Archive for April, 2009

Restaurant cooks prize thick pasta water. In “Heat,” his best-selling account of working in Mario Batali’s restaurant Babbo, Bill Buford describes how in the course of an evening, water in the pasta cooker goes from clear to cloudy to muddy, a stage that is “yucky-sounding but wonderful,” because the water “behaves like a sauce thickener, binding the elements and flavoring the pasta with the flavor of itself.”

I’ve been reading Heat, but stopped for awhile… this quote reminded me I have to finish it (before reading Ruhlman’s new book on the Kindle).

— How Much Water Does Pasta Really Need?

We hosted an intimate affair featuring chicken in red wine for dinner. It started (above) with an interesting salad.

• Taleggio Cheese (link)
• Bosc Pears, marinated in blood orange juice
• Oven-roasted pecans in curry and honey
• Pinot Grigio vinegar dressing: EVOO, salt, pepper, garlic clove, Dijon mustard
• Salad greens

The perfect bite is one that includes pear, crunchy nut, and the stinky goodness that is taleggio.

Next, the classic Coq au vin Barefoot Contessa style:

Her secret is doing it in the oven. Along with the chicken comes herbs, pearl onions, crimini mushrooms, and a good sauce.

For dessert:

Buttery (and organic!) pound cake, toasted, and topped with a homemade sauce of Cantor Farms blueberries, blood orange zest and juice, sugar, Chambord, and love.

Goes well with strong coffee and strongly colored tulips.

Located in Richmond’s far west end in the Food Lion shopping center along Ridgefield Parkway you will find Little Venice, an Italian restaurant that comes across as a “nice place” to eat. I’ve never been when it hasn’t been busy, and sometimes when I’ve called for a quick reservation, they’re full. That’s a good sign: a constant stream of customers.

Despite being in a strip mall shopping center, Little Venice has a small bar, and two sections of dining rooms. No matter the amount of sunshine outside, inside the atmosphere is always a little dark, setting a mood for your dining experience.

I ate here most recently and enjoyed their special of a veal chop with mushrooms, demi glace, and sun dried tomatoes. With the entrée came mashed potatoes (unremarkable, but passable), green beans (fresh, but a few too many), and bread and a salad. The entrée was around $34.

Little Venice isn’t your local pizza joint, and it’s not a knock-off of, let’s say, Maggiano’s. This is a different type of Italian; little red sauce, and always a focus on the protein.

As we left, we noticed that many patrons were mature. Had I been in Florida, I might have expected this was the early bird special crowd. Then I began thinking about what we had: shrimp with capers, a steak, my veal chop, and veal marsala. These dishes cater to folks who want a good piece of protein in a flavorful sauce. Many patrons order wine. It’s not innovative cooking, it’s not avant garde, it’s not necessarily authentic to any one region of Italy. Little Venice seems as much French as it might be Italian, but who’s complaining? The food tastes good.

Little Venice seems like the perfect place where I could take my parents if they were visiting. They’d like it. It’s a great place to celebrate the end of a long week. They occasionally have specials that perk your imagination. They make a good, satisfying she-crab soup.

Little Venice’s formulaic approach may not win it any culinary awards, but it’s been bringing in regulars and I guess by this time I’m included. We’ve only left dissatisfied once, and that’s when a special ran $50. So, enjoy the tempting descriptions on the menu. Don’t expect a whole lot from the “sides” on your plate, and if the specials sound good, just ask the price. Relax. While our waitstaff last evening was all young, they were professional and very courteous. And that’s why I like Little Venice: they let me relax.