2 Veneti

The rustic brick walls and prints of Palladian villas give the game away; the food of Venice and its surrounding countryside is the forte here. But while 2 Veneti is popular with local office workers and other regulars, it is unlikely to attract homesick Venetians if the cooking remains as disappointingly uneven as it was on our visit. The kitchen can yield treats such as grilled polenta slabs topped with octopus in tomato sauce, and baccalà mantecato (cod purée) - just like the cicchetti (tapas-like snacks) found in Venetian wine bars. But at the same time it can also deliver a dismally chewy, woolly fritto misto. This selection of battered fried fish is one of the mainstays of Venetian cuisine and it's a shame a restaurant that prides itself on its origins should offer such a substandard version. We consoled ourselves with good battered deep-fried courgette sticks, another cicchetti staple, accompanying them with refreshingly dry prosecco. The textbook tiramisu here is not to be missed; along with the astounding selection of grappa and Veneto wines, and the friendly service, it helped lessen the disappointment of unfulfilled promises.