Tre Archi

Corte della Pazienze, June 12, 2011—

A MEMORABLE LUNCH back at the Ristorante Tre Archi, right around the corner from our back gate (which I begin to think of as the front gate), because today there's a regatta, and this is as good a place as any (and better than most) from which to watch it.

We arrived about 11:30, early for lunch, and sat with a half-liter of white wine, a bottle of mineral water, and for L., who is after all half German, a big glass of beer.

After watching the regatta for a fair while, cheering for the Dutch and Frisians and those from Bretagne and, of course, the Venetians, we ordered: baccalà mantecata for F____, cozze e vongole — mussels and clams — for L. and me.

At long last I went on to a fine branzino, a kind of sea bass, simply cooked and served with lemon.

This wasn't quite as refined cuisine as yesterday's dinner at Bancogiro, but it was completely satisfying. The mussels from here are subtler and more complex than those in the Netherlands (I hasten to say I like those just as much); the branzino is sweet, meaty, dry as opposed to oily, and fragrant. You can't do better.

white wine in carafe

• Ristorante ai Tre Archi, Fondamente San Giobbe, Cannaregio, 552; 041.716438