Three arches

Campiello della Pazienza, May 28, 2011—

LUNCH OUT TODAY: one more restaurant on our Canale di Cannaregio. It is, in fact, the one we mistakenly thought was dalla Marisa ten years ago. First, though, we took a walk around the quarter in search of yet another trattoria, Trattoria Bertolini Maria Luisa, which Google Maps indicated was a little west of dalla Marisa. When we looked for it at its apparent location, though, it was not to be found. An elderly woman walking home from shopping told us it was on the Fondamenta: What, I said, Do you mean dalla Marisa?

Yes, it's the same place, she said; and this jibed with something the custodian of San Giobbe had told us fifteen minutes earlier: dalla Marisa has changed ownership in recent years, and is no longer the same.

Ten years ago we ate outside at Tre Archi, a pizzeria-ristorante named for the unique bridge it is near (though not so near as Marisa is, hence part of the confusion); this time, it being hot and breezy, we ate inside. It's a very nice-looking place, cozy and a little formal for its essentially casalinga or home-style fare. I began with a salad of nothing but rucola. I'd seen a waiter show a leaf to the American woman at a table opposite us, who had apparently asked what it was: oh, uhROOGyouluh, she said, recognizing the leaf. The leaves were tiny, clean, fresh, and tasty; I dressed them with nothing but salt and olive oil — Colavita, from a big bottle on our table.

Afterward, a house pizza, with ham, cheese of course, artichokes, and a fried egg. Essentially an uitsmijter, I joked: but of course no Dutch sandwich, however Dagwoodian, would have artichokes on it. It was a good-sized pizza, not truly great but quite respectable, and I ate every bit of it.

Pinot bianco in carafe; then a glass of house red.

• Ristorante Pizzeria Bar Tre Archi‎, Sestiere Cannaregio, 552, 30121 Venezia; 041 716438

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Supper at home: mortadella on buttered bread, giardinera, green salad, Prosecco spento. Oh: and in the course of the day two gelaterie, because we're beginning to take more seriously this assignment to survey and perhaps prioritize the gelato to be had in this city. So far we've been to Paolin, Nina Nana, Vizio Virtù (my favorite so far), rather an ordinary place near Santa Maria dei Miracoli, and a very good walkup stand near us on the Rio Terà San Leonardo. One more to be sure to check, Il Doge on the Campo Sta. Margherita; then we'll begin listing more seriously.