Tag: BarSnacks

March 6, 2026

Venice revisited: shopping, lunch and two dinners

That’s not two dinners on one night. Obviously.

Our partner in crime on this trip was Alison, chef of her own restaurant in Norfolk for many years.

It was her first time in Italy and, as a fellow food obsessive, I was excited to show her the markets. Her husband declined to join us, knowing that food would be the dominant subject of conversation.

He was right. Here we are, photographing Puntarelle (it’s a chicory, dressed with anchovies and garlic and…. alright, we’ll stop now).

We went to Rialto and discussed the price of fish.

We decided against the Goby,

but it was worth it for people watching,

Then lunch at Bancogiro, site of the world’s first public merchant bank. Their terrace overlooks the Grand Canal, a few steps from Rialto Bridge.

There’s a menu, but it’s better to go into the bar and choose your cicheti from the glass cabinet, order a glass of wine, (or it’s always Spritz o’clock) and they’ll bring it all to your table.

Dinner at Osteria alle Testiere, where ‘it’s always SHOWTIME!’

Alle Testiere is an absolute legend. It’s one of those restaurants where the guests are eager to impress their hosts.

It’s essential to make your reservation well ahead. We like to book for the second service, and we’re usually the last to leave.

It’s tiny, founded 33 years ago by Luca di Vita and Bruno Gavagnin, who were formerly head waiter and chef respectively at Corte Sconta, renowned for its seafood.

It’s a long menu. Fish is the point here, they’re closed on Sunday and Monday, because the Rialto market isn’t open.

Luca took our order:

‘Three turbot? I hope we have enough’.

After dinner, Ali engaged Luca in conversation.

‘Bruno goes to Rialto every day, he’s like a child in a sweet shop, he wants to buy everything’.

Ali confided that in her restaurant she listed three choices for each course on her menu.

‘That’s my dream’ said Luca, ‘and the same for the wine list – just three that will go with anything you order’.

With that in mind, we ordered three desserts: pannacotta, zabaglione and a glorious dark chocolate mousse, swimming in a lagoon of Amaro.

Alle Testiere is open for lunch, and two sittings in the evening (book it as soon as you’ve booked your flight).

Trattoria del Local

Ali flew home the next day, and we decided to try the recent offshoot of Ristorante Local, which opened ten years ago and now has a Michelin star.

The young owners, Benedetta and Luca Fullin, were looking for somewhere nearby to store wine for Local, but when the opportunity came up to buy the premises from Olive Nera, the restaurant next door, they couldn’t resist…..

It’s pretty inside and, like Testiere, it’s small.

The wine list offers wines by the 125cl glass or 250cl carafe; the full list is available by scanning a code to your phone (a skill beyond my pay grade).

We had a vermouth, ‘classic from Turin’, and a glass of sparkling Franciacorta as aperitifs, then shared a carafe of ‘Giulietta’, a Garganega/Traminer blend; golden nectar, redolent of greengage, melon and honey.

Starters were a delicate snapper mousse, and an exemplary vitello tonnato.

Mains were lagoon fish with a rich stew of tomato, onion and capers.

I asked for a glass of light red wine, and was recommended a Carmenere by Inama, a favourite producer of fine Soave.

We shared a selection of hard cheeses, then a ‘Bonet’, a dark chocolate crème caramel. I couldn’t resist the waitress’s recommendation of a 10 year old dry Marsala; ‘With the Bonet it’s the end of the world’.

To finish, I was intrigued by Grappa di Tabacco.

Benedetta suggested a smell, ‘for you to understand’, and offered me a sniff of the cork and the open bottle.

Reader, I inhaled it, and accepted a glass. It was the colour of polished brass, quite fiery and the taste had something in common with a smoky Islay whisky.

It may have been my imagination, but it reminded me of the mild hallucinogenic effect of your first cigarette.

Benedetta smiled; ‘as an ex-smoker I don’t want to like it. But I do’.

Opened early in 2025, it’s still being checked out by locals, a lot of whom were clearly in the restaurant business. I think we were probably the only non-Italians there.

As we left, the chef was enjoying a fag break (the real thing) with his mates.

Full disclosure:

We spent more on dinner for two here than we had for three the night before at Testiere, but we did drink very well.

