Osteria Monelli in downtown Vicenza offers a tasty menu of local specialties, like this cod dish served with a side of fried polenta. (John Vandiver/Stars and Stripes)
On the first day of my recent visit to Vicenza, Italy, I was looking to sample some decidedly local fare, and the choice I made was based on my instincts.
I happened upon an eatery called Osteria Monelli, a short walk from the main piazza and thought it fit the bill.
On the menu was a dish called baccala alla Vicentina, which I figured would give me a no-nonsense introduction to Vicenza-style eating.
The entree apparently traces to the 1400s, when Venetian seafarers stuck in Norway learned something about drying cod on rooftops. The dish was adapted into a chopped-up cod mix that’s served with a side of polenta.
Osteria Monelli in downtown Vicenza offers a tasty menu of local specialties, like this cod dish served with a side of fried polenta. (John Vandiver/Stars and Stripes)
It almost reminded me of a crab cake. As I dug in, a couple behind me congratulated me on my adventurous spirt, saying it was the kind of fare favored by fishermen in the old days.
I asked the couple, an Italian lady and a retired American, whether I was eating in a place frequented by the local Army community. They assured me I had found something special and a little off the beaten path.
I ate with pleasure and a little pride at my discovery.
The woman said if I want to carry on like a real denizen of Vicenza, I should finish things off with an herby after-dinner schnapps whose name I can’t recall. I took her advice and ordered the aperitif, which went down smooth.
Monelli’s menu has a nice mix of traditional offerings, like starters with salami and various pasta dishes. I was tempted to order the pasta served with duck sauce, which was billed as one of its specialties.
The wine menu is extensive with varieties from the region.
Osteria Monelli is a short walk from the main downtown piazza in Vicenza, Italy. (John Vandiver/Stars and Stripes)
The atmosphere of the restaurant was an appealing mix of old and new, appearing modern and traditional all at once with a wood-beamed ceiling and stone walls.
During my short stay in Vicenza, I was slated to meet colleagues the following evening for dinner. When I was given the location, I was pleased yet a touch disappointed to learn that our destination was Monelli.
It seems I wasn’t as far off the culinary beaten path as I thought. The upshot: I tried the pasta with duck sauce, which turned out to be pretty good.
Osteria Monelli
Address: Ponte San Paolo 13, Vicenza, Italy
Hours: Daily, 6:30 p.m.- 12:00 a.m
Info: Phone: +39-0444-041833; Online: osteriamonelli.com
