Recent Comments
Re: “Bella Brava's chef change-up”
"Rustic and Refined"???? Maybe every once in a blue moon in the old(er) days when Mario felt like making veal meatballs! I liked the old Bella Brava just fine, but your review should read "Gone is the tricolored frozen Sysco pasta" and "Gone is the singular-tasting slop, er, sauce covering frozen sea bass".
I too miss Mario, but welcome the attempt at a change at a restaurant close to my home; god knows St. Petersburg's supposedly exciting Downtown restaurant scene needs one (though,there are a couple of other places that are certainly giving it a shot, to be fair)!
There are misses--including some you hit the nail on the head on in your review--on the new chef's menu for sure, but there are some really good dishes also and most of the specials I have tried have been stellar.
Your longing for the whole of the old menu is bizarre. If anything, it was more indicative of a nouveau Italian restaurant from 1987! There were some tasty dishes,especially when Mario got a bit inspired and made a solid special, but it was definitely more "accessible to the typical diner" than this menu is.
Of course you are entitled to your opinion and you have a great forum to put it out there, but I have to question it this time. Bigtime.
Re: “Wine and dine”
No further details from me right this moment, but this ass made an idiot of himself while dining at a local restaurant recently. His extremely loud, abusive complaints and treatment of the staff (who were bending over backwards for him) and Napoleonic behavior nearly ruined our evening. My parents and I were so offended. We will not be patronizing this man's establishment when it opens in St. Petersburg.
Re: “Middle relief”
"Sting 'Em Dog". Unless they changed it since last week.
Re: “Pocket full of quarters”
the 4 lint balls and hot pants on the jukebox 2 blocks from our soon-to-be new place. Great Welcome Wagon info!
Re: “Pimp Her Surgery”
Ditto on what Jeff said. These potentially dangerous surgeries are "easy way out's" and nothing else can compare to changing your diet and EXERCISE. Lots of it.
Re: “Race Track”
First, it is my belief that we are all kinda racist in the strictest sense of the word, by virtue of not knowing enough about each other and resorting to riffing off our own weird preconceived & limited notions about "those other people". So, sure, you are both a little racist. Whatever--unavoidable. Deal with it. BUT dealing with it includes this: Hey, unless you communicate through it all, that weird uncomfortableness in situations that shouldn't really be all that weird and the sad, perpetuated fear and dismissiveness indicated by the post above...well, it will just keep on, unabated. Not to say it is gonna ever change, but I happened to view that article in a completely positive way. Y'all both broke through a little bit of bullshit. At least you have the opportunity...I live in Portland, OR for the moment and it is a rare thing indeed. But I'll be there within 7 months. See ya.
Re: “Bella Brava's chef change-up”
Wow---"As the Bella Turns" is right. This whole catty mess is so pathetic and typical of this city, um, small, incestuous, LAUGHABLY INCONSEQUENTIAL town.
But it is also endemic to the industry: Get used to it, cheffies and sous cheffies, Real live Italians and American mutt poseurs alike, if you think this sort of drama exclusively exists at Bella Brava, you have lots of living to do in this career you've chosen! CIAO!