We were over excited, and turned right out of the restaurant – we should have gone left.

It’s easy to take a wrong turn in Venice.

http://www.osterialletestiere.it/

Starters & pasta 26 – 28 euros. Mains 32 euros. Desserts 12 euros. Extensive wine list from 24 euros a bottle.

http://www.trattoriadellocal.com/

Starters & pasta 16 – 25 euros. Mains 24 – 28 euros. Wine from 27 euros a bottle. Grappa di Tabacco – did I really?

December 16, 2021

‘Think of the Takeaway as your friend’

This was the advice of a friend on how to deal with being housebound while recovering from surgery.

It was good advice, and we started by ordering from our local restaurants.

Then some kind friends realised our predicament; they introduced us to Dishpatch, and we haven’t looked back.

Dishpatch is a service which offers menus from top restaurants, delivered to your door, and available nationwide in the UK.

Your order arrives on Friday, by courier, in an insulated box, and practically all packaging is recyclable. There’s a detailed list of contents, with step by step instructions on how to finish your meal at home.

Menus change frequently; typically there’s a starter and a main event with optional ‘add-ons’, which might be a pudding, or something for breakfast or afternoon tea.

Everything is carefully thought through to ensure you have all you need to complete your meal. You won’t go hungry. Some of the participating restaurants will provide their choices of wine or cocktails to get your dinner party started.

The advice for all perishables is to enjoy them during the course of a weekend, but with common sense you can extend any leftovers for a day or two.

The introduction was the gift of a feast from Angela Hartnett’s Café Murano.

First was a fluffy focaccia with antipasti, a pleasantly bitter, smoky aubergine dip, and pickled vegetables; then an outstanding starter, Broad Bean Pesto with pine nuts, peas, herbs and Parmesan.

It came with a whole Burrata cheese to serve on top (I don’t normally set homework, but if you haven’t tried Burrata, find some immediately to rectify your omission, or I will mark you down for carelessness).

There was a little tub of pangrattato too, crisp breadcrumbs to scatter on top, for crunch. Weeks later, we still had a few left in the fridge, they were a gift that kept on giving.

I feel I should apologise that the photos that follow are blurred and poorly lit. Or both, we were SERIOUSLY OVER-EXCITED!

Buratta, Pangrattato, Broad Bean pesto

Main course was the leg and breast of a plump chicken, anointed with spicy N’duja sausage, star anise, rosemary and cardamom. There were roast new potatoes to serve alongside, with sweet cherry tomatoes and artichoke hearts.

Chicken, roast potatoes with artichokes & tomatoes

We finished with a sublime, intense chocolate ‘cake’, and a light pistachio cream.

Chocolate cake, pistachio cream

Emboldened by this success, we ordered my birthday treat from St John

I’m very fond of St John Restaurant. I know the white interior of the restaurant and the staff uniforms are reminiscent of an operating theatre, but it smells much more welcoming, and is infinitely more pleasurable.

Both the restaurant and the cookbooks have been a huge influence on chefs, particularly in Britain and the USA. They were the originators of ‘nose to tail eating’, a philosophy that respects the animals we eat by using every part.

Be reassured, any idea that you will leave the table up to your elbows in gore is misplaced.

It’s elegant, thoughtful and skilled cooking. By ordering from Dishpatch, you only have two jobs: to complete the process in your kitchen, and then polish off the results.

Chicken & ox tongue pie

A chicken & smoked ox tongue pie served two of us generously over two nights. It came with an enamelled pie dish, sufficient pastry for the top, and a length of marrow bone. The marrow enriches the gravy, while the bone serves as pie funnel.

(If you’re not a fan of tongue, the pieces are large enough to allow easy removal, once they’ve imparted their soothing smokiness to the pie).

Potted Pork with cornichons; tomato salad “model’s own”

As well as the pie, which we ate over two days, we ordered all the optional ‘add-ons’ to complete the treat: ‘anchovy gunge’ to nibble on, potted pork & cornichons to start.

There was ginger loaf, butterscotch sauce & clotted cream to follow.

There were Welsh rarebit and miniatures of Fernet Branca for the Morning After, and a chocolate brownie for tea. And an Eccles cake with Lancashire cheese. Just in case we got famished before dinner….

