Checking my photo of the vaporetto schedule I made my way back to the docks, boarded the boat, and headed to Burano. Known now for very colourful buildings, Burano only gained notoriety for its lace in the 1500’s when Venice brought back items of worked fabric from Cyprus after taking it over and copying it. After years of decline, in the 1800’s, the lace industry was revived with the opening of a school to teach its craft. I’m not a lace kind of person, but what I wanted to see were the full spectrum buildings.
They were a joy and made my step lighter in the afternoon after a long day. I was heightened more by a cappuccino and bano which gave me the final boost to wander and explore. I did enjoy seeing, in some shops, older ladies in rocking chairs knitting lace items with great attention to detail.
I felt it was time to go and just like most of the day, many others thought so too. Putting on a fresh mask, and getting out my pocket notebook, I waited for the second ferry to arrive. Sailing back to Venice, while standing up and writing, reminded me of my Navy days and I smiled when I knew my body was still able to easily handle the waves and boat movement.
Once docked in Venice, I noticed a familiar chandelier through the window of a restaurant on my walk back. 14 years ago, my wife and I, with my mother and her friend, ate at a very nice restaurant with two Murano glass chandeliers. Entering this establishment, and looking around, I confirmed it was the same one. It had recently opened back then so I was glad it withstood the test of time.
I asked the fellow, cleaning cutlery and glasses, if they were open for supper and he replied that sadly the kitchen staff are not in and they reopen for food at 7pm. Looking over the menu, knowing I had saved a lot of funds by having meals in my rental, and thinking this would be a great end to a great day I told him I would like a table for one at 7pm. Heading home I showered, ironed a shirt, and rested until I needed to walk to Algiubago restaurant.
Being seated, by the gentleman I spoke to earlier, he asked if I needed a menu and I gave my request of the traditional fixed selections. I declined wine, as I was at the tail end of my cold, and ordered still water instead (still water is non-sparkling). I brought out my ebook, as I was dining alone, but after the first course I instead focused on the delights being prepared and served. I shook my server’s hand, recently washed, on my way out and thanked him and the cooks. The whole experience was exceptional and memorable, not just for this time on this evening but also reliving my memory of the past. A fantastic two-and-a-half-hour experience.
Bread: Various kinds and textures from soft to cracker, butter churned with sauteed lemon and a very subtle celery flavour.
Amuse Bouche: In order of eating, as recommended a fun sharp cheese biscuit with lime-like tart foam, crema and fish ragu is a perfect combination, and then the slightly vinegary sardine paste with a crystal-like consistency bread that melted in my mouth. Eaten at the end, as recommended, a little fragile ball made with rose water and vinegar. A nice little pop in the mouth that cleared the course’s residual tastes and prepared it for what was to come.
1st Course: Two items. First was Sweet and Sour sardines, the peanut and spicy sauce were just right to elevate the dish and the sardines were delicate and not salty. Pine nuts with sautéed pearl onion were cooked with raisins and softened pine nuts (that still had a bit of crunch) then mixed with sardines. Next was the Cod and Potato. Cod was super creamy and had a slight taste of the sea at the end. The potato cracker was very thin, very crispy, and had a pleasant slight caraway flavour. The edible flower provided a nice cleansing of the tongue.
Second Course: Squid Ink Gnocchi with a pulped puck of squid head in the centre. Squid and tomato sauce, intense concentrated squid taste and sweet tomato marries the flavours together in harmony. Garlic and basil sauce has a slight burnt smell in a good way like grilled meat on a BBQ. Squid head has a good grill on each side and has a sweet scallop-like taste. Squid ink gnocchi blends perfectly and the initial chewiness moves to another texture in your mouth that counters wonderfully with the other textures. Having slices of gnocchi mixed with everything makes for a superb symphony of flavours and textures that was a delight.
Third Course: Fish Fry and carrots fried with chickpea flour. Sweet and sour sauce made with cooked green peppers and green chillies has presence in its flavour without overpowering. A beautiful blend. The chickpea flour has a slight orange taste and compliments the items it was fried with. Squid rings are not too soft or hard, and the shrimp and carrots taste is accentuated while not distracting. Having the fried items with the sauce is a PERFECT blending. Reaching full point and glad I walked here and am walking back.
Dessert: Shaped orange custard sprinkled with camomile powder with violet candies, honey from the lagoon, and vegetable charcoal swirl. Violet candies were crunchy for texture and a pleasant flavour. Honey was jellied and gave me the flavour of sleeping in a hayfield on a warm summer day. Orange custard had a deep clean taste. Charcoal was an excellent mini palette cleanser. Having the honey and custard together was gorgeous to the tongue and the little cake underneath melts in the mouth and stands on its own amongst the flavours. The violet candies with honey and custard made the taste bounce between all three!
Walking home, the cascading clouds that shuttled over the moon had a temporary lull when I reached campo Sant Giovanni e Paolo, getting two moody and atmospheric photos.
The night was mimicking my elated feeling of my recovery from a cold, a day of notable exploration, and a meal to remember. 12.6 km, 19 flights, 10 previously crossed bridges, and 19 new bridges walked (4 Venice, 7 Milano, 2 Torcello, and 6 Burano).
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