Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
What makes the
bacaro
special is that you can have calamari as a snack rather than
the usual ham-and-cheese panino you'll find everywhere else in the city. In the
restaurant, your best bet is to ask Sergio (or his son David) about the day's spe-
cials, or order the famous “fish in a bag,” which is mixed seafood spaghetti. I can
also recommend the raw tuna (prepared with a lemon sauce) and the filleted tur-
bot. If you've had it with seafood, you can always find a version of the local spe-
cialty,
fegato
(calf 's liver). And you can order the lovely house wine by the carafe.
€€
-
€€€
It may be pricey, but in the vicinity of Piazza San Marco you won't
find a classier, more quality-conscious restaurant than the chic
Osteria Enoteca
San Marco
(Frezzeria, San Marco 1610;
%
041-5285242; Mon-Sat 12:30-
11pm).
Serving local specialties as well as several international dishes, San Marco
is part of a wave of young businesses in Venice operated by locals who want to
move away from the tourist exploitation that preoccupies so much of the service
industry. Quality control begins with above-average prices, including a
€
2.60
cover charge, but the sexy, contemporary wine-cellar ambience, in proximity to
St. Mark's Square, just about justifies a one-time splurge (and you certainly won't
be among the tourist throngs). Expect to pay from
55
14
for a
primo
dish, and between
€
23 and
€
26 for a
secondo.
You might start with a
light salad of goat cheese, walnut, and apple, and then dive straight into the fil-
leted red mullet, Mediterranean-style sea bream filet, or squid stuffed with mus-
sel sauce. If you're in a romantic mood, chefs Ivan and Giorgio can whip up a cold
seafood salad for two, served with champagne.
€
16 for a starter, from
€
€€
-
€€€
Another worthwhile flirtation with contemporary chic is
Centrale
Restaurant Lounge
(Piscina Frezzaria, San Marco 1659;
%
041-2960664; www.
centrale-lounge.com; 6:30pm-2am),
now all the rage with the trendy crowd.
Combining glass and brushed metal in a cavernous room of exposed brick and
ambient lighting, the focus at Centrale is on Mediterranean dishes and contem-
porary twists on traditional Venetian cuisine.
Primi
dishes are simple, tasty exper-
iments:
carnaroli
rice with pumpkin and almonds (
14) or fettuccine prepared
with seasonal vegetables (
€
16) are two vegetarian-friendly examples.
Secondi
are
pricier, and might include steamed lobster with an avocado sauce (
€
32) and filets
of roasted sea bass wrapped in a potato tart (
€
26). The kitchen stays open later
than most, making full meals available after a show at nearby Teatro la Fenice
(p. 333). Live music often accompanies the classy, laid-back ambience; check the
website for upcoming events.
RESTAURANTS IN SAN POLO & SANTA CROCE
€
€
(San Polo 429;
%
041-5225401; Mon-Sat 8:30am-
9:30pm),
not far from the Rialto markets, is something of a Venetian institution.
This tiny tavernlike wine bar offers not only tasty
cicchetti
—such as chunks of
pecorino cheese,
banchio,
or fishy
baccalà,
spread thickly over slices of wholesome
bread—but also wine in abundance (most of it on tap), which is what attracts
most of the locals who traipse in and out. If the standard
cicchetti
don't look like
they're going to fill the gap, the helpful mensch behind the bar will also whip up
a freshly made panino with ham sliced from a huge leg stashed behind the
counter. You come in from either of two entrances (one is on Calle Galiazza,
5
Cantina Do Mori
