I really wanted to like this place, but it fell short in a few ways.
We came in for Mother's Day, so we knew it would be busy and things could be hectic, but still excited to try Bella Mangiata.
There is limited parking available to the side of the restaurant, but it looks like it's shared with the motel that's next door. There were people there hanging out who may be residents of the motel and occasional people who rode up on their bikes to go through the dumpsters. If you can't find parking there, additional parking is available on the street and in the lot next door.
We had a reservation for 6. Upon arrival, we checked in. A walk-in party ahead of us also had 6 people. There was a misunderstanding and our table was given to this party. No problem. Honest mistake.
The nice lady at the hostess desk said she would set up a new table for us and this was done immediately, however, the opening for our Moms to get to to their seats was so small that it was difficult for them to fit without disturbing the guests at the table next to us. Our Moms, aged 95 and 80, are tiny 120-pound ladies that felt bad trying to squish into their seats. The front of house staff saw this and were sympathetic. The same lady offered to set up a table in the back of the restaurant by the bar. We were grateful and took her up on the offer.
This area of the restaurant was almost completely empty, but it took 4 people 15 minutes to set up the new table. No problem, we were happy to have finally gotten seated, but this time, the host dropped off 1 wine list and 1 dinner menu. There was also a strange light that flashed above our heads every few minutes - I think it was a flickering light bulb needing to be replaced.
The restaurant offered a Mother's Day prix fixe menu and there was a good selection of items. We ordered the calamari appetizer (which was delicious), the mahi mahi, the veal marsala, spaghetti and meatballs, lobster ravioli, and the chicken parmesan.
All of the entrees were plated nicely, although the portions were quite small for the price. Each of the dishes tasted fresh. The veal was ok, the marsala sauce was really thick and the veal was breaded & not tender. It kind of reminded me of a chicken fried steak. Everyone liked their meals, but didn't love them.
Service was slow, it was difficult to get refills on drinks/water. Our busser took our silverware after he cleared the appetizers and plates from our table, so we had to wait for new utensils to be brought over. Our waitress was also the bartender and although she did check on us from time-to-time, she was clearly busy and couldn't be the most attentive. The food runners were friendly. Our check came to $400, including gratuity.
Would I come back? I would give it another shot. I do think the restaurant is a bit pricey for the demographic, portion sizes, and so-so service, but if they can elevate the dining experience by providing above and beyond customer service, Bella Mangiata will come out winning. read more