Bella Pizza & Pasta

Hey everyone. I was down in the Capitol Hill neighborhood (east of downtown Seattle) for dinner a couple of days ago and tried out this Italian place I saw for the first time. It's located at the end of Broadway, right at the intersection near Roy.

It was dinner time and I was in the mood for either pizza or pasta, so this was a good pick. The inside is very clean and inviting. The mood lighting made it very comfortable for a dining atmosphere. Getting a table wasn't a problem, despite the small establishment. I really liked the interior with the huge blackboard near the front displaying the entire menu. Everything looked so good, I wasn't sure what to get.




I wasn't that hungry (can you believe that?....me?), so I ordered the "Chicken Snack". It said a quarter chicken served over pasta with meatsauce. Sounds good, right? The service was extremely friendly and social, even though she was the only server for the entire restaurant at the time (things started to pick up).

The dinner came with a dinner salad, garlic bread, and even these really good homemade breadballs that they make as a complimentary side. The bread was served with a dipping sauce composed of Italian dressing with olive oil and balsamic vinegar. It was very tasty.



The wait was only about 15 minutes, which is what I predicted since it was oven roasted chicken. The dish was huge! The chicken piece was close to a half a chicken instead of the quarter piece. The serving size of the pasta was enormous as well. I have to say that I could not finish it all and had to take the rest to go, which is a very rare thing for me to do because I usually finish it all (unless it's pizza).


I apologize for the so-so quality pics. I'm actually shopping around for a better camera with a good macro function for up close quality pictures, just for this food blog (don't you feel special?).

Let's check out the 5-doughnut rating on this place:

• Service, 4 doughnuts= The service was great. She checked on my table just enough and not too often. She was very friendly and even offered to bring more homemade bread even when there was enough on the table.


• Atmosphere/Location, 4 doughnuts= I really liked the atmosphere of the inside. It wasn't too busy or too loud, and was a very nice place to eat. The inside was well decorated as well. I think the location was in a good place. It's located near the end of the very busy Broadway Ave, so there is plenty of parking around.


• Food Presentation, 3.5 dougnuts= I thought it was well presented. The dish looked so delicious when it was served to me.


• Taste, 3 doughnuts= The chicken was extremely tasty and moist. However, I thought the pasta was lacking more flavor. It was a little bland even though it had meat sauce and everything. The sides were delicious.


• Cost/Value, 4 doughnuts= The dish came out to $9 or so, which is great for the generous portion and all the sides. It could definitely feed 2 people.


• Originality, 3 doughnuts= Nothing too original about this pizza & pasta place, except the big blackboard menu as you enter, and flat screen tvs all throughout the little place (even one huge one facing outside so people can see the menu).


• Overall, 3.5-4 doughnuts= I thought this place was great. They had so many pizza combinations that I want to try, so I have to go back (by the way, I'm also on the lookout for Seattle's best pizza.....I already have one in mind that I've been to that I still have to review, and another one of Tom Douglas' pizzerias). I definitely recommend this place.
  

And as always....."Om Nom Nom Nom!"

-NMOS

Tutta Bella

Hey everyone. Sorry, it took so long to post another Seattle restaurant review. I've been crazy busy lately. However, I'm back and will post about a great little pizzeria in Seattle called Tutta Bella. It's a small chain that serves up Neopolitan pizza. I actually don't know what that means and I don't really feel like looking it up right now. If you know, definitely let me know. :)

Anyway, I've been to almost all of the different Tutta Bellas in my area (Columbia City, downtown Seattle, Fremont, etc). I personally like the downtown Seattle one the best because it has a nice outdoor eating area with a small view of the Space Needle and the city life below (the last time I was there was on the 4th of July).

I was at the Columbia City Tutta Bella, which is also very nice and comfortable. The inside is a little dim because of the dark interior, even with the huge glass windows letting in natural light. There are a lot of nice deocrations and artwork on the wall. The best part about Tutta Bella is the open kitchen where you can see your pizza being made and put right into the big oven.

The service is very prompt and friendly. It was right at the beginning of lunchtime, so there was a swarm of people after being seated. The menu is carefully folded out into a two-sided one and displays a bunch of really good pizzas, salads, and sides.

I was able to try the "insalata di napoli" (Naples Salad), which had Genoa salami, fire-roasted chicken breast, pancetta, matchstick carrots, artichoke hearts, romaine, cherry tomato halves, kalamata olives, crumbled gorgonzola, blend of classic caesar dressing and white balsamic vinaigrette. Incidentally, this salad alone will get you full since it's a little hearty and served in a generous portion. I also tried the "Campania" pizza, which had Pomodoro San Marzano, chicken sausage, mozzarella, olives, chile flakes and fresh basil. Both dishes were damn good.

So, let's get to the review using my 5-doughnut system:

• Service, 4 doughnuts= It was great. They were very prompt, friendly and attentive. I never had a half-filled glass of water. They even recommended desserts and dishes.
  
• Atmosphere/Location, 3.5 doughnuts= It's located right on the corner of Hudson and Rainier, which is a perfect spot in Columbia City to dine. Try the downtown Tutta Bella if you want a really good view/location. The atmosphere was very comfortable and inviting, especially with the open kitchen and "mood lighting".
  
• Food Presentation, 3 doughnuts= The pizza looks very "original" and not like something that popped out of a cardboard box. They hand toss everything and every piece of pizza had equal amounts of ingredients dispersed throughout the pie.
  
• Taste, 3.5 doughnuts= The pizza is delicious. Like I said, I've been to this restaurant numerous times and they serve up some tasty Neopolitan pizzas. The crust is very thin, so it'll flop over on you like a "New York" slice, and the crust is crunchy on the outside and chewy on the inside. The salad has a lot of nice flavors going on as well. I think the balsamic vinegar brings it out.
  
• Cost/Value, 4 doughnuts= I think for a small party (like for 3 or less.....it's a better value for 2) it's a great value. The pizza will come out to about $12 or so, and the salad about $7. So, you can expect to spend a little over $20 for one to three people, which isn't bad for a dinner. It's a great dining experience, so I really think it's a great value for what you're getting.
  
• Originality, 2.5 doughnuts= There's not really too much about this restaurant that's original (the pizza was only somewhat). They do serve up some fresh gelato as dessert, if you're so inclined (they usually have a gelato viewing case). Other than that, it's just a pizza place. Well, it's a Neopolitan pizza place.
  
• Overall, 3.5 doughnuts= I always have a great time at Tutta Bella, especially at the downtown one. The food and atmosphere are great and I'm always satisfied after leaving. If you have a huge crew and you're all starving, then this might not be the place to go without having to spend a lot. If you're looking for good quality pizza that'll fill you and maybe one or two other people, then its a great place to check out.

Feel free to check online at http://www.tuttabellapizza.com/.

-NMOS