Finding La Zucca in the dark is quite an experience, so take a flashlight, then take warning that if you miss it and cross a small bridge to Calle Larga, and are standing in Front of Trattoria ai Ponte, you have gone a bridge too far.
Even with wood paneling, this restaurant looked homey rather than somber or moody, as so many Venetian restaurants seem to appear.
The bread basket will always tell you about the quality of a restaurant and La Zucca got a decent grade on the variety and taste of its selection of pane. Since you are obliged to pay for it, it may as well be enjoyable. The lentil soup was also decent with carrots and squash added to vary the texture and add a bit of sweetness, but it's difficult to make a bad version. Adding the grated cheese is so very Italian and it does create a greater depth of flavor.
When at La Zucca, it only seems fitting to order something made of the squash, so my selection for a starter was a flan of it with grated Ricotta Salata, sprinkled with roasted squash seeds. It was filling, but not heavy and one of their specialties.
Although they serve a great number of vegetable dishes, this restaurant is neither vegetarian nor vegan, however, it makes a good choice of restaurant for anyone in your party who might be either. For a main dish we went with the fettuccine served with duck sauce. Never have I found one of these offered in Venice that wasn't good.
Another specialty that we sampled was the potato cake, very similar to a French recipe using cream and cheese between layers of thinly sliced potatoes. It was very rich and delicious.
I'm sorry to report that the carrots in a curried yogurt sauce were a complete fail. Nothing about it seemed to work and it was difficult to finish, but at least it was a big leap for an Italian restaurant to think out of the box.
