Las Vegas in the Afternoon, or is it Venice?

This is definitely not Venice, so don't get insulted. But there are a few similarities, at least in photos. If you have been to the Venetian, but not to Venice, well, you might be in for a bit of a shock. It's the first day in Vegas, and we didn't gamble one bit. Instead we ate, walked, and shopped. Unfortunately, I can't say the stores are too busy. Actually, completely dead would be more accurate, and it's the last Sunday before Christmas. It's a bit worrisome, as I'm not sure how retailers are going to make it, but I'll take the sales while I can get them. The tower at the Venetian. If you haven't been to Venice, this would be entirely believable. Although, I have to admit, the tower, is a pretty good replica at a glance! The Grand Canal. Many shops to peruse, or hop in a gondola for a ride. The Doges' Palace.
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It's fun to say sgroppino

Vini da Gigio is a great restaurant to enjoy many of the specialties of Venice. There are restaurants which are more expensive, and restaurants which are less expensive, but this one is juuust right. When travelling, I try to order all the things I could never enjoy at home, and Vini da Gigio is just the place to try many different Venetian specialties. This is one of the many reasons I chose this restaurant (plus it seems to be mentioned absolutely everywhere, with never a negative quip), but ultimately it came down to the piatto crudo (raw platter). It has many varieties of seafood, and was swimmingly fresh. While it is possible to order amarone (a full-bodied red wine) at many fine establishments here at home, if you have never enjoyed a bottle of amarone, do not leave Venice or the Veneto without doing so. Vini da Gigio is just the place, and there are numerous possibilities. Not only does it perfectly accompany the food, but why would you go to Venice to drink Chianti? To many Italians, that would be like going to a steakhouse and ordering salmon. Many restaurants in Italy serve nearly exclusively local wines. Local in Italy does not mean wines from all of Italy, but from strictly the region in which the food is also from....or maybe even solely from the farm across the street! In Tuscany, you will find mostly Tuscan wines. In the Veneto, there are wines strictly from the Veneto, etc. There are a couple exceptions - extremely touristy restaurants, and very high-end restaurants. Do keep in mind, that nearly every restaurant in Venice IS a tourist restaurant in some sense, because tourists eat there...however, the quality and any authenticity can be lost. All of the dishes at Vini da Gigio are refined, and quite elegant. Who could resist a risotto with squash and truffles? Equally compelling is the grilled cuttlefish, and white polenta; or tuna encrusted with sesame seeds. Apparently, the lemon which so often accompanies seafood in Venice is not actually for squeezing onto the fish! It would only be used for inferior quality seafood, and to mask a foul flavour. Makes sense. The lemon slice is for decoration and tourists who do not know better. Now, if all of the other courses weren't reason enough, or enough for the tummy...dessert is lovely too. Try a sgroppino. It is essentially lemon sorbetto, prosecco, and vodka all shaken or mixed together and was served in a champagne flute. How can you go wrong? It must be the perfect summer dessert, simple and refreshing. Now, with all that goodness in your tummy, you should have enough energy to meander home. Vini da Gigio Cannaregio 3628 a tel- +39 041 5285140 fax +39 041 5228597 www.vinidagigio.com
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Mangia! Mangia!

A trip to Italy, a food-lover's dream!? Certainly, but more so if you plan ahead. Really, it is a must to plan ahead. There is nothing worse than being in a delicious paradise, but ending up at the wrong eatery. Venice, or Venezia as the Italians call it, can be like anywhere overwhelmed by tourists; there is good food, great food, and REALLY-not-so-good-food. One of my favourites for good food, is Osteria da Carla. The first time I was in Venice, I happened upon it's doorstep, but it wasn't in the cards. However, I was intrigued because there were no pushy waiters flagging you down, no menu outside, no tourist menu...nothing of the sort. As it should be! (I should probably point out that it is easy to "happen upon" da Carla's doorstep, as it is hardly a stone's throw from St. Mark's Square. Piazza San Marco = many tourists. However, if you are actually trying to find it...you will more than likely take a few wrong turns. It's just the way Venice works.) Albeit smack in the middle of tourist mecca, the food at da Carla is very good. It feels "mom-and-pop", which makes it comforting and adorable at the same time. And perhaps most importantly, the food is priced very reasonably......especially for Venice. You can imagine my excitement when planning a return trip to Venice. So I did a little research about da Carla, (I don't know how I even figured out the name!) as to whether da Carla would be somewhere I would want to spend one of my cherished Venetian meals, but it had to be somewhere I wouldn't need a reservation. Something casual, but good. Carla isn't the kind of place you would make a reservation, perhaps during Carnavale, so I knew it would be perfect for a first meal; we wouldn't miss a reservation if our flight was delayed. Luckily for Jeff and I, da Carla hit the spot. Simple, and tasty. It was unpretentious, and the all female staff was attentive and served the food very lovingly....or perhaps I was just doting on the olive oil....I know I'm in Italy when the olive oil resembles - olives! I loved the fruity appetizers, salads really; you become keenly aware of the sweetness of tuna, when plated next to endive and grapefruit. I had beef carpaccio with grapes; you can't help but love something when you can't even get it anywhere in your hometown....at least not done right. You drink locally made wines in Italy, and Valpolicella is one of my favourites. I love wines from the Veneto region. Drinking it in the region in which it is made, just made it all the more enjoyable. It is good and cheap. You eat seafood in Venice, or at least you should. It is fresh, and simply prepared. I am still craving the dory with asparagus sauce. Luckily, it is easy for me to make potatoes with balsamic at home, with a similarly rich-thick-syrupy balsamico. I love potatoes and balsamico, and this dish was a great reminder. Great dish. Too bad it wasn't mine...However, I didn't have any problem devouring the polenta and cuttlefish... in fact every last drop. It was seasoned, and I love being in Italy, if only for that fact alone. Restaurants in Italy use salt, and the food tastes really, really good. It has flavour. Even though I tried to mop up as much of the beautiful orange oil of the cuttlefish with the polenta, I still managed to finish the second serving of bread....we devoured the first serving finishing the olive oil from the salads. I did mention that this was our first meal of the trip, yes? We were cognizant that we would likely consume gelato serving number four of the day(!) shortly after dinner......so we ordered dessert to share. More often than not, crème brûlée is served in a thin flat dish to optimize the brûlée portion of the dessert. Not at da Carla. It was in a deeper bowl, which emphasized the supreme eggi-ness of the custard, with a perfect brûlée on top. A little rustic like everything else at this homey joint, and you'll soon wish this was home. Venice, Corte Contarina, 1535 (off Frezzeria) , Phone: 041 523 7855
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