Veal rearing's vile, but the meat's irresistible; RestaurantSpy BELLA VENEZIA, 54 HIGH STREET, KINGS HEATH, B14 7JZ.

Byline: Paul Fulford

THERE are those, I know, who go all dewy-eyed at the very mention of baby moo-moos, dismissing those who eat veal as savages.

And I respect their views, especially when veal calves are cruelly raised in crates.

But I am a weak man - a man who too often gives into temptation.

And when I enter an Italian restaurant, it is to the section headed 'Veal' that I generally first turn when I'm selecting a main course.

A heavy heart is too often outweighed by a full stomach and tingling tastebuds Here, at this likeable suburban place, I was lured by vitello pizzaiola, one of those solid Italian rustic dishes.

Tender, tasty and moist slices of meat came in a light tomato sauce whose sweetness was nicely balanced by a touch of acidity from the white wine it included.

Garlic and capers added further depth of flavour.

There were some good and buttery sautee spuds together with properly al dente broccoli, cauli-flower and courgette.

My son Ewan chose veal, too. His came with a rich butter and lemon sauce and was well-received.

My wife Lynn's sea bass came with a much lighter lemon sauce.

The fish and sauce were both applauded.

Earlier, we had shared a large plate of rather good cured meats and some perky pickled vegetables.

The spiced salami was especially good, I thought.

But the bread - which the waiter oddly told us came from Italy - was unpleasantly sweet.

And the butter that accompanied the bread came in those horrible little packs.

This was one of the few complaints about a meal that was simple, but well cooked in a homely sort of way.

But another moan - the tiramisu I ordered as dessert tasted no better than one I might have bought from one of the cheaper supermarkets, were I to frequent such establishments.

It was a disappointment at the end of an otherwise pleasant evening.

Neither Lynn nor Ewan wanted desserts.

So Lynn and I finished a bottle of excellent Valpolicella ripasso that buzzed with fruit and complexity while Ewan necked back his cola and scoffed at our descriptions of the wine.

Service throughout was friendly and efficient and the decor was perfectly acceptable.

Verdict How much? pounds 81 for three Vegetarians? Some options Child friendly? Yes Disabled access? OK Parking? On-street Go back? Yes

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Title Annotation:	Features
Publication:	Birmingham Mail (England)
Date:	Jul 30, 2010
Words:	390
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