Friday, December 29, 2023

Bar Cichetti by Daniel Bellino Z

 

AMERICA'S 1st Ever VENTIAN WINE BAR




BAR CICHETTI

America's 1st Ever VENETIAN WINE BAR (Bacaro)

Created by Daniel Bellino Zwicke & Tom Taraci

Greenwich Village, New York NY



DANIEL BELLINO ZWICKE Opens America's 1st ever Venetian Wine Bar (Bacaro) ... Bar Cichetti, W. Houston Street, NY NY

There was a guy named Daniel who took a trip in 1995 to Explore, seek-out, and Study the BACARI (Venetian Wine Bars) of the Magical City of
VENICE, Italy. He had read a article in the New York Times about these treasures of the Enchanted City of the Adriatic, "La Serenissima" Venice, "or as the Italians say VENENZIA."


Daniel was quite intrigued by this little article. It was only 1 page long, but it was magical, andit sparked Daniel's interest enough that he decided
he would go to Venice, an Exploratory Trip by which he in a weeks time would go to as many Bacari as he possibly could, eating Lunch, in-between Lunch, Dinner and all through each and every night of the week. he tried as much CICHETTI (Venetian Tapas-Like little plates of all sorts of Venetian Specialty Foods.

He ate Bacala Mantecato, Sarde en Soar, Bigoli, Fegato alla Veneziana, Riso Bisi, Mortadella, Speck, and all sorts of other Cichetti, Antipasti, Pasta, Fish, Shell Fish, Meat, Poultry, this that and every other thing he could get his hands (Mouth) on.

Before he went, he did as much Pre-Trip Research as was possible in the "Times Previous to the internet"


When he was in Venice, he asked as many questions as he could, striking up conversations with anyone who would listen, "many did." !!!!

Daniel took lots of pictures, ate, drank Wine, and gather recipes. He was smitten with Venice, its Wine Bars (Bacari, BACARO the singular).

Daniel "Fell in Love," with the Wine Bars (Bacari) of Venice and felt he just had to open one in NEW YORK. He vowed. Knowone had ever done it. He would be the "FIRST"


Daniel gathered all his info, his RECIPES, pictures, book, everything. He worked on all his recipes, cooking constantly for Friends and Family, he made a Business Plan. He found a partner who "Loved the Idea" as well. They shook hands and vowed to open "BAR CICHETTI" the BACARO (FIRST VENETIAN WINE BAR) "Ever in the United STATES.

Daniel and Tom created a beautiful 
Bacaro / Trattoria, with special Imported Venetian Fabric for the banquettes, wainscotting, a beautiful Wood Bar, and fabulous Venetian Glass Chandeliers and scones.

Besides coming up the Idea and Concept of Bar Cichetti, Daniel was the Wine Director and Executive Chef. Daniel's food was incredible. His Caponata was the best in town, his Paparadelle with Duck Ragu was justly famous, and as the Journal of Italian Food and Wine stated, his Bolognese Sauce was considered to be one of the "Best in the Country" Daniel garnered many accolades for the Wine List he created, but especially for his true and tasty Regional Italian Cuisine, gaining positive reviews from : New York Magazine, Crains, Time-Out New York, Wine & Spirits Magazine, and even a 5 Page Color Spread in a Newspaper in Sao Paolo, Brazil.







Daniel Bellino & His Kitchen Crew

BAR CICHETTI

NEW YORK

1998





Daniel Bellino - Cameron Diaz

Bar Cichetti

New York City

1999






SUNDAY SAUCE

DANIEL BELLINO Z








FLIGHTS & HOTELS WORLDWIDE









Thursday, December 28, 2023

Cantina del Vino Schiavi Venice WineBar Bacaro

 



CANTINE del VINO SCHIAVI

VENICE'S Most Famous WINE BAR (Bacaro)




At The BAR

CANTINE del VINO SCHIAVI






YOU CAN BUY BOTTLES of WINE

To TAKE HOME or COMSUME on PREMISES














Cantine del Vino Schiavi

VENICE

Places like these, in Venetian are called Bacari: they are historic and typical Venetian taverns where natives and foreigners meet to drink an ombra and a cichetto, which in Venetian indicate respectively a glass of wine and an appetizer, or finger food to put it in the modern way. 

In addition, our cellar offers the customer more than five hundred wine labels, especially national ones, together with an important choice of Whiskey, Grappa, Vodka and liqueurs. 












