THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1997, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Sunday, January 19, 1997 TAG: 9701160034
SECTION: FLAVOR PAGE: F1 EDITION: FINAL
TYPE: Restaurant Review
SOURCE: BY RUTH FANTASIA, FLAVOR EDITOR
LENGTH: 94 lines
THOUGH THE parking lot was full, we could see a couple of empty tables through the glass wall at the new Bella Monte cafe and market in Virginia Beach. We were lucky enough to get the last available table, a two-seater beside a Roman column built to appear as if it is falling on the potted plants below.
``David will be with you in a minute,'' said the hostess.
And he was. David whizzed by and said hello. Then he whizzed back with tall glasses of ice water with lemon slices floating on top. Then he whizzed off again. A jazz number was playing on the sound system but David seemed to be serving to his own tune: ``Flight of the Bumble Bee.''
He stopped long enough to take our wine order, swooped
off and returned with the bottle. He took our entree order and started to whiz off again, but I hung on long enough to order appetizers.
Whew. Busy Saturday nights in the restaurant biz. We remember those and we don't miss them. We settled into the contemporary and comfortable chairs with a nice Chianti and watched in amusement.
Bella Monte originally opened as an Italian market in the Hilltop Square Shopping Center in Virginia Beach. Back then, they offered only foods to go. In 1986, the store moved to the more exclusive Hilltop East Shopping Center. Robin Tuite bought the business in 1988 and eventually added a small arrangement of dining tables. By last July, the market/restaurant had once again outgrown its location and Bella Monte moved to a new building on Laskin Road near the Birdneck Road intersection. The new building includes a greatly expanded dining area and a small bar.
Just before the move, Tuite hired Peter Frost, a Hampton Roads immigrant from Chicago, as head chef and Jake Durham, formerly of The Lucky Star and the Bistro! as sous chef.
``Is that a new trend?'' my husband asked, looking at the open kitchen.
``It's not new, but it is trendy. It's so you can see the chef working.''
``Then how come they all look like line cooks?''
``Because they are all wearing baseball caps.''
``Another trend?''
David returned with our first course. Grilled Shrimp With Key Lime Oil, Wilted Chard and Dipping Sauce. Decorated with lemon grass, the plate had an Asian flair. Though the two sauces on the plate were fresh and tasty, the shrimp was cooked just enough to be dry instead of succulent. At $7.25 for four medium shrimp, this dish is on the expensive side.
The Pate Maison ($6.95), country pate with ham and pistachios, fared better. Two quarter-inch-thick slices of coarsely textured pate were served with beef aspic, a whole-grain mustard and toast points. The pate was full-flavored yet not overly spicy and the pistachios landed an interesting texture as well as a bit of flavor. There were only two small toast points on which to spread the pate, but a basket of complimentary bread slices filled in nicely.
David whisked away our plates but without the urgency of his earlier visits. He must have noticed we were settled in for the night. We poured more Chianti.
The entrees arrived hot and fragrant. The Chef Tenderloin of Beef Du Jour ($14.95) was an 8-ounce beef medallion, perfectly cooked and served in a flavorful wild mushroom brown sauce. A side of mashed potatoes flavored with roasted garlic was steaming hot and downright heavenly.
Even better was the Cioppino (pronounced chuh-PEE-noh), an Italian-American dish filled with shellfish. The Bella Monte version comes with fresh tuna, shrimp, scallops, clams, mussels and a big Dungeness crab cluster in a pool of tomato-wine sauce. Flavored with fresh herbs, this dish is apparently a customer favorite; we saw it served to at least three other people. And at $13.95, it's a bargain.
At dessert time, David invited us to view the selections at the counter marked overhead with a neon ``Bakery'' sign. He stayed with us long enough to give us the inside skinny on the desserts that are made at the restaurant. ``This is to die for. . . . That is nothing spectacular. . . .''
We took his advice ordering Chocolate Orange Almondine Tart and a slice of Chocolate Strawberry Mousse cake ($4 each). David was right: Both were especially good. The tart was a silky dark chocolate, orange-flavored ganache inside a buttery almond crust. And the chocolate cake surrounding a thick layer of strawberry mousse was moist and decadent. We polished them off with steaming cups of coffee ($1 each).
David swooped in to clear the plates. ``Was I right? Are we still friends?''
Forever, David. Forever. MEMO: Reviews are based on a single, unannounced visit by a party of two
or three, unless otherwise noted. The Virginian-Pilot pays for the
reviewer's meal and those of the guests. Previous restaurant reviews are
available on the Fun page of Pilot Online at http://www.pilotonline.com/ ILLUSTRATION: [Color Photo]
ROY BAHLS
Bella Monte's version of Cioppino contains fresh tuna, shrimp,
scallops, clams, mussels and crab in a tomato-wine sauce.
BELLA MONTE
GRAPHIC
[For a copy of the graphic, see microfilm for this date.]