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Bella
Vita City Grill is an exceptional restaurant that has been satisfying guests
since December 1996. This fine eatery is located on North Country Road in Saint
James at the Colonial Shopping Center.
The
interior of the restaurant has a comfortable and familiar feel to as you
immediately enter. The bar is
directly in front of you upon entrance with a trendy sign reading Bella Vita
City Grill. As you walk past the
bar area, you are lead by a half wall towards the right which leads into one of
two dining rooms. The windows are
adorned with green and white curtains decorated with miniature lights above.
Candles set the mood at each table. The
artwork in the dining room pays homage to famous eateries of New York City –
Paddy’s Clam House (one of the largest and oldest seafood establishments in
New York), Carnegie Deli, and Alleva (oldest Italian cheese store in New York).
A
majority of the original staff from 1996 is still providing outstanding service
at Bella Vita City Grill. Every
staff member encountered by our group that evening was courteous and friendly.
Our waitress, like most of the employees, was knowledgeable not only of
the items on the menu, but about the restaurant’s history and the Cambria
family. Fresh
white bread and slices of crispy baked garlic bread are set out in a silver
spiral metal basket. (below left) The garlic bread was a different approach to the traditional
preparation. It was crispy and
zesty.
Our
first salad was the “The Famous” House Chopped Salad (above right).
It combined fresh roasted peppers, grilled artichokes, black olives,
sundried tomatoes, pecorino romano, pine nuts, chopped mesclun and sweet
balsamic vinaigrette. Patrons have
the option of adding grilled chicken, grilled shrimp, tuna, or seared salmon for
an additional charge to this or any salad.
The dressing added a unique sweetness to the salad and paired well with
the buttery sweet taste of the pine nuts. The
Chopped Salad was extremely flavorful.
The
second salad was quite an attention grabber.
The Bella Vita “Martini Salad” (above) is served tossed inside a
whimsically large martini shaker and strained into an oversized martini glass,
which creates an amazing presentation. As mentioned, by both Anthony and our waitress, some customers have
ordered this salad because they saw it at another table.
Inside the martini shaker are macadamia nuts, dried cranberries, baby
arugula, field greens, and granny smith apples in Chopin vodka citrus
vinaigrette. On a skewer in the
martini dish are bleu cheese stuffed olives and cherry tomatoes.
The macadamia nuts were a huge hit with all of us.
The dressing was light and perfectly proportioned to the amount of salad.
This salad is highly recommended for those that prefer it shaken, not
stirred.
The
first appetizer enjoyed by our table was the Bresaola (above left); a plate of
thinly sliced cured beef, arugula, pine nuts, hearts of palm, shaved grana
padano cheese, and truffle oil. The paper thin slices of imported beef were strategically arranged
around the hearts of palm and shaved grana padano cheese.
This dish was one of the many creative options offered by Bella Vita.
Each bite was quite flavorful with a nice salty finish from the cured
meat. Next we were served the
Australian Lamb Lollipops (above right). The
two lamb chops were pan seared, topped with oreganata breadcrumbs, and laid
against a pile of potato hay. A
delicious aroma emanated from this appetizer.
The lamb was tender and seasoned to perfection.
The crispy and crunchy bed of potato hay assisted with the presentation.
Our
last appetizer, Crispy Fried Calamari, Kung Pao Style (above) was tossed with
scallions, peanuts, sesame seeds in an orange ginger soy glaze.
There was plenty on the plate to share among the group.
The orange ginger soy glaze provided a sweet and tangy finish to each and
every bite. The tender calamari was
lightly battered and prepared perfectly. The scallions added a nice flare to
this treat. Our
first entrée ended up being the table’s absolute favorite – Spiced Pumpkin
Ravioli (below left). A generous
portion of ravioli with roasted pecans was covered in a Frangelico cream sauce
and topped with sweet potato hay. Although
it is considered an autumn dish, it appears on the menu throughout the year.
Each forkful was rich, creamy and delicious.
As the table remarked on the unique sweetness of the dish, Anthony
informed us that this dish is sometimes ordered as a dessert.
We moved onto an entirely different pasta option on the menu, Fresh
Cheese Agnolotti (below right). This
dish had cheese filled half moon pasta, sautéed lobster meat and shrimp in a
light lobster cream sauce. The
creamy sauce was rich and satisfying, and the seafood was tender.
The Fresh Cheese Agnolotti is a light and flavorful option.
Bella
Vita’s Veal Chop (below left) can be grilled to your liking and finished
“steakhouse” style with sea salt and butter.
The side of broccoli rabe was sautéed in oil and garlic.
Both components of the plate were outstanding.
The buttery veal chop was juicy and tender while the meat melted in our
mouths. Our evening was finished
with the Half Roasted “Maple Leaf Farm” Duck (below right) presented
alongside crisp sweet potato gnocchi, seasonal vegetables, and wild berry demi.
A strong sweet aroma was given off by this entrée.
It was an excellent culinary presentation of duck.
The duck was moist and well seasoned.
Crispy sweet potato gnocchi was an interesting side, as it was fresh and
house made. It would be an
excellent option for those in the mood for duck.
The
first dessert sampled was The Famous Chocolate Bag (below left).
Hidden beyond a thin veil of dark chocolate shaped to resemble a
miniature paper bag was white chocolate mousse and fresh berries.
The berries were farm fresh as if hand picked the same day.
The chocolate bag appeared neat and tidy on the plate when it arrived,
but after “ripping” it open, the contents did not remain on the plate long.
The next delicious dessert was the Wild Maine Blueberry Pie (below right).
Fresh baked and served with vanilla gelato and fresh cream on a plate
decorated with confectionary sugar and raspberry sauce.
Once again the freshness of the berries was unbelievable.
The pie was crusty and warm.
The
variety of options created too many favorites to recommend only one particular
dish. Our
recommendation would be to go with a large group and everyone order a different
dish. The
options on the menu are not only creative and unique but completely satisfying.
There were no disappointments at our table.
The items on Bella Vita City Grill’s menu reflect the fusion of Italian
traditions and eclectic American cuisine. It is Anthony’s hope for Vita
Marie’s spirit and joy of cooking to continue to live each day through the
culinary splendor that has been created at Bella Vita City Grill.
As we see it, the excellent service and the incredible cuisine offered
should easily keep Anthony’s vision alive.
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