THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1996, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Wednesday, July 31, 1996 TAG: 9607300058
SECTION: FLAVOR PAGE: F2 EDITION: FINAL
COLUMN: A LA CARTE
TYPE: Restaurant review
SOURCE: BY DONNA REISS, RESTAURANT CRITIC
LENGTH: 56 lines
TRATTORIA is to Italy what bistro is to France: an informal neighborhood restaurant serving fresh, home-cooked meals.
The trattoria at La Bella Italia market, bakery, and deli - in the building once occupied by Pasta e Pani - has casual charm and tasty dishes. The restaurant, which has been open since March, is run by partners Anna Alaimo, Franco Scaramellino and Anna's son, Andrew DiCarlo.
The pasta is freshly prepared, the breads baked in a wood-burning oven and the desserts lush. Instead of bringing a wheeled cart or a dessert menu, our server pointed us to the display in the bakery case of the market. There we chose a slice of spectacular marzipan wedding cake, a cherry soaked chocolate cake and a peachy sponge cream sandwich.
We knew not to eat dessert first, so we began with a fresh tasting seafood salad, dressed in fragrant olive oil and lemon and garnished with tender greens and raddicio. The chicken was tender in fettucine verdi all gargiulo, the seafood plentiful in linguine ai frutti di mare.
La Bella is open for lunch Mondays through Saturdays and dinner nightly at 1065 Laskin Road, Virginia Beach. Phone 422-8536. THE WORKS
Local chain Bagelworks has been in business since 1978, serving an assortment of freshly baked circular breads with their distinctive chewy texture. Customers topped them with butter or cream cheese for breakfast, deli meats for lunch. But hardly anybody came for dinner.
To keep the kitchens humming in the evening, the Bagelworks at 1268 N. Great Neck Road, Virginia Beach, becomes Chiliworks after 5 p.m. Tuesdays through Saturdays.
Daytime patrons walk the cafeteria line, but at night there's table service and classic country music. Every order of chili includes a chunk of corn bread. Three blends come with or without beans or spaghetti. Texas red with ground beef, West Coast chicken and all-vegetable chilis are mildly seasoned so customers can shake on their favorite spice level from a basket of pepper sauces on the tables.
To wash it down, there's sangria mixed fresh daily and a selection of microbrews. Simple salads and sandwiches, veggieburgers and Berks premium hot dogs round out the menu. If you're really hungry, you can take home almost everything by the pint or half gallon. Phone 496-2596.
Rumor is that congratulations are in order for Philip Haushalter. Haushalter, who once had a loyal following at Phil's Grill in Virginia Beach, and more recently at Open Wide on Granby Street, has been selected for a prestigious culinary training program in Europe.
The restaurant's sale was confirmed during a recent visit by our staff, but management says the new owners are keeping decor, portions and prices the same. In addition to our menu favorites, they plan to add more seafood, dinner specials and a dozen or more microbrews on tap. Open Wide is at 120-124 Granby St., Norfolk. Phone 533-9153. by CNB