Staying on Venice Lido has its perks, like staying clear of the crowds in the height of summer, proximity to a gorgeous swath of beach, and a few hidden gems of local restaurants tucked into the quieter parts of the island. One evening, I dragged my parents through said neighborhoods to land at Osteria Pancin, a well-reviewed simple restaurant with the Venice slow food badge of honor. I imagine that the parents were wondering why we couldn’t just stop on the tourist trap alley, or main drag, but I like to find a bit of something off of the beaten path.

The food was great, service very helpful, the bathroom made for an adventure, and we caught a gorgeous sunset on the walk back to the hotel. Oh and Mum still talks about how good their swordfish was, so overall it was a win for Osteria Pancin.

I started with a translation that I just thought was too funny to pass up, despite it sounding maybe not so great…”musky octopus.” I love about any preparation of octopus, so I figured it would be fine. What I don’t love are the tiny octopi because they are essentially sea spiders. Unfortunately, this is what I got. I closed my eyes and did as much as I could to not think too hard about the musky sea creatures I was eating and managed to pawn off quite a few on The Husband.

My main was much nicer, a well-cooked bowl of paccheri with shrimp. Delightful. This time when The Husband attempted more than one bite, I definitely gave him “a look.”

The stroll afterwards found us the most gorgeous paintbrush coated sky to cap off the weekend beautifully.