Re: benchmark dishes
Zen
Chicken Parm is an excellent indicator of an Italian restaurant because if it is made well, it's amazing, and if it is sub-par, well it's still ok. Lasagna might be too high a bar to start with. I've had some really bad lasagna in my lifetime.
Ed,
Gnocchi is my favourite Italian dish, but it is too easy to mess up to keep in line with the OP's intentions.
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