We just had to take a moment to congratulate BellaVista Trattoria on their 1st Anniversary!
A year ago, a savory new Italian Restaurant opened in the Shops at Limestone Hills. It was love at first bite when we tasted their salads - unlike any we'd experienced before. Soon we found that my (Mary's) siblings were going there, as well as my mother. It seems the whole of Hockessin, Pike Creek and nearby Newark were on to this gem. When my sister-in-law Peggy and I found out that the restaurant was closed on Sundays, we thought we'd have to stockpile on Saturday nights so that we could get our "fix" of BellaVista's treats on Sundays (not to worry - they are open Sundays now).
John took an instant liking to one of the owners - Nunzio - who is an honestly friendly Italian, not unlike John. They became like family.
The restaurant has grown in the past year, and only improved with age. In the fair weather they have an outdoor dining area which is delightful. In the winter, the indoor seating is perfect for cozy dates or family gatherings at table. The take-out service is excellent, and in the past year they received their liquor license and now I can enjoy a fine glass of wine with my meal.
The food....well, there's too much to cover here, and frankly I don't have words for it all. I'll tell you our two favorite salads, and you'll just have to visit BellaVista to test everything else:
- The first salad we fell in love with was Capricciosa which is mix greens, fresh buffalo mozzarella, bruschetta & olives with Balsamic Dressing. The flavor is perfectly balanced as is the crunchiness of the brushcetta against the softness of the buffalo mozzarella. And after eating that salad I would find that I just didn't want to eat anything else - it was THAT satisfying.
- The second salad, which is my favorite the past two weeks and running, is the Pollo BellaVista. My taste buds come alive just typing about it - a culinary masterpiece of marinated chicken breast grilled, served over mix greens with penne pasta, olive oil, parmigiano cheese, bruschetta tomatoes & toasted walnuts. You simply must try this salad!
On a final food note, the desserts are the perfect complement to any meal. The cannoli we had last night was (as John put it) "as good as it gets" - and that's saying a lot coming from an Italian who has sampled many a cannoli in his day.
The BellaVista restaurant also has a heart. Visit their web site to find out about their involvement with the Basket Brigade of Delaware and their Bella Bucks Program (a dining-in program is designed to help non-profits, schools and churches reach their fundraising goals). They also have a frequent diner card which benefits you directly as you make BellaVista part of your family.
Here's a link to BellaVista's web site where you can learn more about how they partner with local purveyors to get the freshest ingredients, download their menu, and sign up for their newsletter.
And when you visit - please tell Nunzio that John and Mary sent you - he'll treat you like family!
Mary
PS - Disclaimer - I'm not Italian, I'm Irish - so anyone can love this food :)
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