Our latest experiment? José Pizarro’s Paella Box.

You’ll find the full menu via the link below. The tapas provided were enough as dinner on Saturday, with some left over as a starter for the paella the following day. We chose the wild mushroom and artichoke paella, and were amazed by the intensity of flavour. The correct sized pan is included in the box, and can be re-used again if you’re tempted to reproduce the recipe yourself.

There was enough Alioli (garlic mayonnaise) for the Patatas Bravas as well as a transformative dollop to go on the paella.

Mushroom paella with artichokes; brown food, but in a good way.

If your tapas need deep frying, the instructions tell you roughly what size pan to use. There’s a tub of the right amount of rapeseed oil, and a little tin of Maldon salt, enough for a generous seasoning. There’s a chunk of sourdough bread in the box, for mopping.

Deep frying at home can be quite challenging, another time I (or, rather, The Carer) might try cooking the blue cheese croquetas in a hot oven, and using less oil for the Padron peppers.

The Basque cheesecake with lavender honey? We were speechless with admiration….

‘Beef and Liberty’ from Hawksmoor

Liberty? If only….

This was another gift, aimed more at the kitchen-weary carer, I suspect.

Hawksmoor is a restaurant group known for its beef; they offer their own service, delivering steaks, or in this case a Roast Beef dinner for two. The worry and stress of preparation has been lifted from your shoulders, just follow the instructions (intelligently!) and don’t get distracted!

The beef in question was a 35 day dry-aged rolled rump. Don’t be tempted to reduce the amount of salt they advise you to throw on it while searing before it goes into the oven – the end result won’t be over seasoned.

The rested beef didn’t throw out any blood or juice when carved. It was pink, moist and perfectly tender, with the aroma of well aged meat.

The meat cooked at 200° C, and conveniently everything else reheats at the same temperature, even the perfect (substantial!) Yorkshire puddings.

Everything on the plate tasted intensely of itself.

Roast beef with everything prepared and ready to finish in the oven

Potatoes were roasted in beef fat, with whole cloves of garlic that oozed mild sweetness when squeezed open.

Again, everything is included, the fat, the Maldon salt, even a piece of marrow bone to scrape into the gravy (don’t let it dissolve, just let it soften till the sauce ‘throbs’ on the heat). Chantenay carrots & buttered greens are provided, and a sticky toffee pudding.

We kept the cauliflower cheese to eat with the leftover beef the next day (it has no other part to play in a roast, in my opinion).

The meal reminded me very much of the fantastic restaurant ‘A.G.’ In Stockholm, where the steaks are generous, and you just want to keep eating everything. http://www.amaroandtwisted.com/2019/10/09/vegetarians-look-away-now/

Overview of Dishpatch

Dishpatch was founded in 2020 during the first lockdown. They work with London restaurants to create meal kits that can be posted anywhere in the UK. The restaurants do what they do best by preparing the food, while Dishpatch handles logistics, delivery and customer service.

Since starting, Dishpatch has delivered well over 75,000 boxes.

We’ve found their service excellent. On only one occasion we had a minor issue with a couple of products which we fed back to the support team at Dishpatch by email. They responded very quickly and professionally, with a partial refund as recompense, and a generous voucher to spend on a future order.

Prices are comparable with a local takeaway, ranging from around £25 for a one-course meal for two, to £70 for a complete dinner; if that sounds expensive, be reassured the contents of the latter will provide more than enough for a feast, or more likely two.

Our local restaurants do not include Mexican, Japanese or Korean among the options, to name just three of the cuisines in the Dishpatch portfolio.

https://www.dishpatch.co.uk/menu

Hawksmoor is not a participant in Dishpatch, you can find their menus on their website here: https://thehawksmoor.com/hawksmoor-at-home/

June 10, 2021

‘Service please!’

Socius, Burnham Market

We booked a table at Socius for lunch on Wednesday 19th May, which turned out to be their first service after lockdown.

They were ‘so thrilled to be back’, and so were we.

The view from Table 6

Husband and wife team Dan and Natalie describe their menu as ‘snacks and small plates to showcase a modern, British version of tapas’, allowing you to order as much or as little as you want.

