Venice

The magic of St. Mark's Square - it actually looks better in winter than spring. 

Next up on the Tour de Italia is Venice. I think I was little too busy taking pictures of the gorgeous canals and St. Marks's Square that I may have neglected on photographing most of my meals. No worries, I did managed to capture one of the best meals we had in Italy.

The pasta feast continues... Dinner at little mom & pop shop near our hotel on one of the first nights. I can't remember what was in the ravioli filling but I did remember loving the dish for its big portions and generous servings of meat. The sauce scooped up with a piece of bread could have been a meal in itself.

Fettuccine with asparagus, olives and shrimp
Ravioli with meat sauce

Dinner at Osteria Alle Testiere

This little 10 table gem has been a Michelin forerunner for the past 5 years, but according to our lovely server, the restaurant will probably never get awarded a Michelin star because it doesn't serve the "right" kind of food...whatever that means.

While Venice is known for having an abundant supply of fresh seafood,  90% of the restaurants are tourist traps and I was terrified of ordering shady seafood. Of course, at Alle Testiere, I happily ordered away.

Ravioli with Citrus Fruit, Ricotta, and Scallops
Turbot (?) with Capers, Olives, and Tomatoes

I absolutely loved the ravioli dish since it was so different from what we had been eating and anything I have seen before (V was not a fan). The punch from all of the herbs and seasonings was fantastic and everything tasted incredibly fresh.

House White Wine
Mini Gnocchi with Squid and Cinnamon
Panna Cota with blueberries 

Who knew you could pair squid with cinnamon? We were both dubious but the flavor combination definitely worked and the gnocchetti (mini gnocchis) was a pleasant change from the usual denseness of regular sized potato dumplings. The dessert was a nice and light panna cota with a blueberry fruit sauce. Who knew but it is now one of V's favorite desserts. I personally prefer the rich dark chocolate cake. Oh well, to each her own.