Restaurant recommends: Bella Italia

Though it's been through a fire in 2005 and it recently lost it's facade during the ice storm in January, Bella Italia Ristorante in downtown Cape Girardeau rebuilds and keeps focused on the important thing -- the food. Classic Italian dishes are baked or tossed and presented in heaping portions to diners in the warm and romantic dining room or fresh-air tables on the large sidewalk patio. Chris Dirnberger took a few minutes between the lunch rush and the happy hour and dinner crowd to tell us what he sees as a perfect meal.

Drink

Chocolate martini: Dirnberger said this treat is a blend of vanilla, caramel and chocolate liqueurs. Shaken, not stirred, and poured into a chocolate-drizzled martini glass.

Appetizer

Stuffed portobello mushrooms: Bella Italia mixes cream cheese, artichokes, pancetta and black olives and stuff it into mushroom caps then top it with mozzarella that Dirnberger said is then "baked until bubbly."

Entree

Pollo picatta: Though the No. 1 seller is the lasagna bella, Dirnberger decided to recommend the pollo picatta, a lightly breaded chicken in a lemon and capers sauce. It's served with angel hair pasta and sauted vegetables.

Dessert

Tiamisu: After changing his mind a few times, Dirnberger went with the tiramisu. He said it's the most popular dessert at the restaurant. All of Bella's sweets are made from scratch by pastry chef "Patricia."

Bella Italia Ristorante

20 S. Spanish

332-7800

Hours:

11 a.m. to 9 p.m. Monday to Thursday; 11 a.m. to 10 p.m. Friday and Saturday; 11 a.m. to 8 p.m. Sunday