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Zeb A

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    Barcelona Restaurant Recommendations

    in Spain & Portugal: Dining

    Posted

    Below are some selections from our recent trip to Spain. We spent the first three nights in Barcelona. Most of this was written by my wife. The restaurant in El Born, Abac, was really excellent.

    Friday, May 18, 2001

    . . .

    We returned to the hotel for a shower before dinner at Restaurante Neichel. We arrived at the restaurant at 9:30 and were basically the first ones there. While sipping on cava (Spanish sparkling wine), we opted for the tasting menu and corresponding wines (all Spanish). I couldn’t possible do justice:

    · Something on a large spoon – can’t say what it was but there was caviar so it couldn’t be all bad

    · Pate with smoked duck

    · Seafood salad which included a long, clam-textured specimen (“I don’t know how to say in English,” the waiter said when we asked what it was)

    · Squid ink rice (risotto-like) with seafood

    · Red mullet

    · Filet of beef

    · Six Cheeses (Spanish)

    · Anise Custard

    · Orange flan and Chocolate Wafers

    · Coffee with assorted petit fours, truffles and candied olives

    Quite frankly, I don’t remember the end of the night. At 1:30, we headed back to the hotel, stuffed and drunk. Barcelona is good.

    Saturday, May 19, 2001

    . . .

    We finally found Xacoa, which was a neat place right out of Chocolat (the movie). We got croissants, coffee and juice. Unfortunately, the waitress was much less than friendly, but it was no big deal.

    After this much needed sustenance, we went in search of fun. The day was beautiful, not a cloud in the sky, so we decided to do mucho strolling. Of course, first stop was more food! We found a little Basque (where we would later be heading) tapas joint and grabbed a few munchies—cheese on bread with anchovies on top and ham on bread with olive oil—yummy!

    . . .

    More walking—basically, all over the Barri Gothic, El Born, the Ramblas, the waterfront, etc. Another tapas joint—this one was clearly very local, “We cheat tourists and drunks,” the sign read. A bunch of old men sat watching and laughing at Ray Liotta and Whoopi Goldberg in a Spanish dubbed Corrina, Corrina. The bartender slices some ham off a leg of a pig hanging behind the bar and heats up some incredible tasty mushrooms in the microwave (how did they have hot tapas before microwaves?).

    . . .

    It is dangerous to nap when you are a little jet lagged. Luckily, dinner is so late, it is hard to miss. We slept until 9:00, but our dinner reservations were for 10:00. El Born is the most hip part of Barcelona – you feel cooler just for being there. We had quick drink at Solera before heading to Abac for dinner. They pegged us for Americans when we walked in the door to the minimalist decorated restaurant and said without apology “We don’t have English menus.” While we could make out about half of the menu items, we again opted for the tasting menu, along with a bottle of yummy Rioja. This was one of the best meals I’ve ever had and the service was by far the best of anywhere I’ve been. The staff attempted to let us in on what we were eating, but there was only so much they could do. From what we could gather, we had eleven (yes, eleven) courses:

    · Cauliflower and tomato consommé with a baby shrimp

    · Stuffed anchovy

    · Scallop with ?? sauce and fried ??

    · Calamari stuffed calamari

    · Tuna with Broccoli Cream

    · Turbot

    · Pigeon with ?? sauce

    · Cheese

    · Chocolate with Peanut Butter Ice Cream

    · Chocolates

    · Cookies and bars

    . . .

    Sunday, May 20, 2001

    . . . We order two beers and make the mistake of 1) looking like tourists and 2) answering the question “grande” or “pequena?” by emphatically insisting “grande!,” only to be served the largest (and most expensive) beers in Barcelona. People were actually pointing and laughing at our beers, which I could not raise with one hand.

    . . .

    Afterwards, we are starving and step into a bar that, while in the tourist area, is decidedly local. Fueled by the enormous beer I have had, I speak the most fluent Spanish of our trip thus far and order us mussels, croquettes and ham – all of which are extremely good. We have not quite had enough and pop into another bar (German/Czechoslovakian? – Pilsner Urquell on draught) for some German sausages and Italian cheese – random.

