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232 Beach Avenue, Port Aransas, Texas 78373, 361-749-7617 |
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What People are Saying.... |
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Sep 24, 2008 |
“Excellent Dining Experience”
www.tripadvisor.com
What a great gem.
The menu of fresh fish, beef, and pasta was superb. The wine list was also outstanding for such a small ristorante.
The food was delicious, and it was well presented and innovative (potatoes cut to look like big mushrooms, for instance).
The service was impeccable.
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AUG 26, 08
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“Truly fine dining”
www.tripadvisor.com
The Venetian Hot Plate looks like everyplace else in Port Aransas -- like a weathered beach shack. But inside, the interior has been transformed into a comfortable and elegant Italian restaurant.
Prices are high at the Venetian Hot Plate, but the food is uniformly excellent. I got shrimp in a butter sauce and my dining companion got tortellini in a gorgonzola sauce. Portions were generous (she had enough to take home for lunch the next day), and everything was sooo good. The meals come with salad. The dessert we tried (cinnamon chocolate creme brulee) was out of this world!
The service was reserved but friendly and efficient. While you can dress casually at the Venetian Hot Plate, the restaurant is truly fine dining best suited to adults. It's expensive, but we loved our meal and would definitely come again the next time we are in Port Aransas.
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JUNE 16, 08 |
“Wonderful food, nice atmosphere, good service”
www.tripadvisor.com
0/1 found this review helpful
We try to make it down to Port A every year (sometimes in the summer, sometimes in the winter). We always save one evening for dinner at the Venetian Hot Plate. We've never been disappointed. The food is delish, great wines, and the desserts are to die for (be sure to try to creme brulee)! Being a vegetarian makes it difficult to find a really nice meal (other than a salad or baked potato) in a fishing town, but Venetian Hot Plate always has something wonderful and meat-free on their menu. We highly recommend!
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APRIL 19, 08 |
“Best restaurant in Port Aransas by far!!!”
www.tripadvisor.com
We spend a lot of time in Port Aransas because we have a condo there. We have eaten at the Venetian Hot Plate numerous times and we love it. We have eaten every place in Port Aransas many times over the years and the VHP wins as the best restaurant in Port A hands down. The owner, Linda, is Italian from the Venice area. She is just a fantastic restauranteur. They are open for both lunch and dinner. The lunch menu is more limited than the dinner menu and is completely different, focusing on panini's and salads, with a few pastas and fish dishes available. There is a daily special board with about six or seven specials listed each day. At dinner, the menu is more extensive and there are even more specials on the board. If you are in the mood for seafood, the fish dishes at the VHP will thrill you -- fresh catches posted daily prepared in various types of special ways. There are also steaks and veal chops as well as a great assortment of pasta dishes. When you plan to visit Port A, call Linda well in advance for a reservation. You don't need a reservation for lunch, but at dinner on the weekends you need a reservation for sure and it would be best to call by Thursday for a Friday or Saturday night dinner. Enjoy! This is probably the best restaurant in all of South Texas. The restaurant is located on the corner of Beach and Station Streets, near the beach. It's an orange building with an awning. Dress is smart casual.
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AUG 21, 08
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www.yelp.com
I was told by my friend before visiting Port A to set my sites on food about here, knee level, and expect here, waist level. Then I couldn't be too disappointed in the food there. Oh, and expect everything fried.
Our experience at the Hot Plate was more like, here (neck level.) The service was outstanding. We came in around 9:30, about 30 minutes before closing and were never rushed. Our server waited until we were obviously through with each course to remove our plates and then bring out the next course.
I don't think there were any fried seafood selections on the menu and all of the seafood was a fresh as it could be on the island.
We shared everything starting with their appertizer of white wine braised mussels, clams, scallops, and shrimp. It was delicious and the broth was great for dipping our bread into. After the starter we shared their special salad, a grilled romaine heart topped with a basalmic reduction, crisp pancetta, and shaved parmesan. We finished with their Tuna steak special. A perfectly grilled to rare-med rare tuna steak over saffron risotto, with haricot verts sauteed with tomato and pancetta, and some white whine and red onion sauteed shrimp. Damn it was goood.
Best seafood on the island. As good as anything you could find in the city. And an impressive Bottle Only list.
Will definately return.
