We're back in Milton for dinner time! But, this isn't country, homecooking. Instead, it's a bit higher end cuisine at The Venetian Restaurant. 



The Venetian Restaurant is one part of The Venetian Estate, which also includes an event venue and pub. I've previously been to the pub, which is nice but more casual.



When Dawn and I came to check it out, there was a bit of confusion on whether we would be able to join or not because we didn't have a reservation. So we waited for a bit and then were guided to a table in a room off to the left near a wine cabinet. 



The space here really is lovely. It's like a classic home with lots of lovely touches. The service didn't necessarily match the ambiance, though. It was a little hectic and unorganized, but once we finally had a server it was smooth sailing. We started off with some rolls and butter. A little chilly so it was tough to spread, but tasty nonetheless.



Dawn ordered a few appetizers as her main meal, which she was generous to let me sample. First, soft pretzels and beer cheese. I really enjoyed the flavor, though the cheese texture was a bit grainy and began to separate. 



The meatballs were different ... the ground beef had a little funk to it - not necessarily in a bad way. But almost gamey. And the sauce was sweet with a twang. I appreciate that this was a little different, but not necessarily to my tastes.



But for my appetizer, I went with these little beef wellingtons. I've never had beef wellington before, so I was excited for this. They were like mini, savory, tender pieces of beef enrobed in puff pastry with a thick gravy for dipping. It was very savory, and I would've loved like a sour cream or something light and creamy as a relief from the savory.



My entree was scallops and grits. It looked  a little sparse, but still had some great flavors. The scallops were a bit smaller than the giant ones you may see elsewhere, but they had a very light sear and slight sweetness.



Finally, dinner was a bourbon butter cake. It was a pretty dense, almost cornbread like slice topped with ice cream and berries. It wasn't very sweet - most of that came from the berries and ice cream. But I enjoyed it.

Grade: B