VENICE'S MOST FAMOUS BACARO

VENETIAN WINE BAR






















Osteria Squero Wine Bar - Dorsoduro




SQUERO

A Squero is a Place where GONDOLAS are Made

GONDOLAS & SQUERI Can Only be Found in VENICE, ITALY

This one in DORSODURO is One of the Few Remaining Squeri in VENICE





A Couple APEROL SPRITZ & CICHETTI

TYPICAL FARE at VENETIAN WINE BARS (Bacari)

At OSTERIA SQUERO





The BAR at OSTERIA SQUERO

Dorsoduro, VENICE





WINE MENU

OSTERIA SQUERO

A Glass of Wine in a VENETIAN WINE BAR (Bacaro)

is Called an "OMBRA" which Translates to Shade

This Terminology came about from the Act of Venetian Food Merchants

At The RIALTO MARKET wanting to get Out of The SUN and into the SHADE

They would got to a BACARO (House of Bacchus) to Get into the SHADE

And so a Venetian Glass of Wine became to be Known as an OMBRA

Venetian Dialect for a Glass of WINE






Outside the Osteria Squero

VENICE






Behind the Bar at Osteria Squero

Note the Pre-Made CICHETTI (Small Bites Venetian Food)



GOING to VENICE ?

ANYWHERE ?



FLIGHTS & HOTELS WORLDWIDE

VENICE - ITALY - EUROPE - EVERYWHERE








A Spritz & Cichetti

Dorsoduro, Venice


Wednesday, December 27, 2023

Bacaro al Volto Venice Wine Bar

 



BACARO al VOLTO 

VENICE 





al VOLTO

The BAR

"WHERE it All HAPPENS" !!!






CICHETTI at al VOLTO

VENICE
















OMBRE (Wine)

e CICHETTI (Food)

al VOLTO

VENICE







The BAR at al VOLTO

















Bacaro alla Vedova Venice Cichetti

 



all VEDOVA

Calle del Pistor, Cannaregio 3912, Venezia Italy
+39 041.5285324

VENICE


Alla Vedova - "One of Venice Best Wine Bars (Bacaro)"


Venice, the town of water is a unique place in the world. Transportation of the town is only by boats and there is no car running. The Canal Grande, the splendid palaces of Venetian architecture, trails called Calle and canals, tunnels called sottoportego... a fantastic labyrinth-like town.
Such a unique Venetian culture influenced also their cuisine. Bacaro is a local wine bar where the locals relax and enjoy eating snacks called Cichetti. They are looking forward to chatting with friends at night. The most famous one of the many Venetian Bacaros is here "Trattoria Ca' D'Oro "Alla Vedova".

It’s a Bacaro (standing bar) but it's possible to eat at table.

The basic style of a Bacaro is drinking wine with Cichetti (snacks) standing. But like many Bacaros here "Alla Vedova" has lots of seating as well, so you can eat at table like a normal restaurant. The price is also affordable. Please try a Bacaro tour if you go to Venice.

Reservations are required for dinner. For lunch, let's try to visit earlier or later!

This "Alla Vedova" is always very crowded. That would be its only defect. For dinner it's impossible to enter without reservations. Also for lunch it's better to make a reservation, or you can go earlier or around 14.00 (opening or closing time). Every time, in front of the restaurant full of customers are waiting for seats. While waiting, let's enjoy aperitif. Order local white wine with Cichetti and wait patiently.
Even if you make a reservation, the capacity is same so it's not suitable for those who want to eat slowly and quietly...

Inside is a typical Italian Trattoria!

The official name of this restaurant is "Trattoria Ca' D'Oro". It's located just in two minutes by walk from the Vaporetto stop "Ca' D'Oro". And "Alla Vedova" means "widow". That's because since the death of the father of current owner and his mother became a widow, local regulars started to call here "a trattoria of a widow"...
On the wall many pictures, photographs and even copper pots are hung from the ceiling. They are very pretty! You can enjoy a relaxed atmosphere. Simple wooden tables and chairs are pleasant and instead of the tablecloths, paper cloths are used. It's like a popular dining room. I feel this style is also nice.

It's popular because of delicious dishes!

Why the locals love this trattoria so much? Because it's simply "delicious". "The seafood appetizer platter" is simple but prepared with fine care. Many plates of this restaurant are a little bit smaller than other places. In Italy it's normal to share a plate of appetizers (generally very big). Here there are 2 sizes. "Small plate" of 9 euros wouldn't enough to divide in two people... so let's order "Large (18 euros)".

Bigoli, Spaghetti with squid ink sauce, Scampi...

