Out To Lunch: The Enigma That Is Bella Bia

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Bella Bia

Ivy Terrace

Bella Bia. File Photo

WHERE do I start with Bella Bia?

The ‘sacred cow’ of Tralee dining, praise for Bella Bia is so universal that I almost feel any criticism of the culinary experience would result in an angry mob outside my house with burning sods of turf on pikes demanding an explanation (and, perhaps, no small amount of blood).

First of all, the ‘Out To Lunch’ title this week is a misnomer as Bella Bia doesn’t do lunch.

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It was a sunny Thursday evening when I headed there with my wife and little girl for an ‘early bird’. We booked in advance as the last two times we landed on spec, at around 6.30pm, we were turned away as they were booked out.

This is the phenomenon that is Bella Bia.  I’ve never been there when it hasn’t been full or almost full, whether it be 6pm or 9pm on a Saturday night or Monday evening.

The reason for this, I believe, is around the time the Celtic Tiger – when the country was awash with money and excess – Bella Bia had an early bird where you could have two courses and a tea/coffee for under €14. It was decent food too, in warm, atmospheric, friendly surroundings.

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It got the crowds and they’ve never left. This is also down, of course, to your hosts Willie and Noreen, who were born to be in the hospitality trade such is their friendliness and professionalism (see everyone? I’m being nice, no need for bloodshed!).

So we arrived and were shown to our table straight away. This being, ostensibly, an Italian restaurant, the emphasis on the menu is on pastas, risottos and pizzas but there’s also chicken, steak, lamb, beef and salmon main courses to enjoy.

We went for the €14.90 early bird which gets you a starter, main course and tea/coffee/cappuccino/lattes/espresso/mineral. I went for the caesar salad followed by the Italian beef casserole with pesto mash, my wife ordered bruschetta and penne toscana (which she has ordered in Bella Bia every time since they opened) and the small girl selected plain penne pasta and parmesan cheese (on the side!).

Now here’s the thing (burning pikes at the ready lads!). While there’s nothing wrong with the food at Bella Bia, you’re not going to get experimental dishes, painstakingly constructed, fusing exotic ingredients and presented with artistic finesse and detail, that’ll leave your tastebuds spellbound.

But they’ll never claim to do that. Having said that, the caesar salad had the best croutons I’ve ever eaten, the beef casserole was meaty, the pesto mash decadent, my wife swears their bruschetta is peerless and our six-year-old devoured the pasta and chocolate sticks in ice cream to follow.

With three glasses of wine and two desserts, the bill came to under €50.

“Where else would you get it?” used to be the prevalent utterance on exiting Bella Bia, but in the past few years other restaurants in town are offering affordable, good quality early bird menus. Bella Bia, however, remains the standard.

4/5