Bella Blue Ristorante

By Gigi Krop

 Bella Blue Ristorante, 2576 N.E. Miami Gardens Drive, North Miami Beach, FL 33180, 305-792-2902, open 7 days week: dinner 5:30 to 11:00pm; lunch Monday through Friday noon to 2:30pm; reservations suggested.

In the true Italian style the owners Danny Gatto from Buenos Aires via Rome, Massimo Deluca (General Manager) from Sorrento and Luigi Imburgia (a former Mayor of Miami Shores, Florida) from Palermo, greet each woman customer with a kiss on both cheeks and each man with a warm handshake. As you enter this upscale, authentic Italian eatery, you leave the bustle of Miami behind and are surrounded by the colors and imagery of the Bay of Naples and the Mediterranean Sea. The hues of majestic mountains and the golden sunshine bath you in the warm glow of Italian hospitality. A custom sound system plays Italian tunes. The rustic tiled bar, romantic Murano light fixtures and vintage Italian posters create a romantic ambiance.

But when you open the menu, the fun really starts. The appetizer specialties are: The Spiedino di Gamberi con Pomodoro (grilled shrimp rosemary skewer over thin sliced tomatoes), Antipasto del Contadino (grilled portobello mushrooms, roasted red peppers and warm goat cheese) and Carpaccio di Manzo al Parmigiano (thinly sliced cured beef with parmesan cheese and arugula) at $9.50 each.  There are several salad dishes: Insalata al Gorgonzola (romaine, fresh chopped tomatoes and onions in a creamy gorgonzola sauce) and Insalata Capricciosa (grilled portabello, roasted red pepers and mozzarella over a bed of arugola and tomatoes in a balsamic vinagrette) are $8.50 each. Café Blu also features home made pasta such as Pappardella al Salmone (white noodles and fresh salmon with spinach in a light pink sauce) for $14.95 and Ravioli al Ricotta (homemade ravioli stuffed with ricotta cheese and fresh spinach with a tomato, pink or cream sauce) for $11.95.The entrée specialties are:  Pollo Scarpariello (chicken, mushrooms and Italian sausage roasted in lemon and balsamic vinegar) for $14.95, Scoloppine di Vitello al marsala (veal scaloppini sautéed with mushrooms and marsala wine) at $15.50, Tagliata di Manzo (sliced grilled sirloin over a bed of arugola with mustard sauce) for $17.95 and the most expensive entrée, Penne Al Filetto Pomodoro  (Fillet of Yellowtail Snapper) at $19.50. The diversity of dishes comes from all over Italy including Tuscany, Venice and Naples. They make your mouth water and the choice difficult. Massimo Deluca tells me that the basic ingredients (olive oil, cold cuts and cheeses) are imported from Italy to accurately recreate the family recipes. The waiters are from Taormina, Sicily, Capri and Venice.  If you have any room left, try the deserts: chocolate profitteroles, Grandma’s cake, fruit tart, chocolate mousse and much more.

No gourmet meal is complete without a glass of fine wine. Wines are Massimo’s passion so it’s no surprise that he is a wine importer and sommelier. The wine list includes wines from Italy, California, France, Argentina and New Zealand. They range in price form $19.00 for a bottle of red wine from Italy (Salice Salentino Riserva, taurino) to $175 for a bottle of Cuvee Dom Perignon, Moet & Chandon champagne.

The owners are well-seasoned restaurateurs. Danny Gatto, is tall with Mediterranean good looks and European charm. His black curly hair is shot with silver; Massimo Deluca is boyishly handsome with a dimpled smile and bespectacled brown eyes. They met in New York City: Danny was the manager of Vico Ristorante on Lexington Avenue and 71^st Street and Massimo the manager of Settemezzo Restaurante on Madison Avenue and 93^rd Street. The same company owns both of these elegant restaurants. Danny moved to Miami in 1993 and worked in Tiramisu on Ocean Drive in South Beach. In October 1996 he opened Café Bella Donna at 12409 Biscayne Boulevard in North Miami.  Massimo stayed at Settemezzo from 1993 to 1999.  He moved to Miami in 1999 and went to work with Danny at Café Bella Donna. Prior to their grand opening on October 25, 2000, Massimo spent several weeks with Sicilian Chef Giovanni Caluso choosing the dishes and two weeks perfecting them. As a result every dish is an Italian masterpiece that would satisfy the demanding palate of every Italian grandmother. The patrons of Bella Blu are in their 30’s, 40’s and 50’s. If you listen carefully you can hear the melodious sounds of the Italian language being spoken amongst customers and staff. It’s almost like being in Italy!

This authentic Italian Restaurant is located in beautiful Aventura, 2 blocks West of Biscayne Boulevard on the South side of Miami Gardens Drive. Look for the Davis Shopping Center.  

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