Trying Ai Cugnia, a homey trattoria in Dorsoduro

The maitre d’ at Ai Cugnia in Dorsoduro greeted us with “Pamela?” and seated us in the cozy front room. While I’m always pleased when a restaurant recognizes our reservation, it made me wonder just how foreign I must look to Italians. After all, I’m a short brunette in fashionable shoes. I tie my scarf – well, not tie, throw it insouciantly across my shoulders and hope it doesn’t fall off – as the locals do. I ought to be able to pass.

Regardless of our nationality, we were well treated at the old-time trattoria, receiving swift service and good food. The table bread was doughy, but one could forgive that because the olive oil was so amazingly good. The house white wine was undrinkable, which is harder to let slide.  While I didn’t touch it after the initial sip, no one inquired if I wanted something else.

The kitchen dispensed with ceremony and sent out all our food at once, crowding the small table with patata frites, fried shrimp, prawns and calamari, salad and grilled branzino.

The fries were lightly crispy with good potato flavor .The frito misto included shrimp and squid redolent of the lagoon, quickly fried and tender. The branzino, one of Italy’s tastiest fishes, was butterflied and sautéed to golden brown. It was scrumptious and even Don, not a fan of soft-fleshed fish, liked it. A yellow square of cream-laden polenta accompanied the fish and was a highlight.

House-made tiramisu flew out of the refrigerator behind the bar and looked so good we passed up a post-meal gelato to order it. The cake wasn’t too sweet (a frequent fault with American versions), the custard was eggy and the cocoa-powdered top provided a noticeable bitter pop.

 Ai Cugnai offered us good, filling food and decent service, but nothing memorable. And when you’re in Venice, one the world’s most beautiful cities, what do you crave if not a lasting memory?