July 24, 2004

TC says, "Hello, Beautiful," to Ciao Bella

We kibitzed for weeks as workers transformed a Front Street storefront into a deli and bistro, and when Ciao Bella finally opened just in time for Cherry festival, we knew our wait hadn't been in vain. The very first words our server said on greeting us went like this:

"Hi! Welcome. We make everything from scratch. Everything's fresh. We don't even have a freezer on the premises."

That certainly raised expectations, and we have since discovered on two subsequent visits that the food lives up to the promise. Ciao Bella Bistro and Deli is already a delightful addition to Downtown TC. The first in a wave of new restaurants in town, it promises to become a food-lover's landmark once its wine license comes through.

Our first impression over dinner a day or two after the opening, was of a restaurant and staff that had been doing business for years, with cheerful, efficient, attentive service; and an interesting and varied menu. It came as no surprise that the owners, Scott and Silvana Roden, bring considerable experience to the table. They met, in fact, in a restaurant in Miami where he was chef and she a server, and were lured Up North by the things they came to love while vacationing here from jobs downstate.

Our first meal at Ciao Bella -- dinner one evening just before the festival -- began with two appetizers. One was a subtly flavored house-made seafood sausage in a brandied shrimp sauce, and the other a plate of very lightly battered, fried calamari with a bright, savory tomato dipping sauce. From that beginning, we went on to share a salad and a ravioli entrée. The salad was tender baby greens, mushroom, tomato and onion, with balsamic dressing and garnished with crisp bits of pancetta and pine nuts. Our raviolis were among the best we've ever enjoyed; generously plated, they were stuffed with ricotta, chopped spinach roasted garlic, and awash in a richly textured tomato sauce.

Ordinarily, when we make repeated trips to a new restaurant, it's to see if they get the kinks out. In Ciao Bella's case, we kept going back to make sure it was consistently as good. It was. On our second and third visits, for lunch, we encountered the same menu (minus the daily "special") and discovered new delight in a chunky, flavorful tomato minestrone and a classic Caesar salad. (although Graydon, who really likes anchovies, wishes restaurants wouldn't assume people don't want them).

At the end of our second visit, we sat down with the Rodens and learned (on inquiring about her obvious accent) that she is a Peruvian with a bit of Irish ancestry. They operate Ciao Bella in an unmistakably Old-World, family manner. The bistro staff takes a two-hour break between lunch and dinner to have a meal together. During service, Silvana is a graceful and charming dynamo out front, greeting and seating, helping the staff, tending the till, and chatting up patrons.

Scott is no less the team captain in the theater kitchen -- a wide-open stage from which he can also watch the progress and satisfaction of every table -- and he has very definite ideas about his cuisine. He said he prefers to let food convey its own flavors rather than relying heavily on butter and cream. House specialties include those raviolis, penne with prosciutto and red-pepper sauce, and Reggiano cheese gnocchi in basil pesto. Specials and soups vary daily, and the entire menu will change seasonally. Entrée regulars through summer include veal piccata, grilled salmon, and a grilled, herb-marinated chicken. The calamari we had, he said, is one of only two things that are deep fried.

The other is crisp sweet-potato chips, which are sold in the well-stocked deli and carryout counter inside the front door. The kitchen and bistro are in back. While this is not your typical American "family restaurant," families and kids are certainly welcomed. "We don't have burgers and fries, and we don't have a children's menu," Scott said. "We just offer the same fresh food in smaller portions, or make up a special side dish of pasta."

Ciao Bella's prices are very family-friendly, too. Our dinner bill came to $27. Lunch for two ran about $20 each time. Grazers can dine well by sharing, three $7-8 appetizers.

The Rodens opened with so little fanfare that locals didn't start discovering it until they reclaimed front Street after the festival throngs drained off. Now that Ciao Bella's on the hometown radar, we think it will quickly become a Downtown favorite. It's a place that obviously gets it.