Good evening, The Garforth Gazette readers. Guess who managed to finally get around to visiting La Bella Vita- award winning Italian restaurant and Main Street mainstay for as long as I can remember… it was me! I have memories of eating here over the years… and of course of their wonderful Calzones, one of which I got!
The Art-Deco style of the place was just as aesthetically fun as usual, although I noticed that they have had quite a few small changes over the last few years. Still, a lot of the original layout remains the same… as the place was packed, I couldn’t get a clear picture, but imagine plush chairs, glowing lights (many of them), and a convivial atmosphere. It’s rare on weekend nights that La Bella Vita is not full of people.
We started out with breadsticks (with delightful crunch) and an orange juice for me. There was some poring over the menu, with most of my fellow diners ordering Calzones as their main (which are a major must-order here, by the way) and calamari as their starter. Being a vegetarian, I decided on a Bruschetta with soft cheese and tons of tomatoes (if you have read my Thalassaki review, you will know that it’s a favourite starter of mine and one I order often).
As a bruschetta, the dish was more modest and did not contain punchy flavours, but had an almost fragrant quality, accentuated by the basil pesto. The bread was soft without being overly oily, and the cheese was melt-in-your-mouth soft. One thing I’ve always admired in a dish is the ability to balance textures as well as tastes, as the slightest burnt texture could ruin an otherwise perfect food item- and this starter delivered.
And the main star of the evening arrived afterwards… the Calzone Primavera! Some of the rest of my fellow diners had ordered the Calzone Mezzaluna, which was full of ham, chicken and mushrooms, but mine was all ricotta, oozy mozzarella and spinach. When I tell you that it was very difficult to get a good photo due to the cheese pull… This is the Calzone before…
…And the Calzone after went in my belly. Sorry, everyone. The taste had the same delicacy of the starter, featuring the same type of cheese, but with an addition of leafy greens that broke up the carbs (although, to be honest, are you really going to an Italian restaurant to break up the carbs?) The top of the Calzone was crispy and overall the whole pizza was umami heaven, with a very generous portion size as well!
Other notes-
-The toilets are very clean and well-maintained.
-The music in the restaurant (which can be heard slightly behind the chatter) includes a lot of the old crooner classics, and is reminiscent of old-school muzak.
-There is very quick, excellent service. The staff are attentive about allergens and can do some food substitutions for you.
-La Bella Vita is a very multipurpose sort of place. It can be a Sunday night out, or a girls’ dinner, but also a graduation meal or birthday.
Overall, this Italian restaurant is a classic neighbourhood place that rarely disappoints. I’m sure that if you’ve lived in Garforth for a while, you have probably been here. If you haven’t, why not give it try? You’ll find yourself comforted by the excellent service and authentic Italian food.
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