Also the pasta dishes are excellent!!! I frequented every day and tried three types of pasta. All were tasty. First, a traditional Venetian cuisine "Bigoli in Salsa". That is thick spaghetti in a simple source of onion and anchovy sauce. It's a rustic dish of traditional taste.
Talking about Venetian spaghetti, everyone would like to try "Spaghetti with squid ink sauce (Bavette al nero di seppia)". It's also exceptional. The noodles boiled al dente are suitable to smooth tasty sauce of squid ink. It's aromatic and satisfying.
"Spaghetti with scampi (Spaghetti alla busera)" has an exquisite harmony of fresh tomato sauce with hot pepper and scampi. In the mouth the sweetness of shrimps will spread.

Superb "Venetian Liver"!

For main dishes, there are lined many traditional Venetian cooking. All dishes are served with delicious polenta (boiled corn flour). "Mix fried fish (Frittura mista di pesce)" is a plate of delicious crispy flitters. "Octopus cooked in tomato sauce (Polpetti in umido)" is very soft. And the most delicious main dish would be "Venetian Liver (Fegato alla veneziana)". In Venice, you would like to eat fish, but please try at least once. Beef liver saute'-fried with onion make a unique taste!






Inside alla VEDOVA

VENICE, ITALY




WINE & CICHETTI at VEDOVA

Fried MEATBALLS & SEAFOOD SALAD CICHETTI

"What are CICHETTI" 

Cichetti are small Bites of Food, served at Venetian Wine Bars (Bacari)

Typical Venetian Cichetti are Baccala Montecato (Creamed Salt Cod Crostini)
Meatballs, Salami, Sarde en Saor (Sweet & Sour Sardines), Octopus Salad, various preparations of Shrimp & Crab, Panini (Small Sandwiches) Cheese, Musetto (Venetian Sausage) and all sorts of little tidbits of food (like Spanish Tapas).


"What is a BACARO" ?  - A Bacaro is a Venetian Wine Bar that serves wine of course, and Cichetti (small Bites od local Venetian Food). Bacari is plural for Bacaro.

Bacari vary in size and what kind of food they serve. Some are very small and just serve wine and cichetti. Some are a bit larger, and have a bar serving cichetti and wine, but may also have a small dining room, where people sit down at tables and get larger meals that include Pasta on the menu, meat, poultry, and fish dishes.






BIGOLI with SQUID INK SAUCE

A Specialty of VENICE








Pasta with Venetian Duck Ragu

 





PASTA with DUCK RAGU



A rich Venetian duck ragu made with cinnamon, orange, white wine and tossed with pappardelle pasta. This beautiful pasta dish has a festive feel to it but can be eaten all year round. It's super comforting, easy to prepare and sure to impress!


This duck ragu is traditionally served with pappardelle pasta, it's silky, rich and completely moreish. Like curl up on the couch with a big bowl of the stuff or serve it on a platter at a dinner party, it literally fits any occasion. You could also make it into lasagna (so delicious), Imagine dishing a big bubbling duck ragu lasagna up on a Sunday afternoon, oh yeah!

DUCK

Duck has a strong but not overpowering and slightly 'gamey' taste to it and it's also slightly sweet. It's a dark meat although not like beef, it's more like the dark meat you would find on a chicken or turkey. It's utterly delicious and can be made into so many different dishes, this ragu being my favourite.

HOW TO MAKE DUCK RAGU - STEP BY STEP

Season 4 Duck Legs with salt and pepper then rub it all over with cinnamon. Sear it skin down first in a large pan with a little olive oil on a medium to low heat for 7-8 minutes on each side until browned, set aside on a plate.

Add 1 - finely chopped carrot, 1 small onion and 1 Celery stalk, both chopped fine, zest of 1 Orange , 1 bay leaf and ½ teaspoon cinnamon with a touch more olive oil and saute slowly for 10 minutes, stirring often until the vegetables are soft.

Add the duck back to the pan and add the wine, reduce the wine by half then add the orange juice, pureed tomatoes (passata), tomato paste and stock stir to combine all the ingredients and simmer slowly for 1 & 1/2 hours turning the duck round halfway through.

Remove the Duck Legs from the pot. Put on the side to cool for 10 minutes.

Remove the meat from the Duck legs, and put the duck meat  back into the pot. Let cook at low heat for 20 minutes.

Turn the heat off, the Duck Ragu is finished.

Cook the pasta of your choice, and dress with the Duck Ragu. Serve and enjoy.





FAVORITE ITALIAN DISHES

And SECRET RECIPES




BACARO.... VIDEO of a VENETIAN WINE BAR

My WINE BARS of VENICE Youtube Video

ANTHONY BOURDAIN eats CICHETTI and Seafood Risotto in VENICE

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