I walked into Bella Campania with a very unique group of diners knowing it would be a challenge for the chefs. My two friends, both meat eaters, would surely be a breeze. I myself am a pescatarian, meaning I only eat fish, so that wouldn’t be too hard but here was the real challenge, my girlfriend is a vegan. Vegans do not eat meat whatsoever, in addition to no dairy products of any kind. No milk, no eggs, and if you can believe it, no cheese. No dairy at an Italian restaurant, what would the chef do?
Well, what he wouldn’t do was disappoint. Prior to head chef, Chris Tarta’s knowledge of our vegetable loving two- some, he started off with a special, an herb seasoned crostini, served with a homemade fig spread with proscuitto di Parma, toasted almonds, and Julienne sun dried tomatoes. My meat-eating duo of friends were keen to the crispness of the crostini along with the sweet and salty combination of the fig spread and proscuitto. Once I informed our very friendly server that two of us did not eat meat, she kindly brought out two more servings, excluding the proscuitto.
Our server then brought out two vegan appetizers which aren’t on the menu but deserve to be. Both were suitable for any palate. First was the grilled zucchini stuffed with garlic spinach and sun dried tomatoes, served with a tasteful roasted red bell pepper puree. Next, we were served a Tuscan bean and garlic broccoli rabe dip paired with those familiarly delicious herb crostinis. Flavorful vegan dishes are hard to come by, yet Chris Tarta came up with these fabulous vegan dishes within a matter of minutes, showcasing his ability to cook on the fly and cater to all types of diners.
The meat, fish, and dairy eaters were not to be forgotten. We were served Chris’ freshly made mozzarella, accompanied by roasted red bell peppers, sun dried tomatoes and marinated olives. The restaurant prides itself in its fresh mozzarella, and rightfully so; it was perfectly made, with a firm yet creamy texture, and flawlessly seasoned. After this, were the steamed Prince Edward Island mussels in a Marechiara sauce. The mussels were good, but somewhat uneventful. Lastly, my two friends sampled the proscuitto wrapped pan seared sea scallops served with with a lemon browned butter. While I didn’t have any of the scallops, my friends ranted and raved about them.
For our main courses we ordered the Capelinni Alla Rosa, sautéed shrimp in a light pink sauce topped with lump crab meat and served over pasta, Tilapia San Remo, in a lemon white wine sauce with sun dried tomatoes and capers on top of creamy mashed potatoes, Romano-Crusted Chicken, served over broccoli rabe and roasted potatoes in a light marsala wine sauce, and the Abruzzi Pizza, a traditional thin crust pizza, minus the cheese, topped with broccoli rabe and garlic. Everyone agreed that the meal was delicious, and although we were full, we decided to order dessert.
The Chocolate Mousse Cake and the Peanut Butter Pie were both rich in flavor, and the espresso and cappuccinos were a nice close to our meal. Bella Campania’s menu is typical of a nice Italian restaurant, but it’s the unique flavors and spin on tradition that set it apart from the everyday. The menu is appropriately priced, serving $15-30 entrees, alongside more affordable dishes, such as salads, wraps, pastas, and individual or full-sized gourmet pizzas. Bella Campania offers a pleasant dining experience for the entire family, whether for Friday night pizza or a fun dinner out.
This video will show you how Chris Tarta makes the fresh cheese everyday.
And here are few more pictures.
