Alas, I was so excited. And, therefore, so disappointed when
Bella Luna, 403-405 Centre St., Jamaica Plain was a complete dining disaster.
Other dining critics have raved about this restaurant from its inception and I was eager to go and write about my fabulous experience. When we arrived at 7pm last night at Bella Luna I was immediately charmed by the cozy, cosmic-themed decor. Tiny white christmas lights adorn the darkened dining room and tables were set with red tableclothes and plastic plates with children's designs. The open kitchen suggested that our food would arrive fresh and hot, which unfortunately turned out not to be the case.
Bella Luna offers special takes on classic cocktails like the apple cider martini, as well as cheaper beers and house wines. The food menu is a mix of salads, traditional pastas, and much-touted pizzas with catchy names like The Goodridge (meatballs, parmesan, garlic) and Manny's Grand Slam (white pizza with garlic mashed potatoes, cheddar, scallions, bacon).
For an appetizer I ordered the calamari ($9) which came overcooked, drenched in a mediocre aioli sauce, with a large soggy lettuce leaf looming over the entire concoction like a broken tropical fan. Dismissing this mediocre starter as a fluke, I looked forward instead to the large pizzas the table had ordered, The Passini (pesto, olives, tomatoes, spinach, feta cheese; $17) and The Menino (pepperoni, sausage, peppers, onions; $16). Twenty-five minutes after the appetizer was served, we received two lukewarm, "large" pizzas whose medley of cheeses were already congealing around flattened toppings. Everyone was starving, so we dug in anyways, hoping the food would redeem itself. However, the actual flavor of the pizzas provided little comfort as the crust was like a bland, toasted pita and the sauce and toppings lacked any sort of punch that would warrant the high prices.
My friend informed the server about the lackluster quality (I had volunteered but I tend to lose my temper in such situations and someone ends up crying) and she explained to us that there had been a mix-up in the order and that our pizzas had actually been sitting in boxes for about ten minutes prior to being put on the the table. Well, thanks for telling us in the first place. A little more of my friend's finagling and sweet-talking and the pizzas were taken off our bill entirely, a generous and appreciated gesture by management.
In the end the meal cost me $10, so no great harm done I guess, although I'm not going back to Bella Luna anytime this decade. Go ahead and give Bella Luna a shot if you like, but from my experience I would predict you'll get far less than what you pay for.
The InfoBella Luna
403-405 Centre St., Jamaica Plain
617-524-6060
www.milkywayjp.com/bellaluna.html Rating: 4
Once in a while I find a restaurant that makes me never want to cook again. Last night, after eating my takeout from Bottega Fiorentina I found myself calculating how meals there a week my budget would allow.
Bottega Fiorentina's two locations are easily accessible by the Green Line C and D trains and ridiculously convenient for people like me who live smack dab in between Coolidge Corner and Brookline Village. Though primarily serving takeout gourmet Italian dishes, both Bottegas also have small, rustic seating areas in which you can seat yourself after ordering your food at the counter.
A standard set of pastas (penne, spaghetti, linguine, farfalle; $6) are regularly offered along with a variety of sauces (puttanesca, bolognese, marinara, carbonara) and some antipasti plates such as the caprese (fresh mozzarella, tomato, basil; $8) or the proscuitto di parma ($9). Prices, as you might have noticed, are remarkably low, and even better deals can be found with the over-stuffed deli sandwiches. Panini like the imposing Bottega (proscuitto, sopressata, mozzarella, peppers, olive oil) and the Tacchino (turkey, cheese, lettuce, tomatoes, pickles, olive oil, vinegar) come in small ($4.50-5) and large ($5.50-$6.60) sizes, though I think I'd pity the fool who'd order the latter.
The rotating set of daily specials, however, seem to be real stars of Bottega's menu. On Friday, I sampled the pumpkin tortellini ($6). The delicate, homemade pasta enclosed a sweet, creamy squash filling that was greatly complemented by the light butter and sage sauce. Whole sage leaves infused the entire dish with a wonderful fragrance that lingered in my kitchen long after I had wiped my plate clean. Perhaps it's just my gargantuan appetite speaking, but I assert quality most definitely exceeded quantity with this dish, and I was grateful a thick, crusty slice of Italian loaf came along with my meal.
Because I plan on returning very soon to Bottega Fiorentina to try the antipasti and some of the more meat-centric dishes, I'm holding off on issuing a rating. No offense to Barilla in a box, but this place looks to take "pasta and sauce" to a whole new level.
The Info
Bottega Fiorentina
313B Harvard St., Brookline
617-232-2661
www.bottegabrookline.com
Labels: Italian Food in Boston
