Vini Da Gigio

Few places on earth are more romantic than Venice, so doesn't that make it easy to find a romantic spot to dine? With so many of them positioned on canals, one would think it would be easy to find a romantic restaurant, but not every canal side establishment knows how to set a mood. Vini da Gigio sets the mood like a five star restaurant sets a table, inspiring hushed tones of admiration from new patrons, whether they be travelers who had heard of it and reserved a table, or tourists lucky enough to have stumbled upon it. From its position set back from the busy Strada Nova to the dimly lit dining rooms with their low, hand hewn, beamed ceilings that transport you to another century via your imagination, the mood is decidedly romantic. Although there is heavy foot traffic in Venice, the pace at night is slow enough compared to the day, that arriving after dark makes a romantic stroll possible as well. A menu that offers a selection of meats is not easy to come by in Venice, so that alone is reason enough to try this restaurant. It worked for getting me to go there as a solo diner.

My erstwhile traveling companion wanted to hike in Switzerland and ride the aerial gondolas. Having a lifelong fear of heights, the only gondolas that held any interest for me were floating not in the air, but on water. Spending a few days alone in Venice offered a great opportunity to try a few new restaurants I had been reading about, but this was not my first visit to Vini Da Gigio. We took friends and family there in 2005 when I had first seen its name in The Food of Venice cookbook. The pasta with duck sauce was excellent and roast duck was also available then, but not on this particular evening.

After a week and a half of cheese and potato laden foods in Switzerland, vegetables sounded like just the right antipasti for this visit. Their sweet and sour cippolini in the center of the plate was one of the recipes this restaurant had contributed to the cookbook, so I was happy to see it and personally evaluate the recipe; it passed the taste test. Besides string beans, zucchini, and spinach, there also was a grilled eggplant slice topped by a marinated, dried tomato; a grilled tomato and braised radicchio.

With duck unavailable, I settled for the lamb tenderloin that was encrusted in cornmeal. It arrived undercooked and I don't recall being asked how I wanted it served, however, my standard answer is medium rare. Looking at this photo one has to wonder if language translation netted me exactly what I would have preferred, since it seems medium on the outside and definitely rare on the inside. Upon looking at their website, it seems the lamb was served perfectly cooked. Not having to eat another heavy meal made me so grateful, I finished it without complaint.

http://www.vinidagigio.com/info_eng.html


Fondamenta San Felice
Cannaregio 3628A
Venice Italy
Tel. +39 041 5285140
Fax. +39 041 5228597

Take the vaparetto to Ca d'Oro, walk up the small alley and turn left onto Strada Nova. Fondamenta San Felice is on the right after you cross the first bridge.