Don’t expect the tapas to have a Spanish accent; the Socius style is more influenced by Scandinavia and Japan.

Socius Plates

We thought most dishes were good for two to share; we ordered four between us, and didn’t forget to have the focaccia on the side, it’s essential for mopping; light and fluffy with a savoury crust, it came with a herb butter, whipped to a light green creaminess.

We chose the sticky king prawns with chilli glaze (Natalie says ‘we’d get into trouble if we tried to take them off the menu’).

Tuna tartare is dressed with a loose mayonnaise seasoned with chilli and ginger, bringing a well judged background warmth to the dish; it comes with a crisp wonton to scoop it up.

Tuna tartare, chilli, ginger, wonton

‘BBQ beetroot, yoghurt, horseradish, cucumber, dill’ was elegant, earthy and sweet, a salad transcending the sum of its humble parts.

BBQ beetroot

Hasselback potatoes were earthy too, with nutty skins and warm fluffy flesh. They were served with asparagus ‘salsa’, charred to retain a slight crunch, and spiked with capers.

Hasselback potatoes, asparagus salsa

Everything at Socius is cooked and presented with precision.

We finished with an affogato (a scoop of excellent vanilla ice cream. ‘drowned’ in espresso).

Lunch, with a glass of manzanilla and a couple of glasses of fresh zingy Verdejo, came to £58.

If there are two of you, try to ask for Table 6 – it faces the pass and you’ll see pretty much every dish plated in front of you. When it’s ready, head chef Dan calls for ‘Service please!’

If you’re a group of four, Table 2 by the window is a good alternative. We booked it for a return visit, when perhaps we’ll share the aged beef rump; it looked too much for two to share.

Table 2 on the right

The building has been designed as a restaurant, and has an unexpectedly urban feel. It faces the new car park which serves Burnham Market – if you know the town, it’s behind Satchell’s, the wine merchant.

There’s a gallery above the main space, and a table with high stools next to the ‘Wine Wall’ by the entrance.

There are about a dozen staff, half in the kitchen headed by Dan, and half waiting tables, led by the ever-smiling Natalie.

It’s a wonderful addition to the North Norfolk food scene. Booking ahead is essential.

https://sociusnorfolk.co.uk/

November 16, 2020

Food Unlocked: A Pub, a Club and a Caff.

In the heady days of July, after lockdown lifted, we cautiously put our minds to where we might like to reconnect with the pleasures of….

Now, what was it called again, that activity we had been looking forward to for months?

Ah, yes! It was called ‘Eating Out’.

We could leave home and go away for a few days. We would go to Norfolk!

We’d go the pub!

The Dun Cow, Salthouse

It’s a pub with a large garden, overlooking the marshes.

View from a window table

We booked a table for supper on the evening of our arrival; we unpacked the car, got ourselves organised, and then it was a few minutes drive away.

Norfolk had escaped the worst of the pandemic, so while restrictions were duly observed, the atmosphere in the pub was relatively relaxed.

We sanitised our hands on arrival, and waited to be shown to our table. The waiting staff weren’t required to wear masks then, but the menu and wine list were ‘single use’, and we were asked to order at the bar; there were no stools for customers to sit and drink there.

We had taken two or three bites from our starters when I put down my knife and fork. They were good, but I realised what was really remarkable: this was the first plate of food I had eaten in several months that had been prepared by someone who was not sitting at the table.

And behold, for it tasted good.

Carpaccio of Beef

Carpaccio of Red Poll beef with remoulade, truffle oil, Parmesan and ‘Blakeney leaves’

Crab and Cod ‘Bonbons’

Crispy fried crab & cod bonbons with chilli & coriander, lemon & sumac yoghurt

And to drink? It’s an interesting wine list for a pub.

Hungarian Furmint by the glass, anyone?

I met her in a Club down in old Soho

Back in London, to lunch at The Union, the members’ club in Soho.

After lockdown they asked their members to book twice, once in July and once in August. This would enable them to keep going through the summer.

We went during what then seemed to be the never-ending heatwave. The bar and dining room were empty, everyone had elected to sit outside on the small roof terrace.

We ordered a bottle of rosé ‘to show willing’, which came with glasses that had been frosted in the freezer.

