The reason my bed broke...

One word... Apertivo. In any attempt to get free food and save money, we have gotten into the habit of going to eat at places that serve apertivo, an endless buffet of free appetizers as long as you order a drink. The last couple nights we could not have stuck out more clearly as the gluttunous Americans. Every five minutes I'd go up to the bar and fill my plate with sandwiches, pasta, some sausage concoction, salumi (universal word for all kinds of meets... salami, proscuitto, etc.). Including in this deal was a plate of salumi on bread as well as a basket of chips that comes with every round of drinks we ordered... a nicely designed system which makes you stop ordering drinks (thus saving money) because you are too full. My advice: Pace yourself. If you get there at 6:30 to get a table, don't eat so much that you're too full when they bring new stuff out at 7:30. Most likely you'll feel obligated to have one (or five) of everything they bring out. Apertivo... Good for wallet, not for the figure.