Dinner at La Speranzina

View overlooking Lake Garda
2017 Villa Cortine Palace. Sirmione, Italia

After a few incredible days in Venice, it was time to begin the wine portion of the trip, and so the Madre and I pulled up the tent stakes and left for nearby Valpolicella. Located north of Verona, and to the east of Lake Garda, Valpolicella is one of the top wine producing regions in Italy. It's signature wine - Amarone - is considered the third piece of the Italian wine triumvirate: Brunello do Montalcino, Barolo, and Amarone.

Courtyard at Le Salette winery
2017 Le Salette. Fumane, Italia

Our destination was the Villa Cortine Palace, an opulent mansion-turned-hotel located at the tip of the Sirmio peninsula - the peninsula that juts into Lake Garda from the southern end. En route we stopped at Le Salette, the first winery on our list, in nearby Fumane. 

Named after the nearby sanctuary that overlooks the valley, Le Salette is a family owned winery with 20 hectares (49.42 acres) within the Valpolicela DOCG. Led by the winemaker's son, the Madre and I took a tour of the winery, and then had a delightful tasting of their portfolio. The tasting also included cheese and selection of salami, and both were outstanding. Just an outstanding visit!

Leaving Le Salette, we made our way to the hotel, and unpacked and relaxed for a couple of hours. As dinner time approached, we made our way into town for dinner at the subject of this restaurant review: La Speranzina. Located on the shores of Lake Garda in the heart of old town Sirmione, La Speranzina takes advantage of wonderful lake views by offering both fine dining, and a three suite inn.

Dinner at Il Ridotto

Nearby Burano offers picturesque compositions of color and canals
2017 Burano, Italia

Venice day three featured a delightful mourning tour of the island of Burano, which is located north of Venice, and past Murano in the Venetian lagoon. While predominantly known for its lace work, I was especially captivated by the beautifully colored homes lining the various canals that crisscross the island. For those who are artistically inclined, I highly recommend making a sojourn with camera or sketch pad, and just lose one's self for a few hours.

Burano, with Venice in the background
2017 Burano, Italia

Making our way back to Venice, our next stop was the island of Murano, with its famous glass furnaces stoked by some of the most talented glass craftsmen in the world. Originally in Venice, the glass makers were asked to leave in the 13th Century due to the high risk of fire. Murano had a monopoly on glass production until the 16th century, when trade secrets found their way around Europe.

Losing their monopoly did little to change the perception of Venitian/Murano glass, as artisans on the island still employ centuries-old techniques to this day. Taking a slight tangent: Dale Chihuly worked at the Venini factory in Murano early in his career, where he learned the team technique for blowing glass. This technique would serve as one of the pillars that would define his work. If you are ever in Seattle, you can see one of the largest collections of Chihuly's work at the Chihuly Garden & Glass Museum.

The afternoon took us back to Venice, first for a quick lunch near the hotel, and then to the nearby Arsenale - the former shipyards and armories of the City of Venice - to check out the Biennale di Venezia. Held every odd year, this exhibition transforms the old Venetian arsenal into a giant collection of contemporary visual art. While not my cup of tea - I prefer impressionist and realist works personally - it's a must-see exhibit for those who enjoy contemporary art.

Today's final adventure - the culinary sort - took us a block or two outside of St. Mark's Square to a small restaurant nestled in the Campiello (small square) Santi Filippo E Giacomo called Il Ridotto. Named after the nearby Ridotto Theater, a small Venetian theater that shares a similar sense of size, this nine table restaurant is the passion of Chef Gianni Bonaccorsi who wanted to open a fine dining restaurant. Featuring both five course prix fixe fish and meat menus, as well as a la carte options, Chef Bonaccorsi and his team have been rewarded with a Michelin star since 2013.

Dinner at Venissa

The story on how I came to visit Venissa - the subject of today's review - captures perfectly just how difficult it can be to plan a trip with more than one person,  separated by multiple time zones. When the Madre and I were creating the shortlist of restaurants in Venice for which we wished to visit, I mentioned Venissa as a top choice. Clearly she did more research than I did, because her response was not wanting to dine at a restaurant that required a close to 30 minute water taxi. I agreed, and I figured the subject was closed.

