We were wandering down one of the many small side streets of Venice. Our group had a destination in mind: Librairie Acqua Alta, a book store famous for being below the water line, a set of stairs made of books, and a gondola inside the store also filled with books. However we were also hungry and on the look out for somewhere to eat on our way.
We turned a corner and as if by magic there was a man dressed in a pressed white shirt and slacks holding a menu. He stood in front of a passageway lit by fairy lights that led to a court way with set tables.
This was Ristorante da Toto.
We were quickly seated and looking at the menu I knew immediately I wanted sea food while in Venice. My mom and I each ordered a different dish: risotto and linguine each with a variation of sea food. Of course, being in Venice, we also got a bottle of wine to share (a local variety of Pinot Grigio).
The risotto was creamy and had large pieces of prawn in the dish — including a large prawn positioned on top as if guarding the plate.
The linguine had strings of zucchini mixed with the pasta, a sprig of mint, and of course the sea food. All of it coated in a light oily sauce that dripped from each noodle.
Each bite had the perfect balance of pasta and fresh sea food. And while I was worried I would not be able to eat the whole plate at first, it quickly became clear that I would devour every bite. Mom and I passed the plates back and forth, though I eventually ended up with the risotto more as it was my favorite.
I was completely stuffed by the time we left.
Sounds like a delicious meal! I have a fond memory of a delicious seafood dinner in Venice too. I wish I had known about the book store though. It sounds quite interesting.
ReplyDeleteI have loved seeing your food pictures and am glad that you wrote about them. I hope to read more about that book store as well!
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