La Pergola was a special treat for me as I had no idea that Bellagio had an "other side" over the…read morehill up and down some wildly steep cobblestone steps facing a different part of the lake.
I was in Bellagio for Asif A.'s wedding, and the day before the wedding, Eric R. and others were canyoneering and rappelling. Asif A. told me this is his favorite restaurant in Bellagio, so I joined him for lunch with four others. We sat on the patio and my seat was right next to the water. The server was very patient and friendly. We ordered a half liter of white wine and appetizers of caprese and bresaola. The bresaola also came with pork (oops...) but I focused on the unbelievable mozarella in the caprese salad.
I ordered the gnocchi with flame roasted octopus and baby olives. It was pure heaven - the gnocchi tasted like pillows of angels or something. I now know why gnocchi is so hot on Top Chef because it tastes nothing like the packaged stuff I am used to in the U.S.
The place is known for lake fish, so Asif A. ordered perch with curry and rice, and I tasted it - wow! David W. shared with me smoked trout from his salad, which was similar to nova. David S. ate some of mine but did not share his duck - I did take a picture of his dish though, as it looked delicious! Robin B. had the sea bass and it definitely looked good (special of the day). The whole menu sounded good and I would definitely have returned if I stayed longer.
We had leftover bread at the end of the meal so the server told me to feed it to the birds in the lake. I tossed bread for the ducks and swans, a fun way to end the meal. The setting was gorgeous and I am so glad I was able to discover this hidden gem.