Could this be the best 2-star in the Venice area? I have a feeling that it is. I experienced a new Venetian gastronomy here and really enjoyed meeting the chef at the end of the night to give him my stamp of approval. In the car on the way I had no idea what we were in for, it didn’t strike me as a place for tourists, everybody was Italian in the dining room which was very pleasant. The only negative spotted quite early on was the service, this and the food being two separate entities. Was there a language barrier? Did they prefer Italian guests? Nobody knows the answer, but one thing I do know is that we were not sat watching the opera, it was something comparable to a garish pantomime gone wrong, everybody forgot their lines, or they didn’t know what they were supposed to be doing in the first place. This is a shame because I rate the chef, and the front of house are especially important people in this show to bring the back and front together, dancing as one collaborative group.
Overall if we are talking about the food alone, I was thoroughly impressed both with the way the ingredients were used together, and the level of cookery on show, it was high. Everything I ate was precise, but pure and true, yet still giving a personal feel, dishes that you could connect with. The kitchen want you to be happy, to feel their ethos and vision. Also keeping in mind, the elements: Water, land, fire, and air. There were some real wow moments with the taste and some serious preparation with the shellfish- The best I have experienced in this form. These guys know what they are doing…
The snacks at the very start were simple and clean, not too heavy, perfect for what was to follow. The breads and crackers were delightful, the loaf rustic, still with a coating of flour on the top. (This might not please some bakers as they like to brush the excess off, but I didn’t mind it) It gave me a ‘just came out the oven’ homemade feel. They might have needed this extra flour if it was a high hydration dough.
To start on this culinary journey, I took the scallops with cocoa butter. Topped with black truffle, hazelnut juice, herb pesto, and lacquered coral with barbecue sauce. Wow what a combination, delivering the perfect balance of flavours, delicious after every single mouthful. The scallop itself was faultless and impactful. I put my knife and fork down after the first bite and said, “This is very good.”
Next, it just had to be Cera’s classic dish: The risotto of the lagoon. I have come across many risottos now in Italy, and I still stand by what I say- It is hard to make one that really stands out and knocks your socks off. This one did… Something so simple as cooking risotto rice appears to be easy but it is one of these processes requiring a lot of attention to detail, because you see everything- The rice must be al dente, if not don’t bother serving it. Here it was beautifully cooked, with prominent bite. Cuttlefish, clams, crabs, mantis, shrimp, and prawns are all featured in it creatively, you can feel the lagoon. The taste absolutely knock out. If you take a little bit of each element first and then mix it altogether, you will struggle to find your words. Exceptional.
Then, we have a showstopper, the Catalana. This is the dish to take if you come here, don’t leave without trying it! You have the option of sharing it between two people or you can take it for one, which is what I did. Where do we start? Well, the preparation of the shellfish was one of the most precise and perfect to date from where I was sitting. I felt it very clearly. You have lobster, scampi, prawns, mantis shrimp, tomato, tropea onion, potatoes, celery, carrots and pantelleria capers. Each element, which requires different cooking time, came together as one. The potatoes still had some give which I liked, all the vegetables too, the flavours melded together elegantly even though the whole thing looked rustic. Don’t judge a book by its cover when you see this, a lot of work has gone into it with love, care and meaning, but with hidden complexity and spell bounding technique.
After that I was full, but what was next? Yes, I had another course coming and it had to be pasta. I could not leave without trying one here. Coming from the vegetable section: Green leek tortellini (Toasted leek stock and miso, 24-month Parmesan cheese.) This is what I was expecting: Perfect pasta making, incorporated into a technically solid vegetarian course. It didn’t wow me as much as the other dishes, but it was a terrific addition to the menu.
It was odd when the petit fours came out before the desserts. (I thought that the waiters had forgotten about them.) “Okkkk…” I murmured. But no, low and behold they came afterwards, which was a first- How bizarre. The pastry section was just as impressive as the cuisine, everything we ate was at the same level with nothing lacking, we finished off this fantastic meal on a food high. Chef Cera impressed me, and I would return for him and his food, but as a whole, now this is a tricky one because the dining room needs training and more work to align with the excellence in the kitchen. I would be inclined to return when this is ironed out. But for now, I am not sure if I would make the journey again when in Venice, let us see. This just shows you how important the whole experience is in a two-star restaurant.