    . . .

    There is a lot that is closed on Sundays. We chose the restaurant we were going to (Botufumeiro—Galician seafood) in large part because it was open on Sundays. In fact, it is one of the few restaurants that is always open for the most part – from 1:00 p.m. to 1:00 a.m. It is basically an old, established restaurant brimming with seafood. At 9:30, the restaurant is actually crowded – a change from our past two nights. Although the menu tries to give English options, it is difficult to tell where one area ends and another begins and just how much you are supposed to order. Nonetheless, Zeb orders us a yummy bottle of white wine and we get oysters, fried calamari (nothing like in the U.S.), paella and hake (a white fish). For dessert, we ordered Irish coffees that were reminiscent of our beers on Las Ramblas in size. At 12:15, we felt we were getting back to the hotel at a very early hour and had a nightcap at the hotel bar.

    The Great Steak Challenge

    in Italy: Dining

    Posted

    My wife and I were in Florence earlier this year. After doing some investigation and speaking with some folks, we heard about a restaurant called Di Vinus. We had the steak there (as well as other things) and it was outstanding. In fact, the entire meal was great. From our journal:

    " . . . People kept mentioning a place called Di Vinus that was also recommended by the concierge at our hotel, The Excelsior. We knew it was open on Sunday, so Deanna asked the concierge if he could make us a reservation. He did so and told us to talk to Sandro, who would hook us up.

    Di Vinus was a short walk across the Arno in a quiet, fairly residential area far away from most of the major tourist attractions. Our waiter spoke excellent English and talked us through the menu. It all sounded incredible. Deanna started with Carpaccio Lardo, asparagus wrapped in Italian bacon and served with a poached egg and truffle oil. I had Sfilata Di Salami, which was a selection of Sienese salamis (check your arteries at the door!) Both starters were excellent. Then, Deanna had Tagliatelle al Tonno, which was pasta with a very delicate baby pork meat and olive oil sauce. I had Chiocciole, which was a seashell pasta served with a light tomato sauce, olive oil, ricotta, and tiny little meatballs. Both were outstanding! Finally, we split a regional specialty called Bistecca Fiorintina, which was a very large 1200 gram(?) T-Bone steak, bone in and served over arugula with olive oil and a side of beans. Again, this was great. For dessert, D had Biscottini Prato, biscotti with Vin Santo (a dessert wine) in which to dip them. I had a pistachio crème brulee. A glass of grappa to wash it down, and we were off to the hotel."

    Good luck.

    Georgetown?

    in D.C. & DelMarVa: Dining

    Posted

    My wife is taking her mother and sister to Georgetown in a couple weekends. They have never been there. They are staying at 4 Seasons.

    Where would be a good place in Georgetown to go to dinner? No ethnic food. Not as expensive as Citronelle, but it doesn't need to be a budget place. The hotel suggested Cafe Milano or Mendocino Grill--are they any good? Any other ideas?

    Thanks

    Houston Restaurants

    in Texas: Dining

    Posted

    So, my wife just called. She is in Houston tonight. I have read the Houston threads. She is not on a budget (never is it seems). Where should she eat? Annies? Hugos? Somewhere else? Any last minute thoughts would be great. Thx

    lobster advice

    in Cooking

    Posted

    My great-grandparents emigrated from Sweden to Chicago where they worked for a family that spent 1/2 the year in York Harbor, Maine. They eventually inherited a house in Maine from the family that they worked for, and my family has spent summers (or more) there every year since.

    My greatgrandmother was a cook. This is the way we have cooked lobsters for I guess about 100 years.

    Get the live lobsters. They should last in the fridge for 24 hours. We usually just keep them in a thick brown bag. If they are dead, don't bother cooking them. I've done it and it is not good.

    Put the lobster on its back.

    Stick a sharp and sturdy knife into the "head" and quicky split the lobster in half. To separate the two halves, you will probably need to snap it with your hands.

