| In the whimsical adriatic city of Venice, the citizens | | | | venetian. For those of you who love prosecco, you'll |
| practice a wonderful little custom called the "giro di | | | | be happy to know that Venice is the "prosecco capital |
| ombre" (the wheel of shade). It is not a custom of all | | | | of the world" and you can order one in any bacaro. |
| Venetians, but mostly men and usually older men. | | | | Save the bellini's for harry's bar, and if you do, save |
| However, this being said, you do not have to be a man | | | | your money as well, for at this point in time, a bellini at |
| to participate. You not have to be old. Anyone can do | | | | the ultra chic harry's bar will cost you about $15 u.S. |
| it, and in fact many younger Venetians (including | | | | Dollars. They are absolutely delicious, but they go down |
| women) are now caught up in this thing called the giro. | | | | like water. |
| Mostly though, you will see groups of men, three, five, | | | | Order a prosecco. Some nice treats to go with your |
| or six, maybe more, one can even do it solo. I often go | | | | venetian bubbly, would be a couple little crab tramezzini |
| solo myself. Don't worry about being alone. You will | | | | or one shrimp and one crab, both go perfectly with a |
| make many friends along the way, for that's part of | | | | crisp, fresh glass of local prosecco. |
| the "giro," making new friends, eating, imbibing, in | | | | Besides the tasty food and splendid Italian wine, you |
| general, having a great time. | | | | will find wonderful atmosphere in venetian wine-bars. |
| What is this giro di ombre you ask? | | | | You'll meet and chat with locals as well as people who |
| The giro di ombre is a splendid little ritual that began | | | | come to Venice from all around the world. The |
| around venice's rialto market some 600 years ago. | | | | venetian bacaro, which incidentally translates to house |
| The merchants of the rialto market, wanting to take a | | | | of bacchus, bacchus, the roman god of wine. |
| little break from hawking their wares, would run to the | | | | Go to venice, engross yourself in its many bacari |
| nearest wine bar to get out of the sun and have a little | | | | (bacaro is singular, bacari plural) and you are sure to be |
| nip of wine accompanied by little tidbits of food(cichetti) | | | | entranced in a true bacchanalia sort of way. |
| to go with the wine. When these merchants went to | | | | Suggested bacari (wine bars of Venice): |
| the wine bars, known as bacari, translating to "house | | | | Al volto: located on the calli cavalli, San Marco |
| of bachus," they'd say they wanted a "ombra," the latin | | | | A great old style bacaro, serving good inexpensive |
| word for shade. They wanted to get out of the sun | | | | local wine, traditional cihetti, wonderful pasta, risotto, and |
| and into the shade. In time, a glass of wine in venice | | | | fresh seafood from the rialto market. |
| became know as an "ombra." So if one day you have | | | | Alla vedova: cannaregio 3912, ramo ca'd'oro |
| the good fortune to make it to one of venice's many | | | | Tucked in a small alleyway off the strada nuova, alla |
| enchanting little wine-bars (bacaro), you belly up to the | | | | vedova is the authors pick for as one of Venice's best |
| bar, order "un ombra rosso" if you want a glass of the | | | | bacaro. Alla vedova has the quintessential bacaro |
| house red, or "un ombra bianco" if you'd like a glass of | | | | décor and ambiance, they serve superb cichetti |
| white wine. It's as simple as that, and you are speaking | | | | at the bar, which is always filled with fun loving regulars |
| in the wonderful venetian dialect. Like a true venetian! | | | | of the giro de ombre. This bar gets very crowded at |
| When you go into the wine-bars of Venice, you will | | | | times and you will have to vie for a spot at the bar for |
| undoubtedly see a tantalizing display of food | | | | tasty baccala and the best fried meatballs in town. As |
| attractively displayed in platters on the bar. These | | | | you enjoy yourself at the bar while watching diners |
| items of food are "cichetti," tidbits of prepared food | | | | sitting at table in the lovely little dining-room, you may |
| that come in very small portions so you can try three, | | | | get the urge to sit down for a wonderful meal with |
| four, five, maybe even six or more. The cichetti | | | | some pasta, risotto, or calves liver venenziana. Do it! |
| generally cost about $1.00-$2.50. They are made to be | | | | All'arco, san palo 436, calle dell'occhialerthis tiny little |
| very affordable and are in small portions so people | | | | (14'x 8') wine-bar is one of Venice's most traditional. |
| can order a few different items for variety. | | | | You will usually only find locals here, but they love to |
