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by Manos Angelakis
Ristorante De Pisis
Bauer Il Palazzo
San Marco 1459
30124 Venezia
Italy
Tel: +39 041 2406879
Venice is a fairly early city, so when we debarked at the dock next to De Pisis around 7:30 p.m. and the restaurant was almost empty, I was rather surprised. When we left after a leisurely and very enjoyable dinner, every table was occupied and the room was humming. It turns out that De Pisis is one of a few Venetian restaurants where one can have a late, high quality meal accompanied by excellent wines. Actually, De Pisis is the restaurant for Il Palazzo at the Bauer, a club-style boutique “hotel within a hotel”, a historic 18th century  Palace attached to the famous 5 star Hotel Bauer, on the Grand Canal. Even though dinner is supposedly served only until 10:30 p.m., we have been told that prospective diners are not turned away, even after that time.
Top toque at De Pisis is Giovani Ciresa, an acclaimed chef who straddles classic Italian and Asian cuisines. His sophisticated, cosmopolitan sensibility transforms regional Italian dishes with Asian cooking methods and spices, creating some rather unusual offerings. Unfortunately, Chef Ciresa was not there the evening we dined at De Pisis, so we did not have a chance to interview him. Additionally, the weather looked rather threatening - there was a downpour the night before - so a decision was made not to eat at the outdoor terrace, overlooking the Grand Canal, and instead sit indoors in the classic Venetian restaurant room.
The room was decorated in a grand fashion with rose-marble floors; green Venetian painted ceilings, and gold silk damask with heavy braid trim covering the walls. A large mirror hung on the wall opposite the doors opening onto the porch, reflecting the Grand Canal and the Madonna della Salute Church across.
Brought to the table, were vegetable chips made of beetroot, eggplant and potato. Crispy and delicious and not overly salty, they were a welcome variation to the ubiquitous grissini (very thin breadsticks).
Paolo Federici, the quality manager, greeted us after we were seated and while we were having our Bellini, the ubiquitous Venetian drink that everyone now serves. The Bellini is a blend of white-peach nectar (or pulp) and Prosecco, but the quality of the Prosecco can make or break this drink. In this case the  Prosecco was very dry with a small bead, of the highest quality.
The amuse bouche was raw tuna fashioned in the shape of a rose, with shaved cucumber and Asian mushrooms, and decorated with an orange-essence reduction.
A “Summer Flavours” menu was available; it was varied, with unusual offerings and we considered it a good substitute for a tasting menu.
The first flavor was Buffalo Mozzarella Ravioli, filled with Mozzarella and Basil Cream, with a Tomato Coulis.
The second was Melon and Spider Crab, Sea Asparagus and Coral Sauce, an interesting and unusual use of seaweed (sea asparagus) and roe (coral) from the crab.
 The next was Ravioli with Liquid Fennel Cream, fried Anchovies and Ginger. In this dish, the East/West influences became readily apparent.
Then came Roasted Monkfish with Black Olive Oil, Vegetable Salad and Coriander. The olive oil was blackened with sepia ink.
The taste following was a Veal Fillet in a Salt Crust, Rösti Potatoes and Morel Mushrooms. Though the menu indicated it was supposed to be prepared tableside, our plates came disappointingly straight from the kitchen. The only omission during the meal.
Next were Gorgonzola Cheese Mousse Rolls and Beatroot Marinated in Vinegar.
Following were glasses full of very fresh Raspberries. Absolutely aromatic and delightful.
 The last item was supposed to be a Bitter Chocolate cake with “Pepper Ice-cream”. Now, I had my reservations about Pepper Ice cream, but I have to admit my reservations were unfounded. The combination, though unusual, worked well.
Finally, with espresso, appeared a tray of five tarts with different flavored custards, each identified by the fresh fruit sliver on top. A treat to the eye and the palate. Nice and refreshing and a fitting end to a unique dining experience.
To accompany this multiple taste extravaganza we ordered a bottle of 1999 Brunello di Montalcino from the well known Mastroyanni winery. It paired very well with our dinner; unfortunately we were unaware that Francesca Bortolotto Possati, Bauer’s Chairperson and CEO, owns a good winery in Friuli and that the wines were available in the restaurant. I would have been interested to see how these wines tasted and paired with the dishes we had.
 Another interesting item we found out following our return to the States was that the hotel company will be inaugurating on October 5th a pollution-free vaporetto to transfer guests to and from the new Bauer property across the Grand Canal, in Giudecca. The electrically operated boat has solar panels on the roof that accumulate enough energy to transport 12 passengers, at maximum speed of 9 miles per hour, with no exhaust fumes and no noise. Called the B Mare, (and unofficially the Barca Rossa) it will be the first of a new type of boats destined to eventually replace the current vaporetti and motoscafi (Venice’s waterborne busses and taxis) with non polluting nautical vehicles that are cost and energy efficient. Congratulations to Mrs. Bortolotto for her innovative and environmentally favorable foresight.
To read a review of an other outstanding Venetian restaurant, please click here Antico Pignolo.
© October 2006 LuxuryWeb Magazine. All rights reserved.
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