Thursday, July 23, 2009

The Wine Bars of Venice





Cantina del Vino Schiavi

One of Venice's most Popular Wine Bars (Bacaro)


In the whimsical adriatic city of Venice, the citizens practice a wonderful little custom called the "giro di ombre" (the wheel of shade). It is not a custom of all Venetians, but mostly men and usually older men. However, this being said, you do not have to be a man to participate. You not have to be old. Anyone can do it, and in fact many younger Venetians (including women) are now caught up in this thing called the giro. Mostly though, you will see groups of men, three, five, or six, maybe more, one can even do it solo. I often go solo myself. Don't worry about being alone. You will make many friends along the way, for that's part of the "giro," making new friends, eating, imbibing, in general, having a great time.


What is this Giro di Ombre you ask?

The giro di ombre is a splendid little ritual that began around Venice's Rialto market some 600 years ago. The merchants of the Rialto Market, wanting to take a little break from hawking their wares, would run to the nearest wine bar to get out of the sun and have a little nip of wine accompanied by little tidbits of food(cichetti) to go with the wine. When these merchants went to the wine bars, known as Bacari, translating to "House of Bachus," they'd say they wanted a "ombra," the latin word for shade. They wanted to get out of the sun and into the shade. In time, a glass of wine in venice became know as an "ombra." So if one day you have the good fortune to make it to one of venice's many enchanting little wine-bars ( Bacaro ), you belly up to the bar, order "un ombra rosso" if you want a glass of the house red, or "un ombra bianco" if you'd like a glass of white wine. It's as simple as that, and you are speaking in the wonderful venetian dialect. Like a true venetian!

When you go into the wine-bars of Venice, you will undoubtedly see a tantalizing display of food attractively displayed in platters on the bar. These items of food are "cichetti," tidbits of prepared food that come in very small portions so you can try three, four, five, maybe even six or more. The cichetti generally cost about $1.00-$2.50. They are made to be very affordable and are in small portions so people can order a few different items for variety.

What are the cichetti, you ask? Just what the Venetian dialect means, cichetti are small tidbits of food. There exist quite a good variety of items as far as cichetti are concerned. The most traditional and popular cichetti are; grilled shrimp or squid, braised or fried meatballs, Cotechino, Musetto (pigs snout sausage, "yum!"), nerveti, octopus salad, bacala mantecato (whipped salt-cod), and sarde en saour (sardines marinated with vinegar and onions). You might also find a nice array of small sandwiches (panini and Tramezzini ) that are filled with all sorts of tasty fillings such as crab salad, speck (smoked prosciutto), shrimp, ham with mushrooms and tomato, and much, much more. These sandwiches are also part of the cichetti and are priced around $1.00 or two as well.

You might be thinking that Cichetti are like Spanish tapas. "Yes," exactly. I might add that the Venetians started this ritual a couple hundred years before the spanish did, only the "cichetti" of Venice never caught on all over the Italian peninsular the way that tapas did throughout Spain where tapas and tapas bars are a way of life.

So you go into the bacaro and order your ombra rosso or bianco. Survey the fabulous array of Cichetti and order a few items of your choice. A typical sample plate of these marvelous little tidbits might go like this; a couple pieces of grilled squid, one sarde en saor, a crostino of baccala montecato (whipped salt cod), and maybe a couple fried meatballs. "Bon apetito!" All this should not cost you more than seven or eight dollars. In the happy days prior to the euro an ombra and a say four pieces of cichetti would cost you about $4.50, nowadays it will be almost double that. Unfortunately, that's life. Things change, never-the-less, it's still a pretty good deal.

So you've just had your first wonderful experience in a venetian wine-bar. What to do next? Go check out another one of course! Ask one of the locals for a suggestions or cross one off your own personal list. If you have one.

Ahh, you're at you second bacaro. Why not try one of Venice's most popular aperitifs? A "spritz." A spritz is simply white wine with a splash of compari or aperol with soda and a twist of lemon. Quite refreshing. Very venetian. For those of you who love prosecco, you'll be happy to know that Venice is the "prosecco capital of the world" and you can order one in any bacaro. Save the bellini's for harry's bar, and if you do, save your money as well, for at this point in time, a bellini at the ultra chic harry's bar will cost you about $15 u.S. Dollars. They are absolutely delicious, but they go down like water.

