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My catering partner can usually be relied on to provide both direction and motivation for the taste forays that the dinner group goes on.
His last motivation was the desire for something delicious served in a comfortable environment that does not involve our cooking. A brief conversation with the retiree determined that Bella Vita was both the kitchen and the destination. Bella Vita has been a mainstay of the Johnson City North Restaurant Corridor for over 20 years. Sadly, although founder and culinary maestro Sammy Rugovac has been gone for seven years, his sons Amel and Ardjian do a great job serving the crowd of loyal Bella Vita regulars and introducing infrequent customers to their version of “Beautiful Living.” ; Bella Vita’s namesake and purpose.
First impressions
Tucked away in the back corner of a nondescript building on North Roan Street, Bella Vita looks just as indescribable from the outside. Once inside, there are sunny seats for lively gatherings on your right, while the left side has comfortable seating in a low-light atmosphere and just for business or romantic thrills. The “interesting times†brought a renovation to Bella Vita in the form of a new private dining room for parties and meetings. The restaurant has a well-organized bar serving wines, cocktails and other strong waters, with toilet access further afield. Our calm and knowledgeable waiter Cody provided us with competent assistance with Bella Vita’s menu and wine list.
Salmon Alla Bella Vita
The retiree spotted the smiled Alla Bella Vita salmon appetizer on the menu and chose it for her dinner starter ($ 18.99), accompanied by Bella Vita’s house salad, spaghetti and stew marinara and their excellent homemade Italian bread. In Salmon Alla Bella Vita, Amel takes a good half-sheet of salmon with fresh sliced ​​peppers and onions, all sautéed in a mixture of white wine and lemon juice. The wine and lemon juice are then reduced and drizzled over the sautéed salmon as a side sauce. “Spicy” accurately describes each bite of salmon so prepared, and the retiree made good use of the bread like scarpetta, or “little shoe,” to catch every drop of sauce.
Chicken piccate
My partner chose the equally tangy Pollo Piccate ($ 15.99), a chicken breast sautéed in lemon juice and white wine, then served in a sautéed reduction sprinkled with added capers on a hot plate. The reduction provided an astringency that my table partner found most enjoyable in the way she cleaned her palate bite after bite.
Eggplant rollantini with side of Italian sausage
Eggplant is not normally my choice as a main course for a starter.
I admit that my bias towards eggplant may have been swayed early on when I saw the original black and white version of “Invasion of the Body Snatchers” in a dark movie theater.
People from alien pods? Nightmares? You bet.
To me, the unassuming eggplant was a meaty, oddly shaped vegetable wrapped in an ominously purple hue that tasted like wet cardboard. What I hadn’t realized was how much that meaty texture and subtlety of taste could be the basis of so many wonderful dishes.
The entree I ordered from Cody was Eggplant Rollatini ($ 14.99) accompanied by a salad, a bowl of stewed spaghettini and an a la carte order of Italian sausage from Bella Vita (4.99 $). As you might have understood from the name, Eggplant Rollatini takes thin slices of eggplant the size of a cutlet and intersperses them with slices of prosciutto, freshly torn spinach leaves and cheese. thinly sliced ​​mozzarella. The Rollatini is then (what else?) Rolled up, baked and then in a sauce with the house marinara. The result is an interesting variety of flavors and textures created by the layering of eggplant, prosciutto and mozzarella cheese blending well together in one masterpiece. The a la carte Italian sausage just added to the fun.
The bottom line
This is an excellent restaurant.
Dining with the Rugovac brothers at Bella Vita is an event, no matter what day of the week you decide to go. The atmosphere of the restaurant is calm and comfortable like your favorite armchair. Service is professional, discreet and friendly, and stable and creative hands are in the kitchen and dining room.
Incidentally, with your menu in hand, you should check out its last page. Over the years, some off-menu culinary requests made by Bella Vita’s regular clientele have become popular enough to earn menu status, a particularly remarkable achievement that shows the high regard Bella Vita has for her customers.
There is no doubt that when you dine at Bella Vita in Johnson City, “Beautiful Living” has never been so refined.
Or so delicious.
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