Photography is discouraged in the club, but this is a view from our table, looking up.

Blue sky over Soho

I snatched another photo.

The Upstairs Neighbour had gone fishing.

After a leisurely lunch we were able to repair to the cool shade of the bar (and enjoy the briefest snooze) before making our way home on an almost empty tube.

Inside The Union

….and a Caff (indulge me here)

During lockdown, many restaurants had asked regular customers to invest in vouchers which could be redeemed against lunch or dinner, when such activities became possible again.

We bought them for a couple of local independent places who we wanted to support.

A birthday was approaching, so we also decided to splash out at one of our favourites.

The River Café

Despite their masks, the staff were clearly enjoying being back in the business of looking after their customers.

The menus were disposable, and we had been encouraged to study the lengthy wine list online, and choose something before the Big Night.

I’m sorry the photos are a bit blurry; we were so excited!

Turbot, yellow pepper, gremolata

Simple and perfectly executed, as ever

Scallops, cod, clams, cannellini

After dinner, one of the floor managers made a point of coming over to ask how we had enjoyed our evening.

Words failed us.

April 3, 2020

Dinner in Murano

I should have been in Venice.

Our flight was booked for 27 March, for a short break before my operation that was scheduled for May 1^st.

Still, we can look back to dinner in Murano a couple of weeks ago; that’s Angela Hartnett’s restaurant in Mayfair, not the island.

View of the kitchen from The Chef’s Table, Murano

My brother-in-law Richard is a director at Smart Catering, where Angela is executive chef; a dinner at the chef’s table was his birthday treat.

Tuscan Rosato with the veal

The head chef came out of the kitchen to introduce herself, and the menu.

‘I’m Lauren; I’m not Italian, as you can probably tell’,

she said, deadpan, in a Scottish accent, before running through the meal: canapés, a starter, pasta, a fish course, a meat course, cheese, and no fewer than three puddings.

‘Let’s hope we get through to pudding’, said Richard.

Ali, the Sommelier, who chose the wines for the evening, loving her work

Between courses, a chef came out of the kitchen to explain his or her dish.

“I love it when the chefs have to come out and describe their dish, in fully formed sentences”

commented Ali, as Harry emerged with his outstanding Vitello Tonnato.

Vitello Tonnato

Lauren invited us into the kitchen to plate our own fish course: halibut, carrot. buttermilk, fennel & Pernod velouté.

Lauren setting us the Halibut Challenge

The pressure was on.

On the pass: ‘Yes, chef!’

Ali was wearing a gold bunch of grapes as a brooch. Asked if it was her sommelier’s badge,

“Yes, I bought it on eBay – it’s bigger and more feminine than the official one”.

Rare breed pork, fermented cabbage, quince, mustard

The pork was so good, I forgot to take a picture before getting stuck in.

We were presented with a menu at the end of the evening (to make sure we had been concentrating)

It was an outstanding and truly memorable experience. The different dishes were subtle, concentrated, beautifully executed – and the wines were marvellous, and thoughtfully chosen.

I’ll write about the food and wine pairings in my page ‘And to Drink?’

The team, led by the terrific duo of Lauren and Ali, is exceptional.

Murano by Angela Hartnett, 20-22 Queen Street, London W1J 5PP.

A calm and happy kitchen, and a real sense of welcome and hospitality front-of-house.

https://www.muranolondon.com/

Café Murano: St James’s; Covent Garden; Bermondsey Street

January 16, 2020

2019 – the Food Stuff

There’s a weekend to be planned here – nothing that couldn’t be achieved with the services of a private jet, and perhaps a bit of time travel.

You could have breakfast in Paris, take a coffee in Stockholm, then lunch on Torcello, or Borough Market in London if you prefer.

Dinner? Back to Paris, on to Amsterdam? Or (my choice) Stockholm again for a magnificent steak.

I’ll let you take in an hour’s TV to recover, then if you still have the stamina, we’ll head over to Venice for a nightcap.

Best Breakfast of 2019?

It has to be The French Bastards, for ‘A croissant worth crossing Paris for’

https://wp.me/p7AW4i-Kj

Best croissant in Paris?

