POLPO: A Venetian Cookbook (Of Sorts)

Product Information

Critics and food aficionados have been flocking to this understated bacaro where Russell Norman serves up small dishes-think tapas-from the back streets of Venice. I reviewed the book and found myself not only praising the content but falling in love with the design, photography, practicality and sheer delight of handling the book.

We weren't still hungry, exactly, but after taking a two-minute traghetto ride across the Grand Canal, we were so close to another spot on our list that we thought we ought to give it a whirl. Already the recipe for ‘John Dory with orange, fine herbs and pink peppercorns’ is a little miracle! Tucked away in a backstreet of London's edgy Soho district, POLPO is one of the hottest restaurants in town. The fruit, vegetables and fish on show would soon be gracing tables at the city's better restaurants. Back in the day that was pretty much the only show that would get us around the laptop, ready for the Michel Roux Jr.Raw fish is a speciality, and my trio of minced salmon, lightly seared tuna with finely chopped cucumber and sea bass (€2 each) with tomatoes, prepared right in front of me, were melt-in-the-mouth fresh – the best thing I ate in Venice. And if you avoid the obvious pizza and pasta in favour of seafood and cicchetti, then you'll never feel bloated. Critics and food aficionados have been flocking to this understated bàcaro where Russell Norman serves up dishes from the back streets of Venice.

Around the corner is La Cantina (Cannaregio 3689, Campo San Felice) which, like Polpo, has taken the simple cicheto to another level with its freshly prepared, imaginative dishes.

But there is still a side of Venice which is alive and isn't Disneyland, and it's best typified by the bàcari. I have done several versions of Sea Bass on a bed of potatoes, some that I have written about on this blog.

After 20 minutes or so, check to see if the cake is ready by gently pressing the centre to see if it springs back. It was daunting because there were no other tourists, but once I'd braved that unfamiliarity, I started to get a better idea of the city's hidden culinary places". A luscious cookbook of little known Venetian specialties from one of London's hottest restaurants, accompanied by luminous photographs. The walls are covered floor to ceiling by bottles, and there is a fantastic choice of 10 or so wines by the glass, mostly from the Veneto region, starting at €2. Whilst oven is heating Take a large Le creuset or saucepan, heat the oil over medium-high heat add the reserved ginger mixture and sauté until fragrant, about 1 minute.Along with a glass of vino blanco, sarde en saor (marinaded, Venetian-style sardine crostini) and a delicious panini the size of a commemorative postage stamp. Please make sure that Javascript and cookies are enabled on your browser and that you are not blocking them from loading.