[Nov. 2024] On Pellestrina, an island in the Veneto region of Italy, we walked around looking for a restaurant that we had been told was supposed to be open.
This time, instead of going along the coast, we went down a street one block inland.
Until then, the town had been deserted and we had hardly passed anyone, but here we found a cafe with a few people gathered.
And there were quite many people in the restaurant we had been told about, Ai Pescatori.
The many people who had disembarked from the regular boat we were on were hiding in places like this.
It had the feel of a local diner, but it was a fairly large restaurant.
The menu had English translations, and the waiters spoke English, so it seems that foreign tourists visit Pellestrina during the season.
Usually, I would take one plate of starter and share it with my husband, but this time we ordered one each.
I tried the Saore’ with shrimp and sardines.
It’s a traditional dish from this region, marinated with onions, vinegar, pine nuts, raisins, etc.
It had a nostalgic taste for me, and I thought it could be included in Japanese New Year’s dish.
My husband had antipasto misto.
It had squid eggs in it (foreground of the main photo).
Small whitish chunks were rolling around.
I was given some to try, and although they had a slightly sweet taste, they weren’t particularly strong.
It was my first time to eat squid eggs.
Then there was some octopus legs stuffed with innards (back of the main photo).
My husband doesn’t like these unusual foods, so I got some, and it tasted somewhat like crab miso (paste found inside a crab’s intestinal area).
But apparently octopus doesn’t have miso, and it was stuffed with innards.
It was quite rich, and I liked it.
It seems that it was a rare fisherman’s dish, not a common one.
I was lucky to be able to eat it!
For the main course, I had the seafood grill platter, and my husband had the fried food platter.
The small flounder (I think?) and shrimp were very delicious.
Anyway, we were very satisfied and stuffed.
Including half a litre of house wine and coffee, the total came to €77.10, which was very reasonable.
The people were nice, and if it had been closer, I would have liked to return to this restaurant.
After the meal, to work off our stomach, we went out to the coast on the opposite side from where we went, and there was a long grey wall.
There was a part of the wall that you could climb, and when I climbed a little, the other side was a natural beach.
I’m sure this side is busier in the summer.
