Bella Italia Restaurant Review
As we approached Bella Italia in Lancaster on a balmy summers’ evening, we agreed how inviting the restaurant appeared, with an outdoor seating area for enjoying a coffee or glass of wine with friends whilst watching the world go by and floor to ceiling windows that open to make you feel like you are outside.
As we entered the restaurant, although it was early evening there were quite a few people dining – a range from businessmen to families, a testament to the success of the restaurant and how excellent yet value for money the food is. We were met by Chris, the Manager, who seated us by the window, took our drinks order (a refreshing Pimm’s for me and a coke for my partner – the designated driver!) and left us to browse the food menu.
Whilst looking through the menus we noticed the variety of different foods to suit all tastes and budgets. As a vegetarian, I noticed a multitude of different dishes that were suitable. The menu also states that gluten free options are available and sauces or pasta can be substituted for different ones on request.
When Chris came to take our orders, for starters I chose the Panè Bella – a selection of house breads with a spinach and mascarpone dip and my partner chose the Anti Pasto Misto – cured Italian ham, mixed salami with olives, tomato and basil bruschetta, which we shared the vegetarian parts of and the bread of mine. My Panè Bella consisted of flatbreads, ciabattas and bread fingers which were beautifully fresh, toasted but not too crunchy. The spinach and mascarpone sauce was wonderfully smooth, creamy and thick – the perfect accompaniment to the bread.
For main course, I was torn between my favourite three cheese pizza, mushroom risotto and a roasted vegetable pizza. I eventually decided on the Pesto Rosso é Legumi – a pizza topped with olives, cherry tomatoes red onions, mushrooms, mascarpone and buffalo mozzarella on a red pesto base. This was by far the best choice as the pizza was complemented by the succulent mushrooms, the onions were sprinkled with rosemary, the tomatoes were juicy and the mascarpone was creamy – a perfect fusion of flavour. My partner chose Pollo Alla Crema – chicken breast, pancetta, roasted peppers and red onion penne in an Italian wine sauce, baked in the oven and topped with parmesan which had a wide range of textures and flavours – especially the red peppers which added a hint of sweetness. The dish was also creamy and the chicken was particularly tender and fresh.
After a short interlude, we were given the desserts menu – although we had both ear marked sweets that we liked the sound of before even deciding on our earlier courses!
My partner chose ‘The Godfather’ - nutty chocolate fudge brownies, vanilla and chocolate ice cream with chocolate crunch, hot chocolate sauce, fresh cream and wafer curls – the perfect challenge for a chocoholic! Being a combination of textures and tastes; rich and creamy, chewy, crunchy and gooey; the dessert was full of naughty treats. I chose the Torta Limone - three layered lemon tart with a biscuit crumb, lemon sponge, smooth lemon cheesecake and zesty lemon custard served with a pot of cream on the side. I found the sweet biscuitty base complemented the zesty lemon topping. Both were the perfect end to a delicious meal.
Whilst we finished off our desserts, we agreed that the service although attentive had not been overbearing and all members of staff had been friendly and polite – something we noticed right from walking in the door. With the mixture of rustic Italian food and décor, combined with special offers and great customer service, we truly enjoyed our visit to Bella Italia, one that although hasn’t been the first, certainly won’t be the last.
Review by Sarah Twist
