Southern Italian seems to be making something of a comeback. As far as I know, I haven't a drop of Italian blood (Southern or Northern) in me, being of Limey/Kraut extraction, but I've never lost my taste for good old Southern Italian food. Tomatoes, garlic, olive oil, red wine -- some foods being "rediscovered" for their nutritional benefits as well as their taste. Change the pasta to whole wheat, and finish with fresh fruit rather than cannoli, and you could build a pretty healthy dietary regimen around the foods served in "red sauce restaurants" -- in fact, not surprisingly, it would fit right in with the so-called "Mediterranean Diet." Ah, but to hell with the nutritional aspects. Pass the wine, will ya?