    Snap the claw off of each half, and put it in a pot for boiling later.

    In the middle of one of the halves, you will see a stomach sack. Remove it and the intestine looking thing that runs down the tail.

    I personally don't enjoy the tamale (green funky looking stuff), but many do. So, keep it in the body. Put your thumb over the tamale and rinse the halves.

    Put each half on a backing sheet. If you desire, put some bread crumbs and butter on the tamale (not necessary). Bake at about 350 until tail meat just starts to separate from the shell. Maybe 10 minutes.

    I have had lobsters just about every which way, and this is by far my favorite way to eat them.

    Piemonte Restaurants: Reviews & Recommendations

    in Italy: Dining

    Posted

    Thx for the excellent report. Reading this post and Robert Brown's on French Laundry have provided an appetizing an interesting break to a boring brief that I am writing.

    Travelling with a wine wholesaler sounds like a good move. When we were in Italy recently, our poorly planned efforts at wine tasting in Tuscany were a bit of a flop.

    San Sebastian Restaurants: Recommendations

    in Spain & Portugal: Dining

    Posted

    Re: Tapas in San Sebastian.

    Here is a selection from our journal:

    "We ventured out, starving, and found a bar with amazing looking tapas. I admit I was intimidated because Zeb kept telling me how different the language was up here and, although I had become somewhat comfortable ordering in Spanish in the south (I can say “two beers, please” and “two more beers, please” like nobody’s business), I wasn’t sure I could speak whatever the language is up here. Zeb had to step up and order the food. There was a bowl of stuff I would have sworn was some sort of stewed chicken in a sauce that I thought I wanted, so Zeb skillfully pointed to it and grunted. In our minds, here is how the exchange went:

    Zeb (pointing): We would like some of this.

    Bartender (rubbing his stomach): You want some of this to eat?

    Zeb (emphatically): Yes! Yes!

    However, after getting and tasting the dish, this is apparently how the exchange really went:

    Zeb (pointing): We would like some of this.

    Bartender (rubbing his stomach): You sure you want some of this - this intestine stew?

    Zeb (emphatically): Yes! Yes!

    It was gross. Amazingly, Zeb ate a bunch of it. Anyway, I swore I would step out and in the next three places we ate some outstanding tapas."

    SF Food Orgy

    in California: Dining

    Posted

    My wife and I went to San Francisco for a continuing legal education seminar at the beginning of the month. When we weren't in class, we were eating and drinking (or sleeping in our tiny tiny hotel room). Attached are food-related selections from a journal we kept about the trip. We both added to the journal which is why is sounds schizophrenic. Also, the intended audience was our family, not this esteemed group of food critics, which explains the style. The restaurants at which we ate were Gary Danko, Aqua, Chez Panisse, Pazzia, Zuni Cafe, Slanted Door, and Tommy's Mexican Restaurant. Here it is:

    Day #1:

    Dinner tonight was at Gary Danko, http://www.garydanko.com/flash/GaryDanko.html. We opted for a “make your own” tasting menu as follows:

    Deanna:

    Duck Proscuitto and Foie Gras Torchon with Fresh Black Mission Figs

    Seared Scallops with Butternut Squash Puree and Chanterelle Mushrooms

    Loin of Lamb with Wild Mushroom Bulgur Pilaf and Artichoke-Onion Ragout

    Selection of Farmhouse and Artisanal Cheeses

    Baked Chocolate Souffle with Chocolate Sauce and Crème Anglaise

    Zeb:

    Sweet White Corn Soup with Black Cod and Basil Oil

    Horseradish Crusted Salmon Medallion with Dilled Cucumbers

    Moroccan Spiced Squab with Chermoula, Orange-Cumin Carrots

    Selection of Farmhouse and Artisanal Cheeses

    Trio of Crème Brulee with Cookies

    We drank a half-bottle of Sauvignon Blanc and a bottle of Kunin Syrah, both yummy. The table at which we sat interestingly positioned us side by side and looking out at the entire room, including a large wall length mirror that was across the room.

