Ciao Bella Awards

Ciao Bella Restaurant Review:

About the restaurant: At first you may see it perched above Highway 494: a stylish little building nestled among the corporate towers. If you can find your way to Ciao Bella via the winding frontage road, though, you will be rewarded. Upon passing through the doors, all your suburban traffic angst will disappear as you take in the richly colored surroundings. The mural above the bar beckons, and the smells from the open, apple wood-fire grill draw you to your table.

Food & Drinks: You will find funky pizzas and pastas with flavorful sauces aplenty, but start with the wild mushroom bruschetta, braised meatballs or matchstick zucchini with organic basil, almonds and Parmigiano-Reggiano. Admittedly, some of the entrées can be a bit predictable, but the natural chicken roasted under a brick, the pork chops crusted with black pepper, and the spaghetti pomodoro with shrimp nonetheless prove to be standouts. From the creative fish selections, we gravitate to the pesto-crusted sea bass with wasabi mashed potatoes. Desserts that beckon include a graham cracker-encrusted cream cheese and lemon curd cake, along with a winter blues-busting rhubarb huckleberry cobbler served with vanilla gelato. Fans of California wines will be pleased by the wine list, which is heavy on selections from Sonoma and Napa Valley.