Friday, January 20, 2006
Bella Luna
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 Info
Bella Luna
403-405 Centre St., Jamaica Plain
617-524-6060
www.milkywayjp.com/bellaluna.html
Rating: 4
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 Info
Bella Luna
403-405 Centre St., Jamaica Plain
617-524-6060
www.milkywayjp.com/bellaluna.html
# posted by Kookie @ 9:05 PM 
