BELLA BU BISTROT: A LOCAL GEM HIDDEN IN THE MEDIEVAL STREETS OF GENOA
The Cost - $34 per person
The Atmosphere – Located inside of a historic 16th century building that was originally a stable, Bella Bu Bistrot has a fantastic interior complete with centuries-old arched brick ceilings. After serving its initial purpose, the building was converted into a bordello before becoming an eatery. It is an incredible, historic setting for a meal. Dress code, like the general vibe, is casual, though athletic wear wouldn’t be too appropriate. Reservations and credit cards are accepted.
Wandering the charming, narrow, medieval streets of the historic center of Genoa is one of the city’s best activities. It becomes an even better activity if you manage to find Bella Bu Bistrot, an adorable restaurant that has a very local feel to it. The restaