La Bella's

My husband and I stop in for dinner at least once a month, and we always have a positive experience.  The service is professional and attentive, but not "chatty" in any way.  The food is always fresh and hot and dependably good.  Be sure to get the house dressing on your salad.  It's amazing!  The owner is very nice.  He stopped by my table once to see if I needed anything.  When I complimented the dressing and said how much I loved it, he offered to send some home with me.  It appears that some of the other reviewers had less-than-positive experiences, but this has never happened to me.  Overall, I've always been very happy when I've dined at La Bella's.

it seemed like the perfect spot for a sunday evening dinner: the atmosphere cozy and convivial, the brick walled areas lit by a variety of lamps and separated by decorative partitions to create three separate eating spaces. tables were occupied by families and couples, a few children among them. the food passing by our table looked generously portioned and tasty.

we were happily left to our own conversation after declining drinks, and our server continued to leave us to our own slow pace, for which i complimented him. i regret having done so prematurely, as when we needed him to return, he was nowhere to be found. the glass of wine i would have liked never was ordered, as i preferred to do without rather than go searching. he was, however, prompt in producing the bill, asking whether we wanted anything else as he set it down on the table. no, i suppose not.

we ordered two pasta dishes. the spaghetti bolognese was a large amount, and it met with approval if not enthusiasm. the penne bella was a large disappointment: the pasta was tasteless and overcooked; the toppings of red pepper, artichoke, black olive, and eggplant all tasted straight from the jar or can. the last was the most disappointing, as i had pictured slices or chunks of grilled eggplant--perhaps grilled in the woodfired oven glowing behind the bar--a far cry from the skinless pale green strips i received instead. i had requested shrimp instead of chicken, and was dismayed when i saw i had been charged $3 for it. (i did not ask for extra shrimp; i asked for a substitution, and i believe the additional charge was inappropriate. at the least, i should have been told my request would increase the price of the dish.) the white wine sauce i ordered was delicate and nicely, if mildly, flavored. the grated cheese given to us alongside was stale and cellulose-y.

both pastas were preceded by large and tasty salads, made better by a topping of mozzarella and worse by pale tomatos. they were accompanied by bread--a split open hard roll drenched in butter sauce.

we agreed we would try la bella's once more for pizza. if it proves to be a similar experience, we will cross this one off our list for sure.

Really very good place.  Solid food and service.