SEPA Bacaro Veneziano | Hong Kong

Rating: ❤❤❤❤

We actually stumbled upon this Venetian bacaro on our way to another place for lunch and decided to try this instead. Hong Kong has a lot of Italian restaurants but none that specializes in Venetian cuisine to my knowledge. I just love the quaint exterior of the restaurant which looks like it could be straight out of Venice. The inside was equally impressive with its rustic design along with Venetian themed decor such as the glittering golden masks hanging from the chandeliers to the colorful glass on the walls. Even the staff dresses like a gondolier with their white and blue stripes shirt. 

Sepa means cuttlefish in Venetian dialect and their menu is simple which consists mainly of small plates and a few choices of pastas, mains and desserts. 

"Basotto" egg with "bagna cauda" sauce, zucchini and potato foam ($88) - the portion was surprisingly small but what it lacked in size, it made up in terms of flavors. The gorgeous orange liquid yolk spilled from the egg easily and blended in very well with the deliciously rich and creamy foam. The quinoa on top was a nice touch as well. [4/5]

Croquettes filled with ricotta and olives ($98) - the croquettes were pretty disappointing though with its rock-like crusts and bland fillings. I had a hard time pinning down my croquette with my fork because the crust was almost too hard to penetrate while the olive flavor was faint and mild. Even the tomato sauce couldn't save it. [2.5/5]

Parma ham and burrata focaccia ($158) - focaccia is pretty similar to a pizza and it was well-made here with a crispy crust while flavorful as the dough had been seasoned with olive oil and salt. The toppings of parma ham and burrata went well with the focaccia but again the portion was pretty small for the price. [3.5/5]

SEPA with black cuttlefish ink ($158) - one of the signature dishes here and it was amazing as the cuttlefish was very tender while the saltiness of the ink sauce was very well balanced with the slightly sweet potato foam. The only detractor from this dish was that they neglected to remove the beak from our cuttlefish. [4.5/5] 

Ravioli filled with veal cheek and parmigiano cheese with butter and thyme ($158) - the ravioli was cooked al dente but the skin was a bit thick so the pasta felt kind of tough on the first bite as you chew through the skin. The fillings were flavorful but I guess I'd have expected more intense flavors from the veal cheek.[4/5]

Verdict - not all of the dishes were a home run but in general the quality was great but the portions can be rather small for the price. I did enjoy the setting and ambiance of SEPA while the service was attentive and excellent on the whole. A great place to grab a few nibbles for a light lunch or even dinner. 

SEPA Bacaro Veneziano
61 Caine Road, Mid-Levels 
+852 2521 9800
http://www.sepa.com.hk/


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