| Ambiance: |  (3.5 / 5) |
| Service: | (3.5 / 5) |
| Value for money: | (3.5 / 5) |
| Toilet: | (4 / 5) |
We actually discovered Bentigodi by mistake, during a long search for another restaurant, in Canneregio aka the Ghetto of Venice. As neither of us fancied the look of the initial choice, we decided to have our second lunch of the day at Bentigodi l’Osteria di Chef Domenico.
On first impressions, despite being nearly empty (we did turn up at just after 2.30pm though), it felt very authentic with its locally sourced art work and unique interior design. I’m also going to make a point about the toilets, as usually they just get a rating but these are worth a description – signposted in pink for girls and blue for boys, the whole area had obviously had time invested into it. Anyway, let’s talk about the good stuff – the food.
Had to take a photo!
Because we were so late in arriving and the kitchen was finishing up for lunch-time service, we were only offered a choice of four dishes. Luckily, we would most likely have opted for two of them anyway, being the lobster pasta and buffalo mozzarella filled ravioli. I chose a class of Tocai, a local Venetian white to go with it.
The wine was presented with a huge basket of bread and smelt and tasted a little like the Marlborough (New Zealand) grape, but with more of an acidic kick. The food arrived within ten minutes and looked very impressive. The lobster proved to be a very generous serving, resulting in neither of us being able to finish it. I’m aware this might make me seem a little uncultured but I can’t understand the fascination behind lobster. So, when I was presented with lobster which resembled a tinned tuna texture, I was intrigued. And, wow did it taste different – I loved the soft, almost stringy texture of the fish, and it had a much stronger taste to the standard lobster out of the shell. However, this may have been a result of the seasoning and flavours that had been mixed in with it.
Half moon pasta with lobster
Ravioli di burrata
The ravioli was delicious, it almost popped when cut into half, with the juices of the creamy buffalo mozzarella oozing everywhere. The accompanying basil and tomato sauce worked perfectly with it too. Both pastas were home-made and you could definitely taste the difference, cooked perfectly al dente, we were very happy with our meals. The only complaint I’d have would be to serve a bigger ravioli portion, and less of the lobster. However, I can understand the intricacies of such a dish and it’s rare to find a decent sized ravioli portion in any restaurant.
Recommendation
Slightly expensive, but you can be sure that everything has been made in house and with the freshest ingredients possible. If you fancy typical Venetian cusine, with a more modern twist, then definitely pay a visit to Bentigodi d’Osteria di Chef Domenico.
Extra Information:
Address: Sestiere Cannaregio, 1423, 30121 Venezia, Italy
Phone: +39 041 822 3714
Website: http://www.bentigodi.com/eng/index.htm
NTK: Try the Tocai wine, and ask for recommendations when ordering.
