Bella Bella Good (Bella Italia in General)

Member Name: oldchem

Product:	Bella Italia in General
Date:	14/05/09 (20 review reads)
Rating:

Advantages: Good food reasonably priced

Disadvantages: Some tables are a little cramped

My first visit to a Bella Italia was a couple of weeks after returning from a holiday at Lake Como. My 10 year old son was very impressed that he could use his newly aquired snatches of Italian as the waitress greeted us in Italian, he spent the meal throwing in what few words and phrases he had picked up in Italy!!

Bella Italia is a chain of restaurants that used to be called Bella PAsta.

The restaurant we visited was in Lancaster, our home town, and at that time I didn't realise that it was part of a chain.
I must say that we enjoyed our meal and found the prices reasonable, consequently we have returned several times since. It is on all of these visits that I base this review.

RESTAURANT.......Our local Bella Italia is on the corner of Church Street, Lancaster, and is like a little piece of Italy in the midst of Lancashire. It is a small restaurant but - a little like the Tardis - seems bigger inside. A few tables and chairs are placed around the restaurant so on a nice day it's an ideal place to sit with a cup of frothy cappuccino or glass of wine and watch the world go by, especially on market day.

Some of the tables inside the restaurant are a bit cramped, but generally the atmosphere and comfort is fine and there is a definate Italian feel to the whole experience.

FOOD..........as you would imagine the menu is Italian, and I and all my family have always been very pleased with everything we have ordered.
I have never eaten there of an evening but we often have the special lunchtime offer which is from a set menu that is served in Lancaster between 12.00 and 5.00 pm, the cost is 1 course £5.95, 2 courses £7.95, 3 courses £9.95. The meals are chosen from the following menu :

FIRST COURSE
Whole flat mushroom topped with cream, pancetta bacon and mozzarella cheese, baked in the oven.

Half a red Pepper stuffed with goats cheese, tomato and basil, served with salad garnish drizzled with balsamic dressing.

Toasted ciabatta topped with roasted vegetables in a warm mayonnaise and pesto sauce

SECOND COURSE

Thin Crust pizza topped with tomato, mozzarella, goats cheese and dolcelatte.

Spicy pepperoni, chicken, roasted peppers and red onion in a spicy tomato sauce baked in the oven with penne.

Mushrooms, spinach and penne pasta sautéed in a white wine and dolcelatte cheese sauce.

DESSERT
Sundae of vanilla ice cream, chocolate sauce
and chocolate crunch, served with a café curl.

As well as this offer there is also a excellent A La Carte Menu and a blackboard with specials of the day.

My favourite meal I have eaten there is the Risotto Fruiti di Mare, a creamy risotto with prawns, mussels and calamari sautéed with green chilli and garlic - it is priced at £8.95 and is very good value for money.
FACILITIES AND OFFERS.....The restaurant is not really suitable for wheelchair users as there is no step-free access and the toilets are down fairly steep stairs, however there is outside seating available
There is also a Braille menu available for any non seeing customers and also a large print menu.

Children are very well catered for at the restaurant, as well as the baby changing facilities and high chairs available there is an excellent children's menu which offers a play pack, a main course, dessert and drink for £4.95.
The choices on the menu are :
MAIN COURSES

Molly's Macaroni Cheese
Macaroni cheese with peas and sweetcorn

Meatballs and Mash
Small meatballs in a tomato sauce with mashed potato

Penny's Cheesy Tomato Pasta with Chicken
Spaghetti with a cheesy tomato and vegetable sauce and strips of breadcrumbed chicken breast. This is also available without chicken.

Sophie Spaghetti's Bolognaise
Spaghetti topped with a meaty bolognaise with peas and sweetcorn.

Pete's Pizza Plus One
Cheese and tomato pizza with one extra topping - either Ham,Pepperoni or Mushroom

Freddie's Fish Fingers
Chunky fish fingerswith chips and
either a side salad or vegetables

DESSERT

Ice cream
Either Strawberry, Vanilla, Chocolate or Toffee
Fruit fl avoured Jelly - Strawberry or Orange
Banana and custard

The children can choose from the following drinks and if thy require a top up they can have one for just 50p,
Coke, Diet Coke,
Fanta Orange,
Lemonade,
Orange Squash,
Apple &
Blackcurrant
Squash,
Milk
Fruit Juices -
Apple, Orange or Pineapple
There are even carrot and cucumber dipping
Sticks with mayo or ketchup for them to nibble on.

There are also student discounts available at the restaurant and Tesco Clubcard vouchers can be redeemed there and there are vegetarian choices.

All in all the whole experience of dining at the restaurant was very pleasant and reasonably priced

Summary: A great experience for a little taste of Italy in England