Order a Prosecco. Some nice treats to go with your venetian bubbly, would be a couple little crab tramezzini or one shrimp and one crab, both go perfectly with a crisp, fresh glass of local prosecco.

Besides the tasty food and splendid Italian wine, you will find wonderful atmosphere in Venetian Wine Bars. You'll meet and chat with locals as well as people who come to Venice from all around the world. The venetian bacaro, which incidentally translates to house of Bacchus, Bacchus, the Roman god of wine.

Go to Venice, engross yourself in its many bacari (bacaro is singular, bacari plural) and you are sure to be entranced in a true bacchanalia sort of way.

Suggested bacari (wine bars of Venice):

Al Volto: located on the calli cavalli, San Marco

A great old style bacaro, serving good inexpensive local wine, traditional cihetti, wonderful pasta, risotto, and fresh seafood from the rialto market.

Alla Vedova: cannaregio 3912, ramo ca'd'oro

Tucked in a small alleyway off the strada nuova, alla Vedova is the authors pick for as one of Venice's best Bacaro. Alla Vedova has the quintessential bacaro décor and ambiance, they serve superb cichetti at the bar, which is always filled with fun loving regulars of the giro de ombre. This bar gets very crowded at times and you will have to vie for a spot at the bar for tasty baccala and the best fried meatballs in town. As you enjoy yourself at the bar while watching diners sitting at table in the lovely little dining-room, you may get the urge to sit down for a wonderful meal with some pasta, risotto, or calves liver Venenziana. Do it!


All'arco, san palo 436, calle dell'occhialer

This tiny little (14'x 8') wine-bar is one of Venice's most traditional. You will usually only find locals here, but they love to see the occasional foreigner drop in. They will welcome you with open arms, as they did to me when I stumbled upon this little establishment on my first ever "giro de ombar." You will find very traditional old style cichetti that not many place make any more, such as Nerveti (nerve), tetina (cows udder), rumegal, and other funky items like Musetto (pigs snout sausage). These guys delight in turning novices on to the real deal. The close quarters are great, as they precipitate interaction between you and the locals who are very nice in this wonderful little "gem."





This was the 1st person ever to ever serve me Cichetti

All Arco

VENICE



Do Mori, san palo 429, calle dei do mori

You might want to check out Do Mori as it is one of Venice's most historical wine-bars. However, you might be a little disappointed. I was, as the owners are cold and not very cordial. Their coldness pervades through the place, which is a shame as this place could be wonderful if only the proprietors did not posses the personalities of some "dead fish" lying around the Rialto Market. "Sorry fish, didn't mean to insult you." "Get my drift?"


Al Paradiso Perduto, on the fondamenta miscordia in Cannaregio

You know when you stubble across a place you have never been to before and go in to have one of the best times imaginable? That's what happened to me when I was on one of my typical exploratory walks around Venice one fine Sunday afternoon in april of 2001. I was walking by and saw that al Paradiso was my kind of place; cool, old, with lots of character. The place was jumping with a very hip looking crowd. I sat down for a nice little lunch of antipasto misto and some Adriatic Sole. Halfway through my meal, I was more than pleasantly surprised when a jazz quartet set up on the fondumenta right outside the restaurant. There was a bass player, guitar, trumpet, and even a piano player who rolled his "baby grande" right up to the place. The band was exceptional.

What a combination, Venice on a beautiful spring Sunday afternoon sitting at the Paradiso Perduto, drinking local wine, eating perfectly prepared Adriatic Soglio and listening to the lovely sounds of a great little jazz band playing beside the canal. "Who could possibly for more?" "Not me."






Paridiso Perdutto

Fondamenta Misericordia

Cannerregio


"I stumbled upon Paradiso Perduto when I was walking around Venice one lovely Sunday afternoon. The second I spotted it, I knew it was the place. The place to have my lunch. The place seemed to be the hot spot of the locals in the neighborhood of Misericordia. I sat down, order some wine, a Antipasti Misti di Pesce, and Artichoke Lasagna. As I was eating my antipasto, some musicians pushed a Baby Grande Piano up onto the Fondumenta in front of the restaurant and started playing. It was awesome, sitting there, sipping wine and eating my local Venetian Cuisine. The atmosphere was as good as it get and I had the most wonderful time. I highly recommend."




Daniel Bellino Zwicke is a former Chef and now one of New York and the United States foremost authorities on Italian Wine and Venetian Wine Bars (Bacari). Daniel was the former Wine Director of Barbetta Restaurant in New York City as well as the Chef, Wine Director, and Managing Partner at Bar Cichetti which he created. Bar Cichetti was the first ever Venetian Wine Bar to exist in the United States.




http://nyfoodeedotcom.blogspot.com














The Chef relaxes outside Paradiso Perdutto

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Italy

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ITALIAN CHRISTMAS

EATING FISH For LENT

And ALL YEAR LONG








POLPO






Best Selling Italian Cookbook Author


Enjoying a Prosecco with his Cousin Joe Macari

At a Bacaro (Wine Bar) in Venice





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VENICE

ITALY

And Its WINE BARS

BACARI



ALL ' ARCO

One of VENICE'S BEST BACARO

CICHETTI
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BACARO ALL' ARCO

VENICE
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CICHETTI

at ALL ARCO

VENEZIA




One of The 1st Videos on CICHETTI

of VENICE

by Author Daniel Bellino Zwicke

Creator of AMERICA"S 1st Ever Venetian Wine Bar

BAR CICHETTI

BACARO


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CANTINE VINO SCHIAVI

One of VENICE'S Most POPULAR


BACARI


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Do MORI


VENICE



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DO MORI

One of Venice's OLDEST

and MOST POPULAR BACARI
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But The Service is COLD and Un-Friendly

and The Owner is an SOB


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DEMI JOHNS

VINI

DO MORI


VENICE


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ALLA VEDOVA



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BACARO 

alla VEDOVA


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CICHETTI MISTI VENENZIA
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Dining Room

alla VEDOVA

VENICE







RICK STEVE'S Does CICHETTI

at VENETIAN WINE BARS


VENICE



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al PONTE

BACARO



VENICE WINE

And BACARO CICHETTI TOUR

Below







al PONTE


One of My FAVORITES
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CICHETTI

at DO MORI


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CICHETTI

VENICEITALY



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MEMORIES of VENICE


and ITALIAN FOOD

CICHETTI

PASTA and ??


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DO SPADE

Along with Do MORI

One of VENICE'S Two MOST FAMOUS BACARI


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Do SPADE
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At The BARDO SPADE
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MISTI MARE

CICHETTI
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Due NEGRONI
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MENU
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POLPETTINI

DO SPADE









all'ARCO

VENICE








Do MORE

VENICE


















OMBRA




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BAR CICHETTI

GREENWICH VILLAGE

NEW YORK

Was AMERICA'S 1st EVER BACARO


aka


VENETIAN WINE BAR


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SUNDAY SAUCE

by Daniel Bellino Zwicke

Co-Creator of BAR CICHETTI



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OSTERIA ANTICO DOLO

Dal 1400

VENEZIA

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OSTERIA ANtICA DOLO


VENICE
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OSTERIA

DOLO
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LISTINO PREZZI

OSTERIA
ANTICA DOLO
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CICHETTI MISTI


ANTICA DOLO


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OSTERIA DOLO



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al VOLTO




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AL VOLTO 


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CALAMARI FRITTI

e VINI


DO MORI

VENEZIA




Vino Vero 


Vino Vero – One of the two best bars for foodies, Vino Vero translates into “real wine.” Its location, nestled aside a quiet canal in Canareggio, belies the delicious food and serious selection inside. The sleek space, standing-room-only, skews towards natural producers. Owners regularly rotate glass and bottle selections sold to hip, youthful patrons who gather outside to socialize and snack on Cichetti.







VENICE CITY of DREAMS
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La TAVOLA


ITALIAN-AMERICAN NEW YORKERS


ADVENTURES of THE TABLE






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POLPETTINE

A FAVORITE CICHETTI








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