Silk Road lore at Hong Kong's Sepa

Classical Venetian masks adorn the bar at Sepa in Hong Kong. [Photo by Mike Peters/China Daily]

At Sepa, the presentation-conscious food would please any Venetian prince. Beetroot tartare and tuna with Jerusalem artichoke sauce is as pretty as a picture, each little globe of creamy goodness coated with a fresh, bright-red beetroot jelly. Other multisensory pleasures: razor clams served gratinate and the focaccia topped with anchovies, tomatoes and stracciatella cheese.

Among the mains, the namesake sepa with black cuttlefish ink is a savory delight, though Venetian-style fried salt cod is a bit dry.

We'd seen local reviewers rave about the ravioli filled with veal cheek and Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese, butter and thyme. But for our non-seafood main we opted for crispy veal cheek with rosemary potatoes, wolfing down every bite. Eggplant, served modern style with parmigiano, is also a winner.

The menu finishes strong on sweets, with a popular tiramisu, a semifreddo and green-apple sorbet, and a double-chocolate cake with mango sauce. We chose the semifreddo and the house-made ricotta cake with vanilla ice cream, with its not-so-sweet cheese but luscious creaminess. That was a delight paired with Italian coffee.

That was just the right finish for our Silk Road journey, as it turns out. Guess how coffee got to Europe?Contact the writer at michaelpeters@chinadaily.com.cn

If you go

Sepa Baroco Venezia

5 pm till late, Tuesday-Sunday; 61 Caine Road, in Mid Levels, Central district, Hong Kong. 852-2521-9800.