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AUG 18, 08 |
www.yelp.com
The Venetian Hot Plate is something of rare elegance. It is a 5-star restaurant with 5-star service and 5-star food in a town that definitely isn't all that "5-star."
I visited this amazing place this past Saturday night for my girlfriend and her sister's birthday. By pure dumb luck, we picked this restaurant out of the "Port Aransas Vacation Guide," and figured we better call to make reservations. They were all booked up--but managed to fit us in at 9:15--and thank God they did! I wasn't expecting much, especially after driving around town and seeing some of the local restaurants. Not that they all look bad--it's just that they don't look like they would have any chance of living up to the quality of a major city like Houston, Dallas, Austin or San Antonio. But, wow, was I wrong!
This place has the best service of ANY restaurant I have EVER eaten at. It was phenomenal. The hostess was pleasant and responsive. The waitress was amazing. The buss boys were on top of everything. It's so rare to have really perfect service these days, that when it happens--you remember. Not once did anyone in our party ever have the slightest complaint about any of the service all night. Truly amazing.
Now for the food--some of the best food I've ever had. Easily on par with any of the 5-star restaurants of Houston, Dallas, Austin or San Antonio. The Calamari appetizer was fresh, tasteful and delicious. The wine selection was great. The entrees were heavenly--every one of them. We all took our first bites took a look around and everyone had the same reaction: "This is SO good!" And, of course as you might expect, the dessert was amazing. It truly is hard to find anything wrong with the meals and experience we had.
Now, the decor might not be *quite* as nice as some other restaurants in the larger cities--but for Port Aransas, it was definitely a nice surprise. Very quaint, cozy, romantic and clean. Everything you're looking for in a nice, relaxing dinner.
So next time you're in Port A and looking for quality beyond what's expected--I highly, highly advise you try the Venetian Hot Plate. You'll thank me later. |
SEPT. 05 |
Venetian Hot Plate given Editor's Choice award
Texas Co-op Power magazine - September, 2005
Kaye Northcott, Editor "As one would expect, fresh seafood is one of the restaurant's specialties, but it also offers astonishingly good specials made with veal and lamb. Even the simplest salads and side dishes are worth the drive. The Hot Plate, named fro the sizzling cast iron plates on which some dishes are served, has the perfect Caesar salad, a great polenta, and heavenly spinach in lemon juice, olive oil and garlic. |
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JULY 05
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"This is a NICE place. It's a great alternative to typical beach burger and shrimp shacks. As someone traveling alone, I received straightforward recommendations and aweseome service which was much needed by the time I arrived here. If you are looking for very good service, desire a clean, contempory atmosphere or just craving some italian food and wine, try this place. They do take reservations, which may be necessary depending on the day/crowds. Truly a bright spot during my stay." Review on Tripadvisor.com
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NOV. 05 |
“Among the best food wise. It certainly can hold its own! Moderately expensive, but well worth it.”
- Cheryl, from San Antonio, TX posted on mytravelguide.com
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MAR. 04 |
Submitted by David Gallagher at Restaurants.com
My family discovered the Venetian Hotplate on a vacation a few years ago and it has now become a tradition. A vacation to Port Aransas wouldn't be complete with a dining experience at the Venetian |
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SEPT. 03 |
"The Venetian Hot Plate Restaurant in Port Aransas, TX is the very best Italian food in this part of the United States. It is authentic as opposed to all the other Italian restaurants in the area. There is no contest and it truly deserves 5 Stars." Review on Tripadvisor.com |
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AUG. 2000 |
"Venetian Hot Plate serves fare to remember"
Corpus Christa Caller Times |
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232 Beach Avenue, Port Aransas, Texas 78373, 361-749-7617
Hours of operation:
SUMMERTIME - Memorial Day to Labor Day:
Tuesday thru Saturday 5:00 p.m. - 10:00 p.m.
Closed Sundays and Mondays.
Open on Sundays of Labor Day and Memorial Day Weekends, when apply.
REST OF THE YEAR :
Dinner Tues, Wed, Thurs 5:00 p.m. to 9:00 p.m., Friday, Saturday 5:00 p.m. to 10:00 pm.m.
Closed Sundays and Mondays.
* Reservations are strongly suggested.
* Call to reserve your special occasion. Daytime hours available forluncheons, meetings, parties.
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