It is possible to get to Venissa via Vaporetto - Venice's water buses. Just
give yourself plenty of time!

Fast forward a few months, to the eve of departing for Italy. Our itinerary had been set, and Venissa was on the list. I gave it no second thought, completely lapsing on the transportation challenges of this restaurant. It appears the Madre did as well.

At our hotel in Venice, we approached the concierge, and inquired on the best way to get to tomorrow's dinner. A blank stare met us, and then the exposition started. Thank goodness we asked the night before, because the trek to Mazzorbo island would require roughly over a half hour on a water taxi. The cost: over one hundred euros... each way. Immediately we remembered why we weren't supposed to have a reservation. What we didn't remember is why we changed our mind?

Dinner at Ristorante Quadri

The first day on any vacation that requires substantial travel is usually pretty rough, and this one was no exception. My trek to Italy was by way of Boston and Newark, and consisted of two back-to-back red eye flights. Despite the fact that I actually slept the entire duration of the San Francisco to Boston leg, by the time I landed at Venice's Marco Polo International Airport, I was a shattered man.

A brief water taxi from the airport took me directly to my hotel - the lovely Hotel Luna Baglioni - where I rendezvous with my Mother who was my partner in crime for this trip. I immediately crashed on the bed for a few hours, waking up just in time for lunch. A brief stroll took us to Trattoria alla Rivetta, a busy little eatery recommended to us by a foodie friend of Mother's. After lunch, we continued to walk around St. Mark's Square, but rain prodded us to head back to the hotel. This allowed me to take yet another nap, and soon it was time to head to dinner. Tonight we would be checking out Ristorante Quadri, located in St. Mark's Square.

Wrapping up this trip to Seattle at Pike Place Market

The morning of Day 3 started off really slowly, as I hydrated to offset the overindulgence of last night's restaurant and bar selection. Originally, Monday morning was slated for relaxation before heading to the airport. That of course changed when I opted to spend Saturday morning watching Michigan State football, forcing me to delay my visit of Pike Place Market to this trip's final morning.

Pike Place at dusk where Pike Street meets 1st Avenue
2017 Pike Place Market. Seattle, WA

Pike Place Market (not to be confused with Pike's Place roast from Starbucks) is located at the intersection of Pike Street and First Avenue in downtown Seattle. First opened in 1907, the market is one of the oldest public markets still in use today. With its trademark sign (pictured above), it also happens to be one of Seattle's most visited attractions, with millions of tourists annually.

Dinner at Cascina Spinasse (followed by drinks at Cannon)

When planning the average 'Bartcation,' restaurant selection usually requires the most effort. First there is standard research on what restaurants are good, leveraging typical web sources. Of course there is consultation with the Holy Bible of haute cuisine at early stages of preparation in order to make reservations feasible. If I am lucky, I may have like-minded foodies who live or have visited at the target locale that I may reach out to (for either suggestions, or verification of such).

Once I have narrowed it down to a short list, my criteria usually focuses on highlighting local ingredients, or places that represent the apex of a region's gastronomic specialty. Examples include visiting: Tadich Grill in San Francisco for their legendary cioppino; Vancouver's Blue Water Cafe for incredible Pacific Northwest seafood; or someplace as simple as Katz's Deli in New York for classic corned beef.

And yet, there are times when I pick a place that resonates with me because of other factors. Case in point was selecting tonight's dinner at Cascina Spinasse. Led by Chef Stuart Lane; "his team creates simple, refined dishes grounded in authentic techniques from Piedmont, while incorporating the products of artisans and small farmers from the Pacific Northwest." As it turns out, I was just getting geared up for a trip to Italy in the end of September, with a week in Piedmont. Whether it was coincidence, or divine providence that dropped a restaurant offering both a glimpse of my future travels along with highlighting local ingredients; I made the reservation and that was it.

Geeking out at the Museum of Flight (in between meals of course!)

The morning of Day 2 started off very slowly, as I hydrated in an effort to offset the indulgences at the previous evening's dinner at Canlis. The plan for Day 2 in Seattle consists of spending the morning at the Museum of Flight, followed by lunch at Lola, and an afternoon at the Seattle Art Museum. The evening's dinner venue - Italian restaurant Spinasse - will be featured in an upcoming post.