Italy is the dream land of pasta, cheese, and other Italian food masterpieces. When I planned my recent trip to Italy, I was ready to feast on perfection. However, my dear friend brought a rainy cloud on my ideal Italian trip. She had traveled to the city of Venice a month before and was sad that her hunt for the perfect plate was empty. She said that all the restaurants had pre-frozen food or the food was the tourist version of the dishes that she hoped to try in their original form. So when I landed in the City of Bridges, I was on a mission to prove my friend wrong. I was going to find the best Venetian food and feast until I reached food coma. I am happy to report I found my Venetian food heaven. Let me welcome you to Hosteria Osottoospora, my Venetian food heaven.

Hosteria Osottoospora is a haven for food lovers. It had the perfect dish for whatever Italian flavor you crave. So when I popped into this cozy and friendly restaurant on my last day, I was ready to find my slice of paradise. When in Italy, one must start with pasta. That is exactly what I did. I loved the flavorful ravioli with ricotta, and spinach while accents of lemon. It was sweet, cheesy, and a pinch of zesty. It warmed my belly and brought thoughts of home. It was the perfect start to an Italian extravaganza.

Next I wanted try something that I would never cook regularly. I typically would never cook Beef Cheeks much less one braised for eight hours and served with celeriac pureé. The only way I could describe this dish is yum. It was rich, decadent, and meaty. It was an omnivore’s dream. I wish I could have eaten this is more than once.

Ok. Prepare yourself for possibility to eat the best dish ever. This was their duck rague. It was rich. It was decadent. It had the Venetian special cheese that you can’t find anywhere. The flavors kept changing as I dug deeper into this delicious dish. The pasta was just a way to absorb the broth and gravy left behind. I wish I sneaked a peek at the cooking process so I could recreate this amazing dish. I think I will crave this dish when I crave the homey and decadent dish that can fill every crevice of my soul. And yes, it was that good.

Ok so maybe I could use my second stomach to try some desserts. I started with the berry cheesecake. It was so soft and delicate. The berry syrup on top adds a nice zing that breaks up an pretty ordinary tasting cheesecake. Plus, it was so pretty and bright. It made you hunger for it with a glance.

So I decide to wrap the amazing night with an Italian classic. That would be tiramisu. Now, I personally think Tiramisu is over rated. There are so many other fantastic Italian classic dessert that are more flavorful and filling. But I set aside my prejudice against tiramisu to give it a try because the rest of my meal was so fantastic. Let me tell you it was so soft and had a sharp slight bitter expresso taste to cut the sweet custard. If you like tiramisu, I think you will enjoy this one, but if you think it is just ok like me just go with the cheesecake.

So now that I have clued you into the Venetian food extravaganza, what are you waiting for? Tables fill quickly and no one who goes here gives up their table anytime soon. Why? They know how good it is! So please excuse me while enter nirvana and hopefully I will catch you there soon. Because I know one thing for sure if I ever end up in Venice again, the first place I am going to is Hosteria Osottoospora.