Absolutely one of my top two best dining experiences in Italy this trip! Please note this restaurant is to the LEFT of Romeo's home (a plaque in an alley way which is very easy to miss). The restaurant to the right looks adorned with accolades but serves horse and donkey: typical Venetian specialties. We opted for this quaint, air conditioned sea food restaurant... (adorned by a lone sticker from the Michelin people).
Giancarlo and his staff took superb care of us by offering a zucchini, goat cheese and caramel bite with a glass of prosecco, followed by a tomato and olive oil bisque! All before we ordered a damned thing!
I ordered the snails and scallops in amazigness with an amazing presentation while my fellow diners feasted on the mushroom and tomato tart (my favorite) and the tuna tartare (fresh and simple with a beautiful presentation). We then moved onto our main courses. I ordered the risotto with truffle which was exquisite but needed just a touch of salt. My fellow diners feasted on the lobster ravioli with truffle (my favorite) which was an explosion of butter when it hit your lips, transformed into lobster goodness and finished with a truffle and airy pasta flavor. A M A Z I N G. Another fellow diner went with the sea bass dish which was a bit earthy for her taste and definitely lacked the flavor of the other dishes, but not in presentation. All of these dishes were accompanied by a bubbly recommended by the waiter... Superb! I never would have ordered a bubbly but was pleasantly and happily surprised!
We all agreed that it would be rude and a travesty not to experience every dessert on the menu... The cheese ice cream was to die for, along with the green apple and caramel ice cream. The chocolate mousse with coffee was very heavy and chocolate-y... The grand mariner desert was earthy and simple... But lovely!
We had lemoncelo with desert and Gaincarlo sent us merengue, biscotti and panna cotta! THEN, we couldn't leave without having an authentic cappuccino! Which was the best of the trip.
I posted photos of every course, so please take a look and think no more... This restaurant is the real deal. NO English was spoken by our waiter but most of the menu is translated into English. Giancarlo, the chef and owner, presented every meal, took our orders, and SIGNED OUR FREE print of the shop from the 1550's. Yes, we were handed rolled up, black and white prints to take with us! We then asked him to sign... It was unbelievable!
We missed our train back to Venice that evening (a one hour train ride) and ended up in a cab ride back (just over an hour and not that much more expensive for 5 people). The night was made memorable by the food, the chef, the company and the missed train. I will dream of returning to this restaurant! read more