip to the Olive Garden will show you. All to often all we get is over-sugared red sauces. Pasta isn’t even served as a main dish in Italy- it is meant as an appetizer, as is pizza (which, in the north, is thin, flaky and served with a very thin sauce and a sprinkling of cheese.) True Italian food is full of bright, rich, varied flavors. Sadly, few of these wonderful things are more popular than the standard Italian-American red sauce and cheese based cusine.
“shite”?
I believe Shite = Shit but a little more Polite. 
Maybe this is due to a misunderstanding of how Italian meals work. I used to live in Italy & still have friends there, although I’ve rarely been in a situation where you sit down and go through the whole lot it should go like this …
Antipasti - starter
Primo - a pasta based dish
Secundo - a meat or fish dish
Formaggi - cheese
Dolce - dessert
Neither the pasta dishes nor the ‘protein’ dishes were originally designed to constitute the whole meal. Maybe this is reflected in the portion sizes you mention.
(Aside, one thing I noticed as a ‘European’ when visiting NY last year was that Stateside portions are huuuuuge - Ponster’s theory is that in Europe you are expected to clear the plate to show your apprecaition, in the US if you can finish the plate your host feels they didn’t give you enough …)
There’s a place in Larchmont, Doug, that is amazing. Right off the 95 exit 17 in a bad part of town. Make their mozzarella 5 times a day and their truffle risotto is to die for. I never remember the name 'cuz the location is so easy…Pascuale’s maybe?
Shite is simply a Scottish (I heard it all the time living in Scotland, anyway)/British Commonwealth slang for shit. Nothing more polite about it, just a different pronunciation.
Hmmm- maybe “bollocks” would be a tad more polite…
If you want good Italian food, and, if for some reason, you suddenly find yourself driving through College Station, Texas, you should check out Cenares, its in a strip mall on University drive, has all the best qualities of Italian resteraunts: Good food, friendly staff, and poor lighting. The Pene Pepperoni is to die for.
For good pizza in the same town, there’s Antonio’s Pizzaria on Northgate, in the place that used to be a bicycle shop (next to the Corner, a nightclub that used to be a really nice photoshop. Cause what College Station needed was ANOTHER bar on Northgate. :rolleyes: )
What even sven and Cat jones said.
I’ve found that what passes for “Italian food” stateside is anything but Italian. Also the portions are insanely big, which tends to ruin my appetite just by the looks of it.
A trip to Italy my solve your problem
BTW, I think this is a problem with all ethnic food when it becomes popular. Very dissapointing indeed.