    The restaurant itself was small. Basically it was two rooms with a bar. Large colorful art pieces and mirrors made the space seem bigger than it is. The atmosphere was pretty formal, but not oppressively stuffy. The crowd was surprisingly eclectic: suits to short sleeves. We had semi-obnoxious people on either side of us. To the left were two couples who insisted on acting like they knew more than they did. To our right were three guys who brought their own wine and flirted with the young sommelier. The wait staff was very attentive; however, our primary waitress was a bit of an odd bird (when we mentioned that we like the triple cream cheese, she said, “Triple cream—whenever I see it I want to sit on it because that is where it is going to go anyway.”) But she was nice, and the overall experience was quite good. This was particularly impressive because, by the time the meal ended, we had been awake for over 20 hours and were pretty brain dead.

    The food was great. The foie gras was very rich and tasty, but the soup was outstanding—rich, sweet, and quite “corny.” The next course was the best. Both the scallops and the salmon were outstanding. The dilled cucumbers were an excellent accompaniment to the horseradish-crusted salmon. The meat course was very good as well, but we were quite surprised about the similarity between the seasoning on the lamb and squab. Both reminded me of the dinner we had at the Cape Malay Kitchen restaurant outside of Cape Town—very flavorful spices. Cheese was, not surprisingly, very good. The cart had roughly 18 options, divided by milk derivation (cow, sheep, goat). I can’t begin to remember what we had, but a triple cream called something like Red Hawk was particularly memorable. We also had an unusual Portuguese cheese that was ok tasting, but striking because of its gritty texture. Desserts were good, but rather ordinary. The soufflé was your basic soufflé. The three brulees were vanilla, orange, and chocolate. Very good, but basic.

    Day #2

    The next day we had lunch at Aqua, http://www.nextcenturyrestaurants.com/aquamain.htm, one of the restaurants we considered for dinner, but just couldn’t work into the itinerary. This was an inspired idea by Deanna—well done!

    Aqua, not surprisingly, specializes in seafood. I believe this might have been the best lunch I ever had. Zeb ordered a nice bottle of Morgan Sauvignon Blanc and we ate the following:

    Deanna:

    Tempura Prawns with Spicy Mango Salsa and Hot & Sour Vinaigrette

    Bacon-Wrapped Scallops with Crème Fraiche Potato Puree and White Port Sweet Corn

    Sauce

    Zeb:

    Smoked Salmon Stuffed with Crème Fraiche Over Spoon Bread with Lobster Cream

    Sea Bass with Andouille Ragout and Lobster Marscapone Tortellini

    As much as it pained us, we skipped dessert since we have early dinner reservations.

    The restaurant itself was fairly ordinary, but with big mirrors that made it seem like a larger space. Tables were close together, and it was a bustling lunchtime crowd, chock full of banker, lawyer, business types. It was comfortable, but crowded. Service was very good, despite the crowd. The more I reflect on this lunch, the more I like it. Each of the dishes we ate was very very good. Nothing seemed to be particularly complicated—but the taste was exceptional. We had originally planned to eat dinner here, but ultimately decided to go elsewhere because an all seafood menu (it isn’t) didn’t sound as appealing as some of our other options. I sure am glad that we found time to come here—we had an excellent and fun lunch!!

    Dinner tonight was at Chez Panisse, http://www.chezpanisse.com/. The restaurant serves a different, single set menu each day. The restaurant is known for its incredibly fresh vegetables, fresh baked bread and best available local meats and fish.