Mid morning coffee

A seriously good cup of coffee is one of life’s great pleasures for me, and they don’t get much better than at Robert’s Coffee, in the Saluhall market, Stockholm.

The cinnamon buns are a bonus. (They take cards only, not cash, so you won’t even have to bother buying kronor).

Fika at Robert’s Coffee, Stockholm

What have the Swedes ever done for us?

https://wp.me/p7AW4i-Cv

Lunch in the Lagoon….

Osteria al Ponte del Diavolo on the island of Torcello; all the better for being unexpected.

Torcello is about an hour from Venice; you can reach it on a scheduled service, changing at Burano, using your vaporetto pass.

Osteria al Ponte del Diavolo, Torcello

The ancient basilica on Torcello predates the city of Venice. To reach it from the quay, you walk along the side of a canal. The most famous restaurant on the island is the Locanda Cipriani nearby, but you pass three others on the way.

We weren’t looking for a grand lunch, but something to fortify us for the basilica.

The first place looked fun, but was packed with families queuing for pizza.

The second was a fairly standard Trattoria. We walked on.

The third had a big dining room with a covered terrace at the back, opening onto a garden. The menu looked as if we could find something suitable, so we went in and were greeted with smiles and shown to a table.

It was a good decision, even the bread basket was exceptional. We had a pretty antipasto of colourful steamed vegetables, all tasting intensely of themselves, served warm to bring out the fruitiness of the olive oil dressing.

Then black squid ink pasta, with crab, samphire and rosemary; orecchiette with turbot and cherry tomatoes.

We drank Arneis, a white from Piemonte.

After lunch we wandered round the garden and may have dropped off on a bench in the pergola. Just for a moment….

Osteria al Ponte del Diavolo is open for lunch Tuesday to Sunday, and dinner on Friday and Saturday.

Contatti

….and at Borough Market

Closer to home but equally unexpected was discovering the new Brindisa Kitchen at Borough Market. It’s inspired by the bars in Spanish markets.

I saw it had opened the day before I’d arranged to meet a friend for a day of shopping and sustenance (Instagram has its uses).

A perfect scallop

A glass of Manzanilla with a single perfect scallop.

Hake & mussels.

I love watching chefs happy in their work, interacting with their customers, and the bar staff were charming.

The head chef, Brindisa Kitchen

Hake & mussels

https://boroughmarket.org.uk/traders/brindisa-kitchen

Dinner?

Honourable mention for the Sweetbreads at Frenchie’s Wine Bar, Paris.

So good, I ate them twice.

https://wp.me/p7AW4i-Kh

‘Everything, I want to eat everything’

Caffé Toscanini in Amsterdam for the whole experience of food and hospitality; a perfect aperitif followed by an accomplished Italian meal, delivered with good humour and expertise.

https://wp.me/p7AW4i-Kh

The bar at Caffe Toscanini, Amserdam

The prize goes to A.G. for the best steak of 2019. I’ll be lucky to find one as good in 2020.

Most of the tables were occupied by groups of men sharing massive steaks.

There were also a few couples on date nights, sharing massive steaks.

‘Vegetarians, look away now’.

https://wp.me/p7AW4i-Oh

A.G. – ‘vegetarians, look away now’

TV Show: Remarkable places to eat, Episode 1, in which chef Angela Hartnett takes Maitre d’ Fred Siriex to her favourites in Venice.

It’s a full hour of television, so they have time to show you the dedication and hard work that goes into delivering the best ingredients and food experiences in the city. These are not cynical tourist traps. Nothing is done without effort: wading chest deep in the lagoon to harvest seafood; delivering vegetables by boat and trolley to Bruno Gavagnin, the quietly spoken but demanding chef at Alle Testiere; walking half a kilometre over bridges carrying boxes of perfect patisserie to Caffe Florian, from their production kitchen to Piazza San Marco – several times throughout the day.

At the time of writing it’s not available on BBC iPlayer, but it’s sure to turn up on your TV sooner or later.

Here are the fishermen:

https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/m0006vw3

Here’s a clip:

https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/p07g3dkl

FANCY A NIGHTCAP?

Let’s head back to Venice, for a glass of wine at Vino Vero.

