Owner, David Gonzalez has owned Bella for ten years. He just got back from Italy and obviously loves all things Italian. Lunch is great and you have a lot of space in the evening. Bella shows its true essence within the candles and music. There is even a little lounge area and if you're in the mood, I am sure you could get up and dance if you desire.
The cuisine has a southern heart. There is deepness here at Bella, which counteracts the monolithic tone of the neighborhood. Being that this is a neighborhood place you get the local flavor. However, it is worth the trip from wherever you are. The heart is colorful and at Bella, meaning Beautiful, you feel you are in someone's heart... this is a good feeling. You're safe, comfortable, and you eat well. The food has a personality of it's own.
I am drinking a slightly frizzy red wine from Naples made by a friend of the owner of Bella and to my surprise it is delicious. With one of the finest cuisines in the world, most of the ingredients are organic. Try the gnocchi ravioli and eggplant parmigiana. The tomato sauce is made with
manzano tomatoes, which are grown in volcanic soil in Italy. This agricultural twist gives such an amazing flavor to any dish. In fact, I am sure Italian tomatoes inspire art. Just think of being in the Italian sunshine eating those tasty tomatoes. Mmm... that equals art.
Over my meal I asked David what sparked his love for Italian food and he responded, "Divine intervention." He used to work as a waiter for a Bella Red Dragon and later bought the restaurant from the owner. He made a lot of friends in Southern Italy and ended up staying there for six
years. During this time he studied the culinary arts. David uses the phrase, 'divine intervention' three times in answering this question. He says that this was not the direction he was planning to go in. The world is truly an illogical place. Thank the for Heavens for sweet divine intervention.
