Corte Sconta-Venetian Seafood at it's Best
Corte Sconta is located off the beaten path in Venice... a 17 minute walk from the St Regis Hotel (that is a whole other amazing story!) or a 10 minute boat 'taxi' ride. Whenever we travel we look for local, delicious, comfort food. Not the fancy stuff, just real food. Italy never disappoints as long as we find the 'non-tourist' locations... Corte Sconta is one of those.
When you walk in the door you are immediately greeted by a host who wants to know if you have a reservation...if you don't you may as well leave! When you say you do, you will be escorted out to the beautiful ivy covered courtyard to settle in for a nice long meal. I recommend going in the afternoon. They close between lunch and dinner and if you can get a 1:30pm reservation you can linger almost into the dinner hour enjoying plate after plate of deliciousness.
The menu is mostly seafood... this is Venice after all. The best part of the dining experience is the multi course Antipasti tasting "Degustazione di Antipasti". Order this and your favorite pasta and your afternoon will unfold like a well orchestrated concierto of flavors and textures.
Once you have ordered your 1st bottle of local crisp white wine and still or sparkling water the show begins. First with a pate of spider crab with toasted baguette. From there a carpaccio of fresh swordfish and tuna marinated with local olive oil and balsamic. After that a big bowl of fresh ginger steamed clams which make all other clams pale in comparison. Next up, spider crab served in it's shell then a platter of mixed steamed and sauteed freshness from the sea: the most tender and mild prawns you have ever had, baby shrimp simply sauteed, fresh sardines, squid two ways and, I am told, this platter changes with what is freshest each day. All I know is it is to die for! The last little morsel served consists of white polenta squares topped with creamy bacalau and marinated 'fish of the day' with pickled white onion. It sounds like a lot but the appetizer takes well over an hour and a half to be served and it is all fish! Light and delicious. After that try their Squid Ink Pasta with Scallops or their Tonarelli with Scampi. Amazing.
One of my favorite parts of dining in Italy is that the meal does not stop! To top off all that seafood try their tiramisu and lemon sorbetto with a Sambuca on the side. Delicious. Of course, you will absolutely need a dopio espresso to keep you moving after all of that, but the waiter will not let you have it until you have finished your dessert!
Corte Sconta
Calle del Pestrin, 3886, 30122 Venezia VE, Italy
Reservations?: a must!
Formal? : Not at all, casual but very upscale
Best Time?: Late lunch
Not to miss?: Degustazione di Antipasti & local white wine
Cost?: Moderate, great value
תגובות