I went to Italy in March with my friends from first grade. There are a lot of different places to see in Rome, Vatican Palace, Pantheon, and Colosseum. But for me there was something else I missed and wanted to see again. It was Borghiciana Pastificio where I had the most delicious lasagna of my life¹.

The restaurant is small compared to others. Only about 16 people can sit inside so there’s a line in front of it all the time. You order while waiting and when you get there the food is ready. It feels unpretentious and welcoming. The waitress was delighted to see me again. I didn’t expect that given how many people they see in a year.

The owner work as other people in the restaurant. From cooking in the kitchen to serving tables. He also pours you a drink if you compliment the food. He sat at our table and started chatting about how he started the place. He said he’s run the restaurant for seven years. Hasn’t expanded even though the restaurant got more famous in recent years. His success stems from reviews.

But he also mentioned that this fame sometimes backlashes. Some arrive with high expectations but are deterred by long lines and the small space. His vision is to give delicious food to people and make them happy.

This reminded me of the idea that you can win without competing with everyone. These days I have more respect for products and people who try to make something good than the ones trying to collect scores.

I don’t think anyone who tries to impress by some score sells a bad product. But it is related. It increases the chances because it can distract you from the actual product and diverge the focus on other things.