You’ll find it here, on my page ‘And to drink?’

https://wp.me/P7AW4i-aV

November 26, 2019

Drinking with Chip ‘n’ Dale

It’s your first evening in Venice, and you’ve booked dinner at Al Zucca, ten minutes walk from your hotel. You’ve been there before, you fancy a drink first, but you can’t remember anywhere on the way to the restaurant. There’s a street in the other direction where you know there’s a simple pizzeria on the corner, with a well stocked bar, so you set off.

As you approach, there’s the sound of lively conversation that grows louder as you get closer, and it’s not coming from the pizza place.

Turning the corner, there’s a tiny new bar, and it’s buzzing. On one side it opens onto the calle, inside is the bar: a glass cabinet of cicheti, some bottles of wine, and a display of your favourite bitters above. There are two bar stools, a couple of barrels outside, and that’s about it.

‘Un spritz al Cynar, con prosecco, grazie’

There are two guys behind the bar, the service is friendly, and so are the prices:

A spritz is €2.50, or €3.50 con prosecco – a generous pour over ice, topped up with prosecco and a splash of soda. They have Cynar and Select, as well as the usual Campari and Aperol.

You prefer wine? €1 for un ombra, or €2.50 for un calice, a proper glass. Cicheti are €1.50 a piece.

The seemingly never-ending pour

We enjoyed it so much, we went back for a drink after dinner….

‘Later that night’

In fact, we were back the next morning too, for coffee this time, although there were spritzes lined up on the bar by 11am.

The morning spritz, Cip & Ciop

Demographic: all ages, from a babe in arms upwards; a mix of visitors and locals.

Playlist: energetic salsa.

What’s it called? Cip e Ciop. In English, that’s pronounced (approximately) ‘Chip Eh Chop’. None the wiser, I looked it up; apparently they are Disney cartoon characters, two chipmunks whose names translate as ‘Chip ‘n’ Dale’.

Where to find it: the closest Vaporetto stop is Riva di Biásio on the Grand Canal; it’s the first stop from the train station, which explains the flow past the bar of visitors with luggage. Turn right off the vaporetto stop, until you have to turn left into Calle del Pistor, and Cip e Ciop is on the corner of Lista dei Bari.

I’d say you can’t miss it, but this being Venice, of course you can….

The Grand Canal near Riva di Biasio

http://www.hotelcazustovenezia.it/en/

Ristorante La Zucca: http://www.lazucca.it/en

My review https://wp.me/p7AW4i-zv

November 18, 2019

A last lunch before the deluge

Acqua Alta comes as no surprise to Venetians in November, it’s an annual phenomenon; an irritation, an inconvenience to be dealt with stoically by the residents and businesses of the city.

This year, as we now know, it was a disaster on a scale unprecedented since 1966. Many restaurants and shops were forced to close by the flood on the night of November 12th. The water subsided, only to be followed by a second high tide a couple of days later, then a torrential downpour.

As I write this on 17th November, BBC Radio News is reporting a third flood.

Osteria Bancogiro

One of the restaurants affected by Acqua Granda is Osteria Bancogiro, on the fringe of Rialto market, within sight of the bridge and the Grand Canal.

Just over a month ago I was in Venice. We usually visit Bancogiro to sit at the bar with a selection of their chicheti, but on a warm and sunny day in October it seemed a good idea to have lunch at a table outside.

Bancogiro from the terrace

Instead of choosing from the display of snacks in the counter, we were presented with a printed menu. In a moment of innocence I ordered the Antipasto Misto di Pesce, expecting the typical Venetian restaurant plate of baccala (salt cod), prawns, cannochie shrimp, cuttlefish roe etc.

What arrived was an antipasto with a Bancogiro twist – a tasting tour on a plate, helpfully guided by our waiter:

‘From the bottom right, anticlockwise’

Prawns in tomato sauce on cream cheese. Octopus and aubergine on polenta, drenched with olive oil. Baccala mantecato on warm black polenta. A generous pile of smoked tuna, infused with orange zest. Sweet pepper stuffed with soft cheese. Sarde in Saor.

Antipasto misto di pesce

Lunch was accompanied by an equally varied soundscape: the sounds of the engines of traffic from the canal, the hammering of builders restoring the roof of a palazzo on the far side, and the cries of seagulls scavenging debris from the fish market.

