Bella Trattoria- Manayunk, PA

On this VERY hot and humid Saturday night in Philadelphia, Joe and I definitely needed the comfort air conditioning so it was without hesitation that we passed right by the sidewalk dining and stepped into the cool and welcoming building of Bella Trattoria. After reading the specials, our waitress dropped off a basket of warm bread that offered a pleasant surprise of knotted garlic twists that were a cross between pretzels and bread. I am not a fan of garlic, but was able to brush off the fresh piece and they were delicious!

Joe opted for the two specials: a beet salad that was prepared with raw red onion, goat cheese, and pine nuts. His entrée was crab stuffed flounder in a creamy white wine butter sauce (both of our entrees were served with large potato wedges and broccoli. The broccoli was delicious and almost tasted like artichokes--- which I love). Side bar- For whatever reason Joe ordered a cup of coffee and then realized it’s 90 degrees and 100% humidity out, so he added ice to it.

To begin, I ordered the Insalata Mediterranea: mixed greens, radicchio, artichoke hearts, grilled eggplant, asparagus and tomatoes with balsamic vinaigrette. This was my perfect salad. Everything was well balanced, individually well seasoned and the vinaigrette was so delicious that we ended up dipping our bread in it! My entrée was Bistecca Ai Ferri: 12 oz Grilled Rib-eye steak with Shitake mushrooms in lemon butter white wine sauce. I am a huge fan of capers, so I asked to have them added as well. The steak was very moist, although not ‘medium’ as I had ordered. In all fairness, it’s a thin cut of beef so it would be very difficult to prepare the steak to my preference. There was a nice grill char on the outside that Joe said made it takes like a really juicy and flavorful hamburger. The sauce was perfect; I would never think to pair a white wine sauce with steak but it complimented it well.

We were headed out for the night so decided to forego the dessert but the assortment looked fantastic. Do I think it was worth $100 with tip? No. Mainly because I eat in Center City often and $100 is a price point I would expect to pay there, not on the outskirts of the city. I would recommend this restaurant for consistent, tasty food. The atmosphere was relaxed, we were not rushed, and the wait staff was very friendly.

Limoncello - West Chester, PA

I have been dying to try the food at Limoncello for quite some time now. Ever since I walked past and spotted patrons dining on platters of antipasto with delicately cured meats and cheeses, I knew I needed to check it out. After viewing the menu online, I was excited to learn that Limoncello offers a Prix Fixe menu on Monday and Tuesdays. For $28 you are served a three-course meal with your choice of appetizer, entrée, and dessert. Appetizers range from soup and salads to pasta and seafood.

When we sat down, there was a small plate of perfectly seasoned Bruschetta, along with a basket of bread with olive oil for dipping. For my appetizer, I opted for the Calamari Fritti served with a trio of sweet chili sauce, marinara, and lemon. I was given a healthy portion of hearty pieces of lightly fried calamari. I knew I should stop eating because I might be too full for dinner, but they were so tasty, I polished off the whole plate with the exception of two measly rings. My entrée was Chicken Limoncello: egg dipped, lightly fried chicken in white wine sauce with asparagus, crab meat and Cappellini. It was delicious but I would have liked the dish better if the breading on the chicken was crispy and the sauce had a little more depth. I am a salt lover admittedly, but this dish genuinely needed a good douse of it. The pasta was perfectly cooked al dente and the crab was sweet and not at all fishy. The portion was so large I took more than half of it home.

I was pleased that the restaurant offered a Kids Menu and while limited, it covered all the bases: chicken fingers and French fries, pasta, pizza- perfect. In my heart, I really wanted my son Nate to choose the chicken fingers because I knew they would not be a measly fried nugget, but rather a perfectly golden brown cutlet. No such luck. However, when they brought out the pizza, his eyes lit up like Christmas morning. Okay, so did mine and my mother’s. This was no boxed personal pan pizza (not that that’s what I was expecting). This was a huge, beautifully cooked, picture perfect pizza. He ate all of the cheese off the top, and some of the dough, but had filled up on so much bread before dinner that he was on a bit of carb overload. Regardless, for $7 this was a deal and it kept him occupied the whole dinner.

Dessert was a large piece of peanut butter cheesecake that Nate devoured without incident. I can’t wait to try the chocolate soufflé for the mere fact that it’s served with mascarpone gelato!! With our check came two small glasses of Limoncello which was such a surprise and so appropriate! We did not partake, but I thought this was a nice touch to the end of a delicious meal.

I was expecting the atmosphere to be quiet and quaint but quite the opposite, it was loud and happy, just like all Italian families/restaurants should be. Not so loud that it was annoying or distracting, but loud enough that you knew people were really enjoying themselves and having a good time. My kinda place! I will definitely go back to Limoncello and have already forwarded the menu over to a few friends to check it out. It’s the perfect place for a date, dinner/lunch with friends, or even a small celebration (the adjoining room was hosting some sort of party). Next time I go, I plan to partake in one of the quaint tables outside, enjoy a glass of vino and soak in the town of West Chester that is so near and dear to my heart. Perfetto!

Introduction

Food is my passion. There’s nothing about it I don’t like. From conception to implementation I love everything about the process of cooking, dining, and feasting. Think about it, food is the center of all occasions in life: weddings, birthdays, anniversaries, even funerals. In my family it was not who to invite, it was what to cook. Some of my fondest memories have centered around what I was eating and who I was with. To me, food is a celebration and something that always brings people together.

Growing up I remember being in the kitchen with my mom and loving the smell of garlic, onions, and whatever else was cooking in the pot on the stove. It meant that I was about to be very happy in the immediate future. The best was when she made a big pot of gravy that would cook all day, getting better and better the longer it sat. There was nothing like breaking a piece of bread off and dipping it in for a taste… always ALWAYS burning my mouth. I didn’t even care. That feeling was like coming home.

As I’ve gotten older I’ve developed a deep passion for cooking. I love getting an idea, going to the store for the best ingredients, and preparing everything with my own two hands. It relaxes me, gives me time to think, to enjoy watching something come together that will give people comfort. I don’t just cook… I pour my heart and soul into whatever I’m creating.

I have no formal training and with the exception of a brief stint in catering, I’ve never worked in the restaurant business. I don’t know a ton of exotic ingredients or origins of spices, and I couldn’t tell you what wine to pair with what. I just know what I like and I know what tastes good.

This is my forum for the non-tangible thing I love most: FOOD.