Venice

Cicchetti

Venice's answer to tapas: small bites of seafood, cured meat, cheese or vegetables laid out on the counter of a bacaro (traditional wine bar), eaten standing up with a small glass of wine called an ombra. Hopping between two or three bacari for a few cicchetti and an ombra each is the classic Venetian evening out.

◆The area around Rialto Market and Cannaregio has some of the oldest, most authentic bacari.

Sarde in Saor

Fried sardines marinated in sweetened vinegar with softened onions, sometimes finished with pine nuts and raisins, a sweet-and-sour combination that dates back to when Venetian sailors needed fish that would keep on long voyages. It is usually served cold as a cicchetto or starter.

Baccalà Mantecato

Dried salt cod that is soaked, poached and then whipped with olive oil into a pale, creamy, almost mousse-like spread, traditionally piled onto grilled polenta or bread. It tastes far milder and richer than the strong, fishy result its name might suggest to a first-timer.

Risotto al Nero di Seppia

Rice cooked in cuttlefish or squid ink, turning the entire dish jet black, with a briny, savoury flavour from the tender pieces of cuttlefish stirred through. The colour alone catches most visitors off guard the first time it lands on the table.

◆Expect it to stain your teeth and lips black for a little while, which is completely normal.