Over the years, Va Bene has had mixed reviews, including from this keen but amateurish commentator. It is one of those places that have all the pedigree, skill and experience to give you one of the most unique and wonderful Western foody evenings in Hangzhou and in the beginning it failed to deliver. Perhaps the owners of Va Bene group felt it was the ugly little sister stuck in backwater Hangzhou. The food was hit and miss, so was the service. Sadly the bill was always gobsmackingly spot-on and it was easy to leave feeling, frankly, ripped-off.

Something must have changed. Maybe a new manager discovered the Cinderella in Hangzhou. The last few times, dinner has been a great foody evening, and while the bill, for a full meal with wine and after dinner drinks, is not as palatable as the Milanese, you leave feeling it was cash wisely spent.

To look at, Va Bene is a bit of a show-off to take your date. Small cosy rooms in mottled dark reds and wood, low even lighting, beautifully laid-up tables and racks of wine give an air of confident comfort. At last sitting, the beef carpaccio with rocket and parmesan followed by the scaloppini alla Milanese were both exactly right. One cant go too wrong with with carpaccio, but the generous escalopes were crispy without overdoing the perfectly sliced veal. Over the table my friend had a mixed seafood grill with seabass, prawn and squid. Even the squid was cooked al dente.

And after dinner. Not talking about desserts, no sweet tooth here, but the grappa. Shoot down a thick espresso and pour the grappa into the cup. Swill it around and savour. Limoncella served thick from the freezer will have your date swooning…

Va Bene is upstairs from Pizza Pazza, same group of restaurants, and you can enter from there or via Va Bene’s own door behind Pizza Pazza.

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