There was a moment of serious balcony envy, as we looked up and realised there was someone else enjoying lunch, followed by a spot of sun worship.

Balcony envy

As we enjoyed a coffee, someone at a neighbouring table was already contemplating

‘Spritz o’clock’

Spritz o’clock

Bancogiro closed the day after Acqua Alta; they were defiantly open again a day later.

In the following days, there have been many images in news and social media as the unsung heroes of Acqua Alta have quietly got on with the business of pumping, mopping and cleaning up after the waters subsided, and in some cases opening for business even if they have been up to their knees, or higher, in water.

As a small tribute to these heroes, here are some of their Instagram tags, where you will find images of citizens of all ages, doggedly trying to restore normality to their homes, churches and businesses:

On Instagram, you’ll find the team outside osteriabancogiro up to their knees but grinning, sharing ‘that glass of wine, that slice of fennel salame, a hug between friends who share a difficult moment’

cantinaschiavi is more succinct: ‘Honestly, it’s just a ****ing disaster’ – their shop floor underwater; a collapsed stack of sodden cases of wine.

But at venissa_tenuta on the island of Burano, a waiter is standing ready to greet you on the restaurant terrace with a bottle of Prosecco. He’s smiling.

The green floodwater nearly covers his waders, and the caption reads ‘Still positive’

On the morning of November 18th, the waters appear to have subsided….

HOW TO HELP VENICE AND THE VENETIANS AFTER THE ACQUA ALTA

Here’s a link to some sound advice from The Venice Insider:

https://www.theveniceinsider.com/how-to-help-venice-venetians-acqua-alta/

October 18, 2019

A postcard from Santa Croce

Santa Croce is one of the sestiere of Venice, between Rialto and the railway station.

Arriving in Campo San Giacomo dell’ Orio in the early evening, you’ll encounter a microcosm of Venetian life. A few tourists pass through, but really it’s an urban village.

At its centre is the eponymous church. When the junior school is out, you’ll see boisterous children doing circuits of the little cluster of trees, on scooters, bikes and skates.

The race track, early evening

There’s a game of football being played, with the walls of the church and the Co-op supermarket acting as goals – when I was there it became clear that the boys were playing the girls, and the girls were winning….

There are three restaurants in the square, but my favourite haunt is Al Prosecco, a husband and wife operation, where they serve cicheti, and platters of cheese, salumi and smoked fish; perfect for a light lunch or an early evening aperitivo.

I arrived at Spritz o’clock.

Spritz at Al Prosecco

http://www.alprosecco.com/english_who.htm

Open every day from 9 am to 8 pm (winter) and from 9 am to 10:30 pm (summer).
Closed Sundays.

Campo San Giacomo dell’Orio at night

October 9, 2019

Lisa Elmqvist – the legacy of the fisherman’s daughter

Östermalms Saluhall for lunch and dinner

The renovation of the market building, Östermalms Saluhall, started 3 years ago. Work is running late, and it’s now expected to re-open in 2020. In the meantime the market is located in a temporary structure across the street.

Saluhall is emerging from the scaffolding

We’d booked for dinner at Lisa Elmqvist on Saturday, but couldn’t resist lunch at Nybroe Smørrebrød.

Lunch at Nybroe Smorrebrod

They offer a daily selection of three open sandwiches, usually fish, meat and cheese – a three course lunch on one plate. Today it was Skagen Salad (prawns in dill mayonnaise); roast meat with mushrooms, sun dried tomato, tarragon mayo; Brie, chutney, pear & thyme.

The meat was quite dark, and I asked the waitress if it was venison.

‘It’s roast beef, but I don’t know which animal’.

A light three course lunch

Dinner at Lisa Elmqvist

Lisa Elmqvist was a fisherman’s daughter who traded fish and seafood on the Stockholm waterfront in the 1920s. She quickly gained a reputation for the quality of her wares, and opened a stall at Östermalms Saluhall which continues to attract a loyal clientele of seafood lovers.

Run by the fourth generation, it’s still very much a family concern, proudly bearing a royal warrant, and a dozen recommendations in the Michelin Guide.

A very charming waitress crouched next to the table to explain the menu, in perfect English, and take our order.