elegant fish dish in venice (al covo)

Isn’t this presentation lovely? It was the special of the day at Al Covo (our favorite restaurant in Venice) when we had lunch there on the 4th of July.

We hadn’t been back since 1997 (the result of not knowing they were closed on Wednesdays when we returned to Venice in 2001) and wondered if it would live up to the memory of our first, fabulous visit. It most certainly did and beyond that, owners Diane and Cesare Benelli are as charming as ever!

If you go to Venice, please don’t miss the chance to have some of the world’s freshest fish at the hands of a master chef. The delicate white fish was perfectly and artistically wrapped around a short stalk of zucchini and came with a delicate lemon sauce featuring zucchini flowers and bits of zucchini. Amazing!!

The service is impeccable, too. After trekking through the maddening tourist hordes, it was such a relief to find ourselves in the cool and quiet interior of Al Covo. Our server helped select a perfectly crisp white wine (I think it was a Soave) to accompany the meal and everyone found a dish well suited to their tastes. Diane came over to chat and it was delightful to discuss food and the joys of raising children who like to eat. We look forward to going back one day!

Website: http://www.ristorantealcovo.com/