Local Expert
Bradley Harden
Living the Sweet Life in a Fantasy Land
I was born in Missouri, but grew up in Minnesota where I was exposed to true winter and the health benefits of shoveling A LOT of snow. After graduating from…
Living the Sweet Life in a Fantasy Land
I was born in Missouri, but grew up in Minnesota where I was exposed to true winter and the health benefits of shoveling A LOT of snow. After graduating from high school I attended Northwest Missouri State University for 2 years and then transferred to Boston to attend Berklee College of Music and earned a degree in Music Business and Management. After deciding that a desk job simply wasn't my thing at this point in my life, I set out to see what the world had to offer. I found a wonderful little town a few miles southwest of Venice called Padova. This small, university town truly captures all of the ideas, visions, sights, and sounds of what you think Italy should be...except the gondolas, that is left for Venice.
I enjoy a lot of different things. Travel is obvious. I have traveled extensively throughout Europe in the years since arriving, trying to see as much as I can. This, of course, includes a vast amount of Italy. I have had a wonderful time experiencing the culture with real Italians that have taken me to the places that you can not find in any guidebook and that are not on any map. During the spring and summer I work as a liaison for travelers; helping them find their way from the airport or train station to their hotels and helping them navigate through Venice or surrounding area to see things that are off the beaten path. Of course, if it’s your first time you need to see the important historical things, but if you’ve been before perhaps a day of ‘live like a local’ is more your thing. I always find a huge amount of pleasure and satisfaction from seeing a city that I know very well through the eyes of someone who is experiencing it for the first time. When this happens I, too, see the city for the first time and I realize that the magic never left.
In addition to all of this, I also enjoy movies, most types of music, going out for a “spritz” in the piazzas during the evenings with friends, and since I’m living in Italy eating AMAZING food and drinking a GREAT glass of wine come almost automatically. This is the definition of "Having your cake and eating it too."
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Al Portego Osteria
I had the opportunity this week to enjoy a lunch outside of my normal environs, which basically means outside my apartment. The Osterias in Venice are always a treat because you can rely on them to serve authentic cuisine and bargain basement prices. However, this has been made slightly more difficult by the summer season and the chaos that surrounds the Italian Hotspot that is Venice herself.
However, if you venture just outside the main drag near Rialto Bridge you can find Osteria Al Portego tucked quietly away on a very busy corner, but if you’re not looking you’ll walk right past it. I guess you could say that it’s hidden in plain sight. This small Osteria has seating for about 15 people. It’s extremely small, but has enormous character and style.
The past week has been extremely hot, so when I stopped in for lunch I knew that i wanted something filling, yet light and refreshing. The menu is extremely short but offers excellent choices for seafood dishes primarily but also has the old Osteria foods at the bar that you can enjoy in any combination and amount. The wine selection is also rather short, but the selections that they carry are premium wines that are worth the stop if for nothing else.
For lunch I decided to do it "ala carte" and chose my selections from the bar. I ordered 4 fried shrimp, calamari (squid), and a tiny octopus that was marinating in a wonderful basil/olive oil seasoning (which I highly recommend). All of this was warmed up right in front of me, of course you can eat it cold if you desire, and served with a glass of fantastic Raboso. All in all I paid 8.50 and was content when I left. The staff is friendly and smiling and very attentive, making sure that my wine was always full and that any empty plates were removed immediately. All in all this little Osteria is perfect for a light lunch or heavier dinner in Venice.
Osteria Al Portego
Castello S. Lio 6015
Venice
Phone: 041-522-9038
Hours: Monday - Saturday 10:30am-3pm, 6pm-10pm
If you would like to contact me directly about this, or any other event in Venice or northern Italy, visit me HERE.