The thing about being obsessed with food and traveling is that I become extremely picky when it comes to certain types of food. Remember when I ate that quiche in Paris at Angela's? Yeah, I cannot eat quiche anymore unless it's from Gascogne or some similar amazing bakery. This is what happens when you eat the best local food.
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| Inside the restaurant (website pic) |
Did you know that my favorite country in the world is Italy? Yes it is! I have been there a few times, went around the whole country on a tour when I was 15 years old and during the years after, I have stayed in villages (we were once in a villa overlooking Tuscany...beautiful) and even stayed in an apartment in Rome near the Piramide metro station. Furthermore, when it comes to Italian food...I've had food that was beyond heavenly and gained about 5 pounds each time I went. This is why when I am back in Montreal, I have a lot of trouble accepting Italian food that is not authentic: Up to now, I've only appreciated the food at Graziella and Da Emma. Thankfully, I just discoverd this restaurant with food that made me experience multiple foodgasms (see definition on the right of the blog). I mean, just the wine was like WHOA so imagine the food.
The restaurant
Osteria Venti is located in the heart of the Old Port and I was quickly attracted by its cozy decor. Brick walls and dimmed lights automatically made me feel warm and at home...just like in Italy :) I loved how the wine selection of the night and the deserts were written on a chalkboard. Their menu is more about QUALITY than about QUANTITY, which is something you do not find often in Montreal with the endless menu pages of many popular restaurants. This particular menu is consisted of different items showcasing regional Italian dishes at their best, with a maximum of 5 well selected choices per course.
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| The entrance (website pic) |
Crostini & Antipasti
I started with a "Baccala mantecato" which is a crostini with salted cod spread (Crostini is Italian for "Little Toast). In comparison to your usual crostini, the bread was not that crunchy but it was actually a good thing, in my opinion. I cannot even find the worlds to describe the taste...it was impeccable and not too much; a perfect start. Afterwards, we had the braised octopus with fennel and capers "Insalata Di Polipo". This delicious dish reminded me a lot of the South of Italy where they eat a lot of yummy seafood. By the way, I said "we" but actually, I did not order this. My friend did but I ate most of it...sorry! I couldn't help it: The tangy octupus tasted way too good.
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| My crostini |
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| The yummy octopus |
Primi
As a Primi, I ordered the
