Prominently placed along one of the high-traffic walkways in Burano, there is little to set Da Romano apart from the seemingly endless parade of mediocre eateries designed to do little else than separate tourists from their money - until, that is, you realize what isn't there, namely signs in English, saying things like "tourist menu" or with large pictures of the food that probably bear almost nothing in common with the actual items they are supposed to represent.
I have to admit, I felt a certain amount of trepidation in coming here, first, because I have been to a couple of other restaurants that Anthony Bourdain has featured (which seems to usher in an inevitable decline), and second, because of a couple of uncomplimentary reviews on Yelp. What I did find, however, was a restaurant that is apparently immune from the "Bourdain Effect," and for which Yelp's wisdom of the crowd was little help.
I suppose that after roughly a century of continuous operation, one might expect Da Romano to stick to its guns, which it thankfully does. The service is professional and efficient, with white-jacketed waiters amiably chatting with their clientele, switching effortlessly between multiple languages. This is the kind of place where the waiter debones your Sole Meunière tableside, and it never occurs to you to think that might not be the way everyone does it.
As for the food, I started with the polpi (octopus). These were baby octopi, steamed and tossed with olive oil and lemon. I was initially just a bit disappointed, simply because I like octopus grilled, but that's my personal preference. These were prepared excellently, with the result that they were tender and delicate, not tough and rubbery as so often happens with cephalopods when they are cooked, and the simple dressing of olive oil and lemon was a great compliment to the natural flavor of the octopus. After that, I prevailed upon the waiter to let me order a plate of their famous Risotto di Goh (seafood risotto), for which they are famous, but usually only serve for two or more. Now, I did read a Yelp review that bashed this dish, but for the life of me I can't figure out why. I can only conclude that this reviewer has never had risotto before, since it was virtually flawless. The grains of rice were perfectly al dente, and the dish was the precise starchy-creamy consistency that a good risotto should have. As for the flavor, it was sublime - enough cheese to endow it with a hint of smoky, savory intensity, but not so much that it obscured the delicate taste of the seafood broth that is at the heart of this dish.
Admittedly, Da Romano is not cheap, but by Venetian standards, it's not particularly expensive either. In a town where you can pay 10-12 euros or more for a half-hearted menù fisso (fixed menu), what's 18 euros for some of the best risotto you'll ever have? And what's better, I've finally found at least one restaurant that even Anthony Bourdain couldn't ruin... read more