Determined not to share our table with fellow American tourists, we are on the prowl again for an out-of-the-way Venetian dining spot that only locals know. Today, we investigate establishments on Via Garibaldi, a wide walkway perpendicular to the city's eastern tip, near the Maritime Museum.
We arrive at Garibaldi near noon, just as the daily farmers' market is winding down. The shoppers are still out in full force, talking on the street corners, their straw baskets brimming with fresh produce.
On a hunch, we follow a group of fish vendors who seem to be in need of liquid refreshments, hoping they'll lead us to a culinary treasure. Sure enough, when they reach the end of the boulevard, they head for a crowded bar. I squint to read the sign painted faintly above the narrow doorway: Trattoria all Rampa.
"Bingo!" I say as we push our way inside. We squeeze past the long deli counter and two enormous jugs of wine, then duck under a staircase to get into the dining area. The room, nothing more than a converted storage space, has no windows and only a dozen paper-covered tables, but no camera-clad tourists. (Well, maybe two but we don't count!)
The door to the tiny kitchen is open, exposing a hair-netted signora moving quickly from pot to pan. She smiles as we take our seats. Our waitress brings a half carafe of the house wine, a snappy dry white Verduzzo made just a few miles outside of Venice.
The spaghetti con tonno with fresh chunks of albacore tuna and moist with fruity olive oil is a dynamic duo as is the spaghetti con carne with tender pieces of braised beef in a lip-smacking tomato sauce. Pasta and risotto dishes change daily but be on the lookout for the sublime risotto di peoci alla veneta simmered in a salty fish broth and decorated with sweet, succulent mussels.
We move on to our secondi, fegato alla veneziana, liver and onions. This precisely executed recipe is a popular dish in Venice and infinitely better than what I ate as a child! Super thin slices of calf's liver are gently stewed in butter as not to dry out. The onions are sautéed separately and then added on top before serving. We also enjoy a simple scampi alla veneziana, fresh prawns dressed with a squeeze of lemon juice and a drizzle of olive oil.
Only a few stands are open in the outdoor market when we emerge nearly two hours later. That's good because we're so full, we don't want to look at any more food...at least not until dinnertime.
Trattoria alla Rampa
Castello, 1135
Venice
Telephone: +39 365 649 0277
Lunch only; closed Sunday
We arrive at Garibaldi near noon, just as the daily farmers' market is winding down. The shoppers are still out in full force, talking on the street corners, their straw baskets brimming with fresh produce.
On a hunch, we follow a group of fish vendors who seem to be in need of liquid refreshments, hoping they'll lead us to a culinary treasure. Sure enough, when they reach the end of the boulevard, they head for a crowded bar. I squint to read the sign painted faintly above the narrow doorway: Trattoria all Rampa.
"Bingo!" I say as we push our way inside. We squeeze past the long deli counter and two enormous jugs of wine, then duck under a staircase to get into the dining area. The room, nothing more than a converted storage space, has no windows and only a dozen paper-covered tables, but no camera-clad tourists. (Well, maybe two but we don't count!)
The door to the tiny kitchen is open, exposing a hair-netted signora moving quickly from pot to pan. She smiles as we take our seats. Our waitress brings a half carafe of the house wine, a snappy dry white Verduzzo made just a few miles outside of Venice.
The spaghetti con tonno with fresh chunks of albacore tuna and moist with fruity olive oil is a dynamic duo as is the spaghetti con carne with tender pieces of braised beef in a lip-smacking tomato sauce. Pasta and risotto dishes change daily but be on the lookout for the sublime risotto di peoci alla veneta simmered in a salty fish broth and decorated with sweet, succulent mussels.
We move on to our secondi, fegato alla veneziana, liver and onions. This precisely executed recipe is a popular dish in Venice and infinitely better than what I ate as a child! Super thin slices of calf's liver are gently stewed in butter as not to dry out. The onions are sautéed separately and then added on top before serving. We also enjoy a simple scampi alla veneziana, fresh prawns dressed with a squeeze of lemon juice and a drizzle of olive oil.
Only a few stands are open in the outdoor market when we emerge nearly two hours later. That's good because we're so full, we don't want to look at any more food...at least not until dinnertime.
Trattoria alla Rampa
Castello, 1135
Venice
Telephone: +39 365 649 0277
Lunch only; closed Sunday