| What are the cichetti, you ask? Just what the venetian | | | | see the occasional foreigner drop in. They will |
| dialect means, cichetti are small tidbits of food. There | | | | welcome you with open arms, as they did to me when |
| exist quite a good variety of items as far as cichetti | | | | I stumbled upon this little establishment on my first ever |
| are concerned. The most traditional and popular cichetti | | | | "giro de ombar." You will find very traditional old style |
| are; grilled shrimp or squid, braised or fried meatballs, | | | | cichetti that not many place make any more, such as |
| cotechino, musetto (pigs snout sausage, "yum!"), nerveti, | | | | nerveti (nerve), tetina (cows udder), rumegal, and other |
| octopus salad, bacala mantecato (whipped salt-cod), | | | | funky items like musetto (pigs snout sausage). These |
| and sarde en saour(sardines marinated with vinegar | | | | guys delight in turning novices on to the real deal. The |
| and onions). You might also find a nice array of small | | | | close quarters are great, as they precipitate interaction |
| sandwiches (panini & tramezzini) that are filled | | | | between you and the locals who are very nice in this |
| with all sorts of tasty fillings such as crab salad, speck | | | | wonderful little "gem." |
| (smoked prosciutto), shrimp, ham with mushrooms and | | | | Do mori, san palo 429, calle dei do mori |
| tomato, and much, much more. These sandwiches are | | | | You might want to check out do mori as it is one of |
| also part of the cichetti and are priced around $1.00 or | | | | Venice's most historical wine-bars. However, you might |
| two as well. | | | | be a little disappointed. I was, as the owners are cold |
| You might be thinking that cihetti are like Spanish tapas. | | | | and not very cordial. Their coldness pervades through |
| "Yes," exactly. I might add that the venetians started | | | | the place, which is a shame as this place could be |
| this ritual a couple hundred years before the spanish | | | | wonderful if only the proprietors did not posses the |
| did, only the "cichetti" of venice never caught on all | | | | personalities of some "dead fish" lying around the rialto |
| over the Italian peninsular the way that tapas did | | | | market. "Sorry fish, didn't mean to insult you." "Get my |
| throughout Spain where tapas and tapas bars are a | | | | drift?" |
| way of life. | | | | Al paradiso perduto, on the fondamenta miscordia in |
| So you go into the bacaro and order your ombra | | | | Cannaregio |
| rosso or bianco. Survey the fabulous array of cichetti | | | | You know when you stubble across a place you have |
| and order a few items of your choice. A typical | | | | never been to before and go in to have one of the |
| sample plate of these marvelous little tidbits might go | | | | best times imaginable? That's what happened to me |
| like this; a couple pieces of grilled squid, one sarde en | | | | when I was on one of my typical exploratory walks |
| saor, a crostino of baccala montecato (whipped salt | | | | around venice one fine sunday afternoon in april of |
| cod), and maybe a couple fried meatballs. "Bon | | | | 2001. I was walking by and saw that al paradiso was |
| apetito!" All this should not cost you more than seven | | | | my kind of place; cool, old, with lots of character. The |
| or eight dollars. In the happy days prior to the euro an | | | | place was jumping with a very hip looking crowd. I sat |
| ombra and a say four pieces of cichetti would cost | | | | down for a nice little lunch of antipasto misto and |
| you about $4.50, nowadays it will be almost double | | | | some adriatic sole. Halfway through my meal, I was |
| that. Unfortunately, that's life. Things change, | | | | more than pleasantly surprised when a jazz quartet |
| never-the-less, it's still a pretty good deal. | | | | set up on the fondumenta right outside the restaurant. |
| So you've just had your first wonderful experience in a | | | | There was a bass player, guitar, trumpet, and even a |
| venetian wine-bar. What to do next? Go check out | | | | piano player who rolled his "baby grande" right up to |
| another one of course! Ask one of the locals for a | | | | the place. The band was exceptional. |
| suggestions or cross one off your own personal list. If | | | | What a combination, Venice on a beautiful spring |
| you have one. | | | | Sunday afternoon sitting at the paradiso perduto, |
| Ahh, you're at you second bacaro. Why not try one of | | | | drinking local wine, eating perfectly prepared adriatic |
| Venice's most popular aperitifs? A "spritz." A spritz is | | | | soglio and listening to the lovely sounds of a great little |
| simply white wine with a splash of compari or aperol | | | | jazz band playing beside the canal. "Who could |
| with soda and a twist of lemon. Quite refreshing. Very | | | | possibly for more?" "Not me. |