We set off for Venice with a few warnings regarding the food: that it was overpriced and lousy, mostly. I did get some restaurant names from friends, and also, the day before we flew, I lucked out to receive a book in the mail that had a number of recommendations for good, traditional osteria, so I wrote down the suggestions, along with some of the Venetian dishes I wanted to try, like the spaghetti with squid cooked in its own ink. Venice is, I'm sure, more expensive than other parts of Italy, if only because of the tourism industry and the fact that it's an island. But I can say that it was easier to find a good meal there than in the town in which we live, so I've really got no complaints. We ate a good amount of pasta, and pizza, and we did not go to any expensive restaurants. Griffin likes to eat spaghetti with butter and cheese, so this was not the time for any fancy evenings out. We stayed the casual course.
Wyatt is pictured, above, with a bowl of vegetable soup, which was a perfect beginning to a homey meal on a cold, dark night.
And a lovely beginning to one sunny day could not be denied the boys: a Nutella crepe eaten outdoors, with hot chocolate to go with.
This was one version of mozzarella in carozza the boys ate at a little oesteria in the Dorsoduro district. They made and excellent salad with mixed greens, artichoke hearts, anchovies, tomatoes, dressed lightly with oil & vinegar.
One of a few samplings of gelato. We tried mint, mint chocolate chip, panna, Baci, & chocolate. Not all at once.
This was the mozzarella in carozza we found at a little place near the Rialto that had an impressive line-up of snacks and seafood dishes. It was a diner-like environment.
I ate the arancini w/shrimp and I think the other piece on my plate is a fried eggplant.
A great pizza Margherita at Sportivo in the Dorsoduro. The crust was thinner than the layer of cheese.
These are traditional Venetian frittelle, fried balls of dough rolled in sugar. The classic version contains sultanas and pine nuts. One was filled with a pastry cream, and the other was filled with a zabaglione cream.
This was an appetizer platter with a sampling of traditional Venitian treats. A fresh scallop, a fried shrimp, a fried small fish (small fry), a fried zucchini, a piece of bread with a bacala mixture, and a slice of a vegetable torte that contained a lot of sweet peas and carrots.
I wanted to try the bacala with white polenta, but it wasn't my favorite dish. Personally, I found it to be too strong a flavor. It's extremely fishy smelling, with an oily texture, and was overwhelming to me.
Spaghetti with clams is one of my favorite foods, and this was a straightforward & simple version. I enjoyed many plates of pasta with fresh shellfish and squid. If you like seafood, this is a good place to visit!
My first Bellini in Venice! Delicious! This was served to me at our hotel.
It tasted better than the one I tried later in the week at Harry's Bar. The one at Harry's was good, of course (I'd say it's hard to get a bad Bellini), but expensive. We paid 33 euros for three Bellinis, two of which were non-alcoholic. But it has to be done, once.
Wyatt dipping a taralle into his bowl of pasta e fagiole, which he really enjoyed. He's such a good eater and is adventurous, so it is always fun to travel with him.
Venice is risotto country. Here is a delicious & warming vegetable risotto Wyatt & I shared on a cold evening.
Griffin liked to sample the local vino rosso. Just kidding, that's a Coke at a little place we stopped at for lunch somewhere in San Marco.
Produce at a grocery store looked very fresh and colorful.
A lovely affogato -- cold vanilla ice cream with a shot of hot espresso.
Venetians seem to really enjoy snacking, and that suited us perfectly, because as we were out and about, walking around, we could always duck into some little place for a bite to eat, or a slice of pizza. I loved how, in the evenings as people were leaving work, they stopped off at the neighborhood wine bar for a tiny bite and to share a glass of wine with their friends and neighbors. The matrons in their fur coats and pearls, sitting down for a leisurely Campari or spritz with their friends, chatting and looking at photographs of the latest grandchild. These scenes offered me a glimpse of a life that I have never known.
It was a pleasure to be able to relax and eat and drink in these restaurants where we were greeted with smiles and warmly welcomed. The boys would get a gentle pat on the head or a hair ruffling, and once, when a fast-swinging door slammed back into Griffin's forehead, the evening crowd roared in shock and quickly rallied to comfort him with soothing words. One gentleman kindly offered Griffin a small wrapped piece of chocolate retrieved from his winter coat pocket. It says a lot about the Italian culture and sense of life, and I left the city with great admiration for the city and its people.
