Il Ridotto…blink and you’ll miss it. Compared to the Venetian grandeur that I was accustomed to seeing on my little weekend getaway, Il Ridotto looked…well… normal. Tables spilt out onto the square on which it was sitting, with locals and tourists alike sipping on wine and aperol spritz..not an usual scene for Venice. Inside however the decor was fresh and minimalistic with exposed brick walls and fresh white table cloths. With only around 20 covers in the whole establishment, its no wonder Il Ridotto means ‘private room’ and is the perfect spot for date night in the romantic city of Venice.
The menu, excitingly changes everyday depending on what they can get at the local market. I loved this idea, and this is why I booked this restaurant straight after I booked my flights to Venice (had to get the priorities right!).
At the dinner service you get a few options, the tasting menu which comprises of 5 dishes for €95, with a ‘sea’ or ‘land & sea’ option, or a ‘momentum’ tasting menu of 7 or 9 courses, which was €110 and €140 respectively. I threw caution to the wind and chose the momentum menu (minimal caution to the wind, and settled on the 7 course menu). I asked what it comprised of and was told it was a ‘sorpresa’ (surprise in Italian, and prayed it was a good one). Overall I was pretty happy, as course by course came out I was impressed. There were a few that didn’t impress me at all, but others that left me longing for more. I guess thats the downfall of a menu thats planned on the day. Head chef Gianni Bonaccorsi was pottering around the whole time we were there, and even helped in serving!
The first thing we were presented with was a stone with a single mussel on top. ‘Mussel & creme Brûlée’. I was so unsure about this combination but as soon as I tried it I was in love. It was sweet and creamy offset by the saltiness of the seaweed bed it was on top of. What a way to start!
The second ‘surprise’ course was almond shavings interspersed between layers of fresh asparagus. The taste of this combination was incredible. It was crunchy, juicy, rich and full tasting, accompanied by a mayonnaise that rounded the whole dish off. Delicious.
Another green dish next, but again delectable. Exquisite smoked marscapone, fresh beans and partnering puree. The first bite was bitter with algae that had been added ontop, which really threw me. After that first bite the other flavours really started to come through and I really enjoyed this dish. It’s amazing what these guys can do with ingredients like this. I was really looking forward to what was next.
And…I was not disappointed. Out came this beauty. A stunningly cute piece of fish with a wonderfully pungent black garlic sauce. A salted, almost slimy morsel of sea bass, topped with a wonderfully sharp little caper, topped off with a fragrant and potent black garlic sauce. I was so so glad I went for this menu.
That’s when for me, it all started to go wrong. The next pasta dish was unimaginative, and something that I could get in any restaurant.
A mushroom based pasta sauce, with ‘local fish’ ( I had no idea what this was). The fish was soft, a nice contrast against the al dente pasta, but pretty boring. I was not impressed.
Another boring dish followed. Charred cauliflower and oyster sauce. The oyster flavour was so subtle, I really couldn’t taste it. So, I was left with a charred piece of cauliflower. Dull.
The next dish was presented by the chef himself! However from our crestfallen faces and the reaction of our waiter I think it was pretty obvious they had messed up. In front of us was a beef cheek…great. Neither myself or my husband eat beef, as explained to our waiter and stated on my booking form. Fail!
After profuse apologies and an awkward wait, out came….
Although cooked to perfection, this dish was something I could get in London easily. The pork had a bold meaty flavour, it was rich and flavoursome, and the mash was creamy and smooth, but surely more of a British classic? Don’t get me wrong, this dish was cooked flawlessly, and I throughly enjoyed it, it was uninspired.
Although we started on a high, I really felt dispirited by this point. Anyway, onto the sweet stuff.
The ice cream was pleasant enough, and I liked the burnt biscuit however the spices in it really hit the back of my throat which was a little unpleasant.
The next dessert was excellent. I have no idea what it was as it was explained in Italian, but apples were involved and possibly a soft meringue. It was sharp and sweet, as well as being crunchy and soft all at the same time. Delicious!
To round up the whole meal we were given (from right to left):
- Orange cake
- Red wine and cinnamon sticks
- Strawberry jelly
- Chocolate truffle and marmalade
Overall I loved the idea of this little intimate restaurant, and the fact the michelin starred head chef himself was all amongst it. The menu had its highs and it had its lows, bit I had an enjoyable experience. Am I glad I went?…Yes. Would I go again?…Probably not.
Michelin Star Chaser 