    Our menu was incredibly simple:

    Green Bean and Salt Cod Salad with Pickled Onions and Frisee

    Summer Chanterelle Ragout On Toast with Savory and Pancetta

    Spit-Roasted Hoffman Farm Chicken Stuffed Under the Skin with Ricotta, with Arugula

    And Fried New Potatoes

    Crème Panisse – Vanilla Custard with Raspberry Coulis

    Although simple, everything on every plate was incredible. The salad contained tender, crisp green beans, small slices of briny salt cod, delicate, vinegary red onions, sprigs of frisee dressed lightly and a half of a soft-boiled, bright orange-yolked egg. The mushroom ragout was rich and earthy, spooned on top of a piece of slightly toasted bread with squares of crisp pancetta. The chicken, Zeb and I agreed, was chicken. Good, no doubt, but I couldn’t help thinking I wished it were lamb or duck or something less like . . . chicken. Anyway, the arugula and potatoes were a nice accompaniment to the dish. Dessert was perhaps the most incredible thing I ever put in my mouth – a big round bowl with a thin layer of milky, creamy custard covered with an equally thin layer of bright red, tart, raspberry sauce. As we were paying our bill, we heard the couple at the table next to us attempting to get a third bowl of the custard – ingenious! In my opinion, this was the best meal we had in San Francisco.

    I also thought this was the best meal we had. It is interesting because, the day before our trip, I pulled up the menus for Danko and Panisse on the web. Deanna and I both “oohed and aahed” over the many options on the Danko menu and were disappointed that we appeared to have signed up for chicken and mushroom night at Panisse. Boy, were we wrong. It’s not so much that Danko wasn’t good (it was very good), but that Panisse seemed so much better the next night. To begin with, the food was simple, yet incredibly tasty. I agree with everything Deanna said. The only mild disappointment was the chicken, which was rather ordinary. But, it wasn’t just the food that made Chez Panisse such an enjoyable restaurant—it was the atmosphere. I can’t recall ever going to a restaurant that had such a high caliber of food while maintaining a completely relaxed feel. It is a very comfortable restaurant where you never feel like you have to whisper. We had a drink before dinner upstairs, where there is a more casual menu that includes pizza etc. It was positively raucous. Downstairs, where the menu is price fixe, the atmosphere is more calm, but still easy-going. That’s not to say the service wasn’t great—it was. But, the service didn’t make you feel at all self-conscious. The odd non-symmetrical design to the restaurant space contributed to a cozier feel. I couldn’t have been happier with this dinner—a real unique restaurant, and my favorite that we discovered on this trip.

    Day #3

    On recommendation of the concierge at the Marriott, we walked to Pazzia for lunch. We sat at a table outside as this, and everyday we have been in San Francisco, was a gorgeous day. Pazzia is a small, family-run Italian restaurant and we managed to eat the following:

    Caprese Salad with Tomatoes and Fresh Mozzarella

    Antipasto of various meats, cheese, olives and artichokes

    Homemade Ravioli Stuffed with Spinach and Ricotta with Bolognese Sauce

    Homemade Fettuccine with Prawns and Asparagus

    Biscotti and Vin Santo

    Bottle of Pelligrino

    Bottle of Pinot Grigio

    This restaurant was a real find. It is the first place we went without any advance recommendation, and it was a very pleasant surprise. Located close to our hotel on Third Street, it was very handy. The salad an antipasto were very good, but unsurprising. The homemade ravioli that I ordered was outstanding. Service was excellent, and the two friendly waitresses made us feel like we were regulars. Once again, we left lunch stuffed, happy, and sleepy. Here is the some information about the restaurant that I later found on the web:

    Massimo Ballerini and Marco Sassone were both born in Florence. Massimo’s family owns and runs the restaurant I Ghibellini, considered one of the finest restaurants in Florence specializing in Tuscan cuisine. Pazzia specializes in homemade breads, pizza, pasta, and deserts prepared daily.

    http://www.pazzia.citysearch.com/

    Dinner was at Zuni Café. Our reservations weren’t until 9:00, so we went across the street to Martuni’s, a bar specializing in martinis. Dinner at Zuni was yummy. The three of us shared a bottle of Pinot Grigio and whole bunch of tasty food (three different kinds of oysters, Caesar salad, polenta, linguine with Chanterelles, Steelhead Salmon and Squab). For dessert, Zeb got gorgonzola with honey and pecorino and J and I got a rich chocolate cake with whipped cream and a custard with huckleberry sauce.

