Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
one of which—
Algiubagiò
(Fondamente Nuove, Cannaregio 5039;
%
041-
5236084; www.algiubagio.com; 6:30am-late)
—is among my favorites in Venice.
Here, the jovial young entrepreneurs who opened this relaxed deli-style restaurant
sometimes crowd around your table while going into loving detail about the
dishes. If you don't feel like eating a full meal, you can join the locals at the bar
for
proscecco,
or red wine (
€
1.30-
€
2.50 per glass), with your
cicchetti;
a real treat
is the
prosciutto di Parma
(
555
5), ham seasoned for 20 months and served with
homemade bread. Also excellent is the pecorino cheese (made from sheep's milk),
strong and flavorful, and served with fig and balsamic vinegar. Angus beef filet is
the specialty, served with delicious sauces, like chocolate and crab apple. Angus
beef dishes cost
€
25, depending on the topping, or you can order
chian-
ina
steaks by weight (
€
4-
€
4.60 per 100 grams). There are a few vegetarian
options (
€
17 to
€
14). Save
room for a taste of Algiubagiò's homemade, out-of-this-world ice cream. Note
that there's a sit-down service charge of 12%, over and above the
€
6.50-
€
14), and some unusual and innovative pizzas (
€
4-
€
€
2 cover.
€€
It's pronounced
quaranta ladroni,
and the name means “40 thieves,” but
you'll never feel robbed at this pleasant little find,
Osteria Ai 40 Ladroni
(Fondamenta della Sensa, Cannaregio 3253;
%
041-715736; closed Mon),
where
the food surpasses expectations even if service is ho-hum and you're relying on the
buzz of other patrons for atmosphere. Luckily, locals from the area (the “real”
Venice) tend to come here in a celebratory frame of mind. During lunch (which
is quieter), old men from the neighborhood gather to gossip and greet passersby.
You should definitely book a canal-side table if you're planning dinner here. Try
their excellent
sarde in saor
(
€
7) to start, and then choose either a
primo
or
sec-
ondo
dish. Most of the
primi
are pastas costing around
8; their spaghetti bolog-
nese is excellent, as is spaghetti with
seppie,
which is cuttlefish in black ink sauce
(remember to add heaps of the excellent, fresh Parmesan).
Secondi
comprise a
good selection of grilled and fried fish (
€
10-
€
13).
€
5
(Fondamenta della Sensa, Cannaregio 3272;
%
041-720744; Wed-Sun),
which is
nearly always full, but is certainly worth reserving. If you can't get a table along
the canal, you'll find the booths inside are just as cozy. Here, it's the unusual use
of spices—recalling Venice's ancient links with Eastern trade—that adds charac-
ter and flavor to traditional Venetian dishes. The menu is small and changes
weekly, but is always reliable; there's usually a
cicchetti
platter with various fish
items, including eel marinated in two different ways (a small platter costs about
€
Practically next door to 40 Ladroni is another favorite spot,
Anice Stellato
€€
13). If, like me, you're fond of Japanese sashimi, you'll
probably enjoy the
carpacci di pesci
—thin slices of raw fish (I'm particularly fond
of the tuna and the swordfish). While the selection of seafood dishes is always
first-rate, the traditional calf 's liver (
fegato alla veneziana,
7; a larger portion is
€
€
12) is also excellent.
Primi
dishes cost
€
7 to
€
12;
secondi
are also reasonable at
€
12 to
€
17.
€
-
€€
If you keep kosher, you may become a regular at
Gam Gam
(Canal di
Cannaregio, Cannaregio 1122;
%
041-715284; Mon-Thurs noon-10pm, Sun
noon-5pm),
which serves much the same fare as numerous other Venetian restau-
rants, but also offers falafel (
€
9) and homemade potato latkes with apple sauce
