Venice - Italy - page 293

% 041-5289336). When you're presented with your bill, you're given a nip of
sherry. The family-run restaurant is just out of reach of the tourist chaos, not too
far from Campo San Stefano. Decorated with black-and-white photographs of
Venice, it's filled with simple, pleasant charm, and is the type of place where you
can trust your waiter to make a selection for you. For dinner, the handful of tables
outside are very pleasant, but you can always stand at the counter and order a sim-
ple panini (from

2.50). Sit-down meals will cost you quite a bit more ( primi
courses will run you around € 13, and there's a € 1.60 cover and 12% service
charge). Local dishes include pasta e fagioli (pasta and bean soup), bigoli in salsa
(spaghetti with anchovies and onion), and Venetian fish soup to start, while fegato
alla veneziana (fried liver and onions) and baccalà are served alongside roast rab-
bit and veal.

€

€ - €€

During intermission at La Fenice (p. 333), I usually race back to Vino

(Calle del Cafetier, Calle delle Vesta, San Marco 2007/A; % 041-5237027;
www.vinovino.co.it; Wed-Mon 10:30am-midnight) for a replenishing spritz or—
depending on my mood—a glass of red wine. This small bacaro, staffed by a
handful of gracious women, offers a formidable selection of local wines to accom-
pany its good-value, wholesome food. Although dishes change from day to day,
expect to choose from such diverse options as sarde in saor, sauteéd calf 's kidneys,
quail served with polenta, baked guinea-fowl, braised beef in Barolo wine, and
loin of pork prepared in milk sauce. All pasta dishes cost

5

Vino

5.50, while main
courses are € 9 (fish) or € 11 (meat). Starters are all € 7, and you can get a side
order of vegetables for

€

3.50. Owned by Emilio Baldi, who also operates Antico
Martini, one of Venice's classiest (and priciest) restaurants, Vino Vino maintains
reliable quality in every dish. Be sure to check out its website before visiting, as
there are regular special discounts that require the presentations of a computer-
generated printout when settling your bill. Cover charge is

€

€

1.

€ - €€ Sommelier-couple Francesca and Marco decided to put their love of
wine to good use, so they opened a contemporary-styled wine bar called
Cavatappi (San Marco 525/526; % 041-2960252; Tues-Sun 9am-midnight).

To go with the 40 varieties of Italian wines in stock at any one time (the wine
menu changes bimonthly), there's a small kitchen where Marco prepares simple,
wholesome dishes of fresh seasonal ingredients. The small menu changes daily,
and is also different for lunch or dinner; there's an emphasis on value, so you'll be
able to afford that extra glass of wine. Pastas are always a good choice; look for
tagliatelle with shrimp and pumpkin flowers, or penne with artichoke hearts and
blue cheese. At lunch, main courses (from

5

11) come with a glass of wine, and
may include such filling offerings as filleted pork with red chicory, or roast beef.
Most primi courses cost between

€

€

7 and

€

10, and dinner is a little pricier.

€ - €€€ At Trattoria Da Fiore (Calle delle Botteghe, San Marco 3461; % 041-
5235310; www.trattoriadafiore.com; Wed-Mon) you have a choice of either tradi-
tional bacaro -style snacking or a real Venetian seafood feast in the sit-down
restaurant. Either way, you'll be under the careful watch of Sergio Boschian, who
has been satisfying locals and tourists for over 20 years. Stick your head inside,
and you'll have no doubt about what's on the menu—fish, fish, and more fish.