Venédia Grancaffè — Restaurant in Hong Kong Island

Finally tried this newly opened resto by octavo group. I have heard lots mixed reviews, so I had lower my expectations, turns out I think it was ok.. maybe I got lucky , there were hits and misses, but at least not as bad as some reviews had mentioned.

We ordered Tuna focaccia sando, red prawns linguine, grilled octopus salad, and dessert apple tart and tiramisu.

First of all, I was impressed by the complimentary bread, it was served warm, taste good and soft, and the olive oil taste great too.

the tuna sando, The look of the sando was really tempting, but it was not as good as it seems, it was not bad, but not like “wow” as I thought it would be.

red prawn linguine, saw some quite opposite comments… well, I liked the prawn’s semi-sashimi texture a lot, so fresh and tasty, the red prawn pasta sauce was full of umami too, but the downside was the linguine was undercooked, not al dente.. is literally crunchy and hard in some point .. it would be great if it was perfectly cooked al dente.. and it was served in two separate plates as we were sharing, so nice of them, but I prefer they serve it in one plate so I could take nicer photos 😂

octopus salad .. nothing special .. No need to order ..

The desserts - tiramisu was pretty good, delicious and authentic .. but the apple tart was such a disappointment. It doesn’t look or taste like a tart and I couldn’t find any apple 😂 don’t bother to order this one..

Overall, I think everything was just average and pricy.. if I didn’t lower my expectations, I would be disappointed for sure. I can see why there were lots negative reviews, as ppl would expect more from octavo group and the name of chef Roland Schiller.. and in terms of the price, there are lots other alternatives in the area. (Love their interior decor and the beautiful cutleries though, and the service was not bad on the day I went.) I think they could do better, just need to ensure...

I made the reservation weeks ago, specifically requested the table located near the window and re-confirmed it the day before. When I checked in, the receptionist began by saying that because my reservation was late at 1pm ( I was there 20 minutes early and the table was not occupied), she would not be able to seat me there. I just told her not to say anything more but just showed me to the table. I later saw two ladies being seated next to our table and they were well heeled customers ( Bombana later came to greet them at their table). That did not go well. The food was good but not exceptional for the price they charged. Our lunch bill for 4 pax, with a modestly priced Italian Chardonnay and their fixed lunch menu came to $4,000. The ambience of the restaurant was nice, however, inside the restaurant towards the centre was very noisy due to poor acoustics. The walls and ceilings were wood and hard surface. Service was mediocre and staff were generally not motivated to serve or please their customers. Overall, I would give this restaurant a pass. There are just too many better choices of restaurant for the...

Was invited by a friend who I hadn't met for years to Venédia. Positioned in the busiest Central area, the entrance was pretty eye-catching. Very nice decorations and the team looked professional in their uniform.

Beef Carpaccio $280 Made with Scottana sirloin and extra virgin olive oil, the carpaccio tasted fresh and smooth. Simple yet elegant appetizer.

Fresh Tagliatelle $280 Tagliatelle with 36-hour three cuts beef ragout. Super tender beef. The stew was concentrated too. Well-flavored and the texture of pasta was perfect.

Food-wise we were pretty satisfied. However my friend was upset about the service especially they served the wrong dish to her. We ordered a bottle of champagne but the team was not prompt enough to refill our empty glasses, even we didn't drink fast😅no one bothered to refill the water glasses until we asked. More training should be given to the...