Restaurant review: Bella Gelateria Yaletown

By Sherman Chan,
Special to The Post

Four years ago, my friend told me about a new gelato spot named Bella Gelateria. I didn't think much about it as I planned to meet him there after dinner, but unbeknownst to me, Bella was no ordinary gelato store. Rather, it was the brainchild of passionate owner and gelato master James Coleridge. Fast-forward to the present, and a second location is now open in Yaletown with a bigger mandate, offering Neapolitan pizza and unique desserts and beverages based on their gelato.
To start things off, we were treated to three house-made sodas including raspberry, lemon thyme and orange-vanilla. We loved the latter due to its resemblance to a Creamsicle. It was smooth, not sweet, and aromatic and lightly citrusy. The lemon thyme was refreshing and light with a nice tang accented by a hint of thyme. With a big whiff of basil, the raspberry exhibited more body, yet was still light.
For food, we started with the Antipasto with speck, napoli salami, prosciutto, eggplant garlic spread, anchovy cream, olives, Fior di Latte, Taleggio, Parmigiano-Reggiano and grilled house-made bread. The selection of items was highlighted by the flavourful spreads. I liked the anchovy cream as it was salty with a background bite.
We also tried the Burrata Orginale with local heirloom tomatoes, arugula, olive oil and sea salt with grilled house-made bread. We liked the creamy and stringy texture of the fresh burrata, which was salted quite aggressively. I personally didn't mind it, but my friend thought it was too salty. As for the bread, it was crusty and chewy. The Prosciutto San Daniele was topped with arugula, red onion, capers and pine nuts tossed in lemon vinaigrette with Parmesan shavings. The acidity in the vinaigrette was a nice counterbalance to the salty prosciutto, but the salt content in the salad was too strong. 
Moving onto a Bella original, we sampled their Gelatinis, including the Negroni, Texas Grind, and Buko Bird. The Negroni consisted of gin, Campari and Italian vermouth with creamy Earl Grey Tea Gelato and caramelized fresh orange peel oils. These were essentially boozy milkshakes but with a "scoop" of gelato in the middle of the drink.
Our first pizza was the classic Margherita with San Marzano (D.O.P.) tomatoes, fior di latte, Parmigiano-Reggiano, extra virgin olive oil, and fresh basil. Although it wasn't wet per se, the middle was somewhat spongy. As for the tomato sauce, it was mild, but did exhibit a slight tanginess.
We also tried the Capriciossa and Completa. The Capriciossa had San Marzano (D.O.P.) tomatoes, fior di latte, prosciutto cotto, mushrooms, artichoke, extra virgin olive oil, fresh basil, and Parmigiano-Reggiano. We liked this pizza for its combination of flavours ranging from tangy artichokes, woodsy mushrooms and mildly salty prosciutto cotto. The taste was balanced and appealing. Naturally, with more ingredients, the middle of the crust was more wet. As for the Completa, it was a concoction of fior di latte, prosciutto crudo, arugula, Parmigiano-Reggiano, and extra virgin olive oil. Without any tomato sauce, the crust was chewier and more dry. The prosciutto was all the flavour needed, as the bursts of saltiness was brought down a few notches with the arugula.
As if that wasn’t enough food, we tried the Raspberry Manhattan Isola and the Lemon Pimm's Isola. We thought the latter was the lighter of the two and the most refreshing despite the alcohol. It was made of bright lemon sorbetto in a chilled blend of Pimm’s Number 1 Cup and ginger liqueur stirred with cucumber and mint, then topped with a measure of Fentiman’s Ginger Beer. Consisting of whiskey and Italian vermouth, the Raspberry Manhattan had raspberry sorbetto infused with a dash of dark chocolate and dark chocolate bitters completed with a kirsch-soaked cherry. This went down much stronger with only a touch of sweetness. 
For dessert, we had the Torta Gelato featuring Pie Hole's fantastic apple pie.
The crust was flaky, firmly crispy and buttery. Inside, the neatly layered apples had the right combination of tart and sweetness. 
Overall, we thought our meal at Bella was pleasant. Some of the items (particularly the gelatinis) were a little "out there" but you can't accuse them of being boring. The Neapolitan pizza is not the best in the city, but it held its own. However, the gelato still continues to be my favourite in Vancouver.

Sherman Chan is the #1 ranked food blogger on the Vancouver portal of Urbanspoon.com. Read more of his reviews at www.shermansfoodadventures.com.

Bella Gelateria
1089 Marinaside Crescent, Vancouver
(778) 737-7890

The Good:
• Still best gelato in Vancity in my opinion
• Excellent location for the view and people watching
• Interesting uses for gelato

The Bad:
• Some items are quite pricey (but then again, consider the location)
• Possibly a few too many options which confuses some people about the place

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