VERO BEACH — Summer dining specials, as we have observed before, come in a variety of flavors: some offer two courses, others three; some include a free or discounted glass of wine, others don’t; some limit your choice to a relatively few dishes, while others let you select from much of their regular menu.
The simplest approach to a summer special, however, is to repackage the regular year-around early bird, and simply extend the time during which it is offered.
That’s the approach taken by Bella Napoli, which for more than 15 years has been providing good home-style cooking in a warm family atmosphere across the street from Carrabba’s.
During season, the early bird at Bella Napoli ends at 6 p.m. But the summer special, we learned, runs until 7. So at 6:45 last Saturday, we presented ourselves and were promptly seated by the window in the main dining area.
Our waiter quickly appeared to present us with menus and take our wine order – but there was no mention of a summer special.
When we inquired, he brought us one-page menus that bore the heading “Early Bird” with the hours still listed as 4 to 6 p.m.
If you want to enjoy the summer special here, you apparently have to ask for it.
But once past that hurdle, the dinner flowed smoothly – and the quality of the food made the summer menu at Bella Napoli a good value.
Along with the wine, our waiter brought us a basket of focaccia and hot rolls – crusty on the outside, yeasty on the inside – along with a dipping sauce of olive oil with chunks of olive.
You get two courses here – a salad and an entrée – and the house salads turned out to be a nice assortment of greens and tomato. I had a balsamic vinaigrette dressing on mine.
My husband opted for the blue cheese dressing, and our companion had the creamy peppercorn.
Then for entrées, I ordered the shrimp fra diavolo, my husband chose the calamari, and our companion settled on the chicken marsala.
My plump shrimp were perfectly cooked in a light, spicy marinara sauce. The calamari, a favorite of my husband, were sautéed in a white garlic sauce (the marinara sauce is also an option with this dish).
The chicken was sautéed with mushrooms, prosciutto and marsala wine. All three dishes were served over al dente pasta.
The portions were substantial, and all three were excellent renditions of these classic Neapolitan dishes.
We overheard a waiter telling guests at an adjacent table that Bella Napoli has a new chef, but when we attempted to learn more from owner Maria Amelio Salierno, no details were forthcoming.
Nevertheless, it was clear from our dinners that he can cook.
The summer special at Bella Napoli does not include dessert, but we finished our entrées too full for that anyway.
Dinner for the three of us with a decent bottle of wine ran $70 before taxes and tip.
This is not the top Italian restaurant in Vero and there is very little that is innovative about the cuisine.
But for a very good traditional Neapolitan meal, you might want to give it a visit.
I welcome your comments, and encourage you to send feedback to me at tina@verobeach32963.com.
The reviewer is a beachside resident who dines anonymously at restaurants at the expense of Vero Beach 32963.
