Yay I've gone bronze and no tanning bed in sight!!
Thanks to everyone for your ratings and comments...
Yay I've gone bronze and no tanning bed in sight!!
Thanks to everyone for your ratings and comments.
I always try to return all ratings and if I promise an E and don't get back to you feel free to give me a poke.
Sue
Member since:30.05.2009
Reviews:410
Members who trust:91
BELLA ITALIA
Formerly known as Bella Pasta
My first visit to a Bella Italia was a couple of weeks after returning from a holiday at Lake Como. My 10 year old son was very impressed that he could use his newly aquired snatches of Italian as the waitress greeted us in Italian, he spent the meal throwing in what few words and phrases he had picked up in Italy!!
The restaurant we visited was in Lancaster, our home town, and at that time I didn't realise that it was part of a chain. I must say that we enjoyed our meal and found the prices reasonable, consequently we have returned several times since. It is on all of these visits that I base this review.
RESTAURANT.......Our local Bella Italia is on the corner of Church Street, Lancaster, and is like a little piece of Italy in the midst of Lancashire. It is a small restaurant but - a little like the Tardis - seems bigger inside. A few tables and chairs are placed around the restaurant so on a nice day it's an
ideal place to sit with a cup of frothy cappuccino or glass of wine and watch the world go by, especially on market day.
Some of the tables inside the restaurant are a bit cramped, but generally the atmosphere and comfort is fine and there is a definate Italian feel to the whole experience.
FOOD..........as you would imagine the menu is Italian, and I and all my family have always been very pleased with everything we have ordered. I have never eaten there of an evening but we often have the special lunchtime offer which is from a set menu that is served in Lancaster between 12.00 and 5.00 pm, the cost is 1 course £5.95, 2 courses £7.95, 3 courses £9.95. The meals are chosen from the following menu :
FIRST COURSE Whole flat mushroom topped with cream, pancetta bacon and mozzarella cheese, baked in the oven.
Half a red Pepper stuffed with goats cheese, tomato and basil, served with salad garnish drizzled with balsamic dressing.
Toasted ciabatta topped with roasted vegetables in a warm mayonnaise and pesto sauce
SECOND COURSE
Thin Crust pizza topped with tomato, mozzarella, goats cheese and dolcelatte.
Spicy pepperoni, chicken, roasted peppers and red onion in a spicy tomato sauce baked in the oven with penne.
Sundae of vanilla ice cream, chocolate sauce and chocolate crunch, served with a café curl.
As well as this offer there is also a excellent A La Carte Menu and a blackboard with specials of the day.
My favourite meal I have eaten there is the Risotto Fruiti di Mare, a creamy risotto with prawns, mussels and calamari sautéed with green chilli and garlic - it is priced at £8.95 and is very good value for money.
FACILITIES AND OFFERS.....The restaurant is not really suitable for wheelchair users as there is no step-free access and the toilets are down fairly steep stairs, however there is outside seating available There is also a Braille menu available for any non seeing customers and also a large print menu.
Children are very well catered for at the restaurant, as well as the baby changing facilities and high chairs available there is an excellent children's menu which offers a play pack, a main course, dessert and drink for £4.95. The choices on the menu are :
MAIN COURSES
Molly's Macaroni Cheese Macaroni cheese with peas and sweetcorn
Meatballs and Mash Small meatballs in a tomato sauce with mashed potato
Penny's Cheesy Tomato Pasta with Chicken Spaghetti with a cheesy tomato and vegetable sauce and strips of breadcrumbed chicken breast. This is also available without chicken.
Sophie Spaghetti's Bolognaise Spaghetti topped with a meaty bolognaise with peas and sweetcorn.
Pete's Pizza Plus One Cheese and tomato pizza with one extra topping - either Ham,Pepperoni or mushroom.
Freddie's Fish Fingers Chunky fish fingerswith chips and either a side salad or vegetables
DESSERT
Ice cream Either Strawberry, Vanilla, Chocolate or Toffee Fruit fl avoured Jelly - Strawberry or Orange Banana and custard
The children can choose from the following drinks and if thy require a top up they can have one for just 50p,
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Jun 10th, 2009
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