Venetis Restaurant

You'd think finding a place would be easy right?  Driving around Langley (why were we in Langley again???), Emily and I were out-of-ideas (or maybe we were just being picky).  Then I remembered I had an Entertainment coupon for Ignite Cafe which was around the corner from where we were.  However, by the time we got there (8:00pm), they were closing.  Who closes at 8:00pm???  So with only chain restaurants staring us down, Emily suggested we go to Venetis Restaurant.

One of their daily specials was the Escargot for $4.99 with cheese (w/o cheese would be only $3.99.  This was a fairly decent version with lots of goey cheese on top.  However, the seasoning was rather weak with a lack of garlic and butter.  Hence, the escargot was more about texture rather than flavour.  Our meals included the basic Salad Bar that featured green leaf mix, pasta salad, potato salad, beets, baby corn and dressings.  I got a bit of everything and although there was a lack of variety, I was impressed with the freshness of the items.  Besides, I didn't want to waste any of my appetite on veggies where there is steak to be had...

For my main, I had the King Cut Prime Rib with fries.  This massive amount of meat was prepared medium-rare, but more on the rare side.  That is my personal preference, hence, it suited me just fine.  The cap was tender and fatty while the mid-section was more meaty and a touch chewy.  However, it was not difficult to eat at all.  I wasn't all that fond of the gravy on top as I would've enjoyed an au jus instead.  Surprisingly, the fries were house-cut and prepared expertly.  They were crispy and fresh with a natural potato texture inside.  

Unfortunately, the New York Strip was uneven in thickness which also meant the doneness was inconsistent.  One end was past medium while the rest of it was medium-rare.  The small portion that was medium-rare was tender and delicious while most of the steak was dry and overdone.  I did like the smoky and appealing char on the exterior.  Although not the star of the plate, the baked potato was solid being creamy soft inside and loaded with all the usual toppings.

We also got the Veal Oscar featuring Bearnaise with baby shrimp.  Although the breading was a bit thick and lacking in crispiness, the meat inside was tender and exhibited a natural texture.  The sauce was thick and not overly rich while being flavourful with a butteriness and some sweet brininess from the shrimp.  As you can probably guess, Venetis is a restaurant from yesteryear (like circa 1970s) where the decor is dim and full of wood and vinyl.  The menu is traditional and so is the preparation of the food.  Not the sexiest option out there, but solid food for a reasonable price.

The Good:
- Reasonable pricing
- Decent eats
- Well-portioned

The Bad:
- Decor that would fit in with 3's Company (if you know what that is)
- Food is basic