    Zuni was a fun place and not nearly as expensive as our last two dinner locations. Downstairs was a long bar around which many people crowded, drinking drinks and eating oysters. This place was very crowded and had a fun vibe. I am sure that if we lived here, we’d often come here. The food was good; however, nothing was really remarkable. The most memorable things we ate were the oysters and the desserts. Everything else tasted exactly like you would have expected, nothing more, nothing less. We didn’t order the famed chicken because, after last night, we were chickened out. A fun night.

    Day #4

    Lunch was at The Slanted Door, a Vietnamese restaurant that I had really been looking forward to visiting. We had reservations for dinner, but J thought another place might be better for dinner, so we headed to Slanted Door for lunch. I’m a sucker for all food Asian, but even Zeb agreed this lunch was outstanding:

    Imperial rolls

    Thick Homemade Noodles with Prawns

    Five Spiced Chicken

    Mesquite Grilled Ahi Tuna

    Shaking Beef

    Green Beans

    Black Rice Pudding

    Huckleberry Soup with Lemon Cookies

    Slanted Door is currently located in a temporary location on Brannan Street. Since it is supposedly a temporary facility, I kind of expected a dump—but the restaurant is really nice. There is an open kitchen in the back, and a nice bar with a view of the water in the front. We ordered a bunch of everything and shared. I thought it all was great. The real standouts for me were the Mesquite Grilled Ahi Tuna and the Shaking Beef. I am not usually a big fan of Asian food because it always seems to be covered in some kind of sweet and goopy sauce. Not so with this food—most courses simply had a thin side sauce in a separate dish. I have no idea what Vietnamese food is supposed to be like, but I was surprised at how un-unusual the food was. Either that means that Vietnamese food is not very foreign or this restaurant doesn’t serve traditional Vietnamese food. Frankly, I don’t really care which is true, because authentic or not, the food was very good. Our Rice Pudding dessert was very odd—not at all sweet, but I seem to recall it more favorably now than I did at the time. Worth a try.

    Hard to believe, but it was time to eat again! J knows Zeb loves Mexican, so she decided to take us to Tommy’s Mexican Restaurant, http://www.tommystequila.com/index2.html, for dinner – a small, family run place in the Richmond District, specializing in food from the Yucatan area of Mexico. At 7:00, the place was absolutely packed. We squeezed our way into the bar for a pitcher of their famous margaritas, each batch made from scratch, including the fastest squeezed limes ever, and tasted before served. Boring Zeb had Coronas again. Our wait for dinner was not too bad, and we had chips and salsa while we waited. I had Carne Asada, thin steak with grilled onions, and Zeb had a cheese enchilada and a chicken tamale. Food was great, but all four of us were comatose and ready to head back to J’s.

    As a connoisseur of cheap Mexican food, I can certify that this was authentic cheap Mexican food. It was actually a real neat place. A raucous crowd and friendly bartender are the main attractions. It is a small place, with traditional Mexican restaurant trappings. The food was your basic Mexican fare.

    Boston Restaurant Recommendations

    in New England: Dining

    Posted

    In August, my wife, sister, and I had a Thursday lunch at Radius in downtown Boston. It was excellent. I wish my wife was nearby because she has a better memory for things such as what we ate, but, I do recall a few things: I had a watermelon soup that was the most unusual, sweet, refreshing, and excellent soup that I can recall eating. Someone had some kind of a lobster sandwich (that is an awful description that doesn't hardly do it justice). I think I had some kind of steak. The desserts were amazing, and I had a real nice cheese plate. And, best of all, they had a few grappa selections to pick from for post meal digestion (I don't see that too often down here in NC).

    Anyway, that's probably not the most helpful description, but, the short version is, we all loved our lunch.

    Venice Restaurants: Reviews & Recommendations

    in Italy: Dining

    Posted

    Thanks for sharing your journal entries, especially the tip for Carampane.

    My pleasure. Actually, I need to thank you for a recommendation that you gave us. Prior to our trip, I happened across your website and sent you an email asking if you had any recommendations in Florence. You suggested Osteria Santo Spirito, and we had a wonderful lunch there. In fact, we had quite a few excellent meals in Florence.

    Venice Restaurants: Reviews & Recommendations

    in Italy: Dining

    Posted

    My wife and I went to Italy this spring. We kept a journal in which we described, among other things, the food we ate. We spent about one and a half weeks in Italy--2 nights in Venice. We were fortunate because we have friends (A and D) who live outside Milan and who have family in Venice. A's mother is Venetian as is D. They joined us on Saturday and took us to a wonderful restaurant that we would never have found on our own. Afterwards, we spent hours walking the streets, drinking wine and eating ciccheti (sp?) in the bacaro.

    Below is a selection from our journal. Please keep in mind that the journal's intended audience was our family (non-travellers), not egulleteers.

    "Our hotel was right on St. Mark’s square, which is the large square in front of St. Mark’s cathedral and a popular spot. The first room they showed us at our hotel had twin beds and overlooked the McDonald’s (not kidding - A later told us there were over 300 in Italy). When we took the bellman up on his suggestion that we might want a double bed, we ended up with a big room overlooking the square. Much better. We spent a few minutes settling in and then headed out to explore. It was so nice outside and there were so many people to watch, we decided to stop at Gran Caffe Lavena, right on the square, and have a beer. Next, we meandered down the narrow, crowded streets and found Osteria Antico Dola, a very small restaurant/bar playing Irish music. We asked the bartender to pick us a red wine, as we decided on some food - fried olives, bruschetta with tomatoes and meatballs. Yummy! Zeb agreed to taste “a very typical Venetian dish,” which was of the consistency of calamari and served with onions. A and D later explained that it was indeed a typical dish and that it was not fish at all, but nervati - nerves (of what animal, we still don’t know).

    We grabbed some breadsticks at a bakery across the street and ate them as we walked to Harry’s, a famous bar near the water, and one they say Hemingway frequented. There, we drank expensive, but good, Bellinis (prosecco and peach puree) and watched a group of Germans run through a few Bellinis each and then pay a $235 Euro bar tab (Bellinis are good, but not that good). Finally, we stopped by Osteria Enoteca San Marco for red wine, ham, cheese and bread.

    Back at the room, we had the problem of having a 9:00 dinner reservation and having absolutely no idea what time it was. We took this opportunity to call A back in Milan, who not only filled us in on the time, but answered some questions about getting about in Italy, including when it was or was not appropriate to tip (basically, you don’t tip unless it is a special meal or special service).

    Zeb made dinner reservations at Osteria Da Fiore a month ago. It is known as not only one of the best restaurants in Venice, but also one of the best in Italy. Da Fiore serves only seafood, no meat at all. We got a bottle of Pinot Grigio Reserva. Zeb got a huge pile of crabmeat for the first course and I had scallops cooked in olive oil and garlic and served in their shell. We then split risotto with prawns (gamberetti). Zeb got a plate of frito misto - fried fish, shrimp, small soft-shell spider crabs (granseola), calamari and vegetables. I had a turbot with a potato crust. Zeb got cheese for dessert and I had a warm chocolate cake. On the way back to the hotel, we stopped at Moscacieka, a funky little late-night pub, for a beer.

    April 6, 2002

    . . .

    We were supposed to meet J (A’s father) at the Rialto bridge at 12:30. We got dressed and headed out down the labyrinth streets toward the bridge. Along the way, we grabbed some cookies at a bakery and a couple of sodas (they get more expensive the closer you are to St. Mark’s or Rialto). We met Jim on top of the bridge and continued north toward the Cannareggio district. Along the way, we stopped at the Rialto market. There were probably 100 stalls selling fresh fruit, vegetables, and an amazing array of seafood, much of which can be found only in the Adriatic Sea. At the edge of the market, we bumped into A and D, who had driven over from Milan (1.5 hours), and their friend F, who also lives in Milan. We were then off to Carampane, a restaurant off the beaten path that is run by F’s mother.

    As you enter Carampane, you see several signs in Italian that say things such as: “We serve no pizza or lasagna and we have no menu turistico” and “Information or directions cost 50 Euros.” In other words, this was a very local place, not catering to tourists, and specializing in typical Venetian cuisine. It began as a bacero (a wine bar that serves small snacks called cichetti) and then grew into a full-fledged restaurant. F’s mother buys her seafood daily from the market at the Rialto. . . .

    There were probably only five or six tables in the restaurant and Jim had previously made reservations for our party. After we were seated, E (A’s mother) showed up (she had been teaching that morning on Lido, a nearby island where she and J live). Pitchers of Prosecco were poured for all (we had many pitchers), and the feast began. We had seafood antipasti to start: salmon, anchovy, a skinny crustaceon that looked like a long skinny shrimp and had the consistency of lobster (yum), shrimp with chopped tomato, some spider crab (granseola) meat, and cuttlefish (a small dark squid). All were excellent. As I turned my attention to the cuttlefish, I dove into the head, thinking it would be the meatiest part. As I placed it in my mouth, I heard J say to E, “Do you want my cuttlefish head, I can’t eat all those brains and stuff.” Of course, by that time, there was no going back. The head was ok, but probably not my favorite item.

    Then came the primi. We had a seafood lasagne. Very creamy and very good. . . .

    For our secondi, we had a fritto misto - fried fish, crabs, and calamari. Again, it was outstanding. This fried seafood was very delicate and not at all greasy. The fried soft-shell spider crab was outstanding. Finally, for dessert, we had pear cake and a wonderful ice cream drink called Scroppino. This drink is a very typical Venetian drink, often served in summer. It is a blend of lemon ice cream, milk, Prosecco, and Vodka. Finally, to finish, we had grappa. I learned that soft grappa is for wussies and hard grappa is for real men. We had an excellent time, and this was a great feast. By now, we were quite buzzed, stuffed to the gills, and ready to walk. J and E went home, and A and D led us on a walking tour of Venice.

    Basically, we saw Venice via the bacaro. It was nice to have A and D with us and able to speak the language. At almost every bacaro we went, D saw someone he knew. We drank mostly small glasses of red wine and ate of few snacks at several places (fried calamari, fried cauliflower, potato fritters, meatballs, fried olives, mussels, etc.). Later in the night we stopped at a little sandwich place and had soft white bread sandwiches chocked full of mayonnaise, egg, ham or crab. Good at the time, but I couldn’t think about them by the end of the night without getting queasy. The names of the bacaro we went to with A and D were:

    · Cantine del Vino Gia Schiani

    · Alla Botte

    · Do Mori

    · Antica Ostaria Ruga Rialto

    · Bar Brigola

    · Trattoria Ca’ D’or - Osteria Dalla Vedova

    · Lost Paradise (an interesting place filled with hippy backpacker Italians)

    After saying goodnight to A and D, who drove back to Milan, Zeb and I went to Vino Vino and then back to Moscacieka for a Corona.

    April 7, 2002

    J and E were nice enough to invite us for Sunday lunch, so we checked out of our hotel and took a boat to The Lido, a small island near Venice. Jim picked us up at the boat station and showed us around the island before taking us home for lunch. E is a great cook and we had a nice lunch of ham, olives, baccala (salt cod spread), mushroom risotto, chicken, pigeon, zucchini, cheese, strawberries and cookies. "

    I tried to edit out most of the non-food stuff.

    Left out of the journal so as not to shock our family was the cost of Da Fiore. I can't remember what it was, but it was more than any meal I have ever eaten (and I have spent some money). But, it was excellent, and, it is a place that Venetians themselves go for special occassions (e.g. J and E on their anniversary).

    I would definitely try to find Carampane. I could not begin to tell you where it was. Way off the beatten path. Across the Rialto from San Marco, past the market, and around a corner or 2. I'll see if I can get better directions. One caveat. I have no idea if Deanna and I would have been able to order there if we did not have Venetian, or at least Italian, guides. No menus. Probably no English. But excellent, typical cuisine.

    Hope there is some useful information in here. Have fun!

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