Carb overload at Venice Cafe

Today was a staple - Venice Cafe. I've been going to this place for years, although Italian is not one of my favorite cuisines. I mean, I enjoy good Italian food, but I probably have it ten percent less frequently than the average American (statistic source: National DEMAK Analysts).

The one thing that Venice does really, really well is mashed potatoes. These are some really good mashers - with a tasty rosmary gravy. My entree was a pork tenderloin, which, frankly, was disappointing. But I'm always a fan of the "swirly" rolls that come as sides for the pasta and chef's specials.

Speaking of chef's specials...today was a banner day. I received the ninth stamp on my "buy ten, get one free" card. That means that two Venice trips from now my tortellinis will be, as the French say, gratis.

By the way...the tortellini at Venice is probably my favorite dish. I don't really like pizza, and I've never had the calzones (but many of my co-workers swear by them).

Ultimately, the best thing about Venice is that one time, the girl behind the counter was wearing a t-shirt that said "I only support gay marriage if both chicks are hot."

I can't think of a better reason to eat there than that.

Venice Cafe is located at 250 S. Wacker Dr. Today's meal cost $8.72.