I agree that this is common practice and also sea bass is not a cheap fish. I'd just be interested to know how big this fish was and how many were dining. €35/kg would be not uncommon, €70/kg would.

Well said, Patrick. I agree.

Johanna

I totally appreciate w/ LynAK's latest post.

PQ - why stir up trouble asking for a response from the restaurant. Lyn's post did not slam the restaurant - it is her headline that was not a good choice of words and she has agreed w/ that.

DUH - <Her post did not slam the restaurant> - Yes, but read the headline that many will read without opening the thread

if that is not slamming the restaurant then what is.

If i were a owner of a prestigious restaurant that generally gets rave reviews and someone was unfairly slamming me i would want a chance to reply.

&quot;<i>many will read without opening the thread</i>&quot;

Ya <i>really</i> think so? I think anyone who had any interest whatsoever in Acqua Pazza (or just eating in Venice in general), seeing this title, would immediately open it. Then seeing what was actually posted, would be reassured and move on.

just my take . . . . . .

I think if the owners of Acqua Pazza were to read this thread, they might be dismayed by the headline but generally pleased by the good reviews and all the support they are receiving.

I'm sorry I offended so many people by the headline. Lesson learned there.

But the point is still valid, I think, about the possibility that others might end up in the same position as us ..and want the heads up..and Acqua Pazza might be interested to know that some inexperienced tourists felt a little rushed by their waiters and didn't understand the cost of what they were ordering. I don't think that good business people would just brush this off or even be too offended...their business takes in a lot of money from tourists and I believe they want people to have a totally satisfying dining experience...and not experience sticker shock on one dish, even if part of the reason is because the diners weren't &quot;savvy&quot; enough. For these reasons I probably should e-mail this concern directly to them, as well as offering this description of our experience to other travellers, and maybe I will do that.

My intention was not to &quot;ruin&quot; their restaurant and I'm sure I don't have such power. I hope everyone who is so upset will just forgive me for mentioning Acqua Pazza in the headline and as said in the previous post, move on.

Janis dear - it's what folks read first - the screaming headline that many casually reading are going to remember

A basic in journalism is to put what your point is very first in an article or in a headline as that is the lasting impression

Yup. And you're the king of screaming headlines, aren't you, Palenq? (Reference mostly to your Lounge posts)

Holly - nothing gets by you does it

Exactly why i use screaming headlines - the tactic i learned in college journalism school - i want a lasting impression of the first thing that screams at them

you got it - Janis don't

Maybe people who read the headline and think that it is a slam against the restaurant or it is telling people to stay away from this restaurant should invest in a dictionary:

&quot;Beware: be on one's guard; be cautious or wary about; be alert to.&quot; . .

If one says &quot;Beware of pickpockets in Paris subways&quot;, would ANYONE interpret that as a slam against Paris? Should we call the Paris authorities and suggest they get a lawyer and sue the writer for slander?

Many people misinterpret titles or even whole posts. That is often as much the fault of the reader as it is the poster.

Yes indeed Patrick - typical folks who have never been to Paris who read a screaming headline about pickpockets on the metro are likely to stay off them

that's human nature

the worst of the thing lasts in their minds a lot longer than all the good that follows

Umm. Maybe you need to read my post again? I didn't suggest or say anything about people staying out of subways, but rather avoiding Paris. Now I understand why you thought the original title would make people stay out of the restaurant rather than just be aware of the fish ordering. You apparently have a habit of reading one thing and interpreting it as something else.

Although I had just said it, I guess it needs repeating:

&quot;Many people misinterpret titles or even whole posts. That is often as much the fault of the reader as it is the poster.&quot;

PQ - I most certainly did &quot;get it&quot;. But as usual you're more interested in stirring the pot than - well, than anything.

PQ - the only one screaming here is you, missy.

I miss the old Chez Juju on the beach in the Camargue. You picked the fish you wanted out of a tank and you paid by the weight. It was later grilled over fennel stalks.
In their new location, the fish is frozen and just as expensive.
Here in Boston, when the waitor rattles off the specials I ask the price and noticed few do,

Zeppole

&quot;Plus, you're not buying a filet. You're buying the whole fish -- and it's being completely prepared for you, delivered to your table, your dishes will be washed for you and you are sitting in one of the single most expensive places in the world with respect to fuel costs, transport costs, hiring costs, real estate costs, etc. You might as well be in Iceland.&quot;

Thank you for understanding how expensive it is to operate a resturant.

LynAK,

Your post was innocent and very much appreciated.

Happy traveling everybody!

janis - you may be right or you may be wrong - i do not know

but i do know that many people never read many of the subsequent posts and may jump to most recent post and add their own

this happens all the time - folks posting new posts that show they never read most of the above posts

but if they read the whole thing yes it would be positive

And LynAK has said several times she meant no real dissing of the restaurant.

But that one word in the Headline &lt;Beware&gt; is the type of word that rings negative bells in folks minds i think.

But yes if one read all the posts it would be a great review.

Lyn, I would still be interested to know how big you estimate the fish was. If it was 2kg that's a fair price in a decent restaurant - if it was 1kg or less, it was a rip-off. How many was it serving ?

We had the same fish (Dentex/Breel)at Acqua Pazza and were aware of the high price. When it came out we chuckled thinking there is NO WAY we could eat the whole thing (it was clearly enough for 4 people). The joke was on us as we <b>polished it off</b>.

It was (to us) worth every Euro and one of our most memorable meals in all of Italy.

I think we paid 30 Euros each for some of their local bass at one of those outdoor cafes. They cooked the whole fish on a stick over hot coals and served it with a potato and baby greens. It was good but nothing fancy, so I thought I overpaid(as usual when traveling). However I found the same whole fish at a local store for 15 Euro. Now I feel they were fair(and it was good), especially considering what Italian fisherman pay for diesel.

We are spoiled in the states. Yetsreday I bought the BEST fresh whitefish fillets for $4.99/lb. I BBQ'd with some garlic, basil and lemon. That same fish market has freah Canadian Walleye fillets for $9/lb, after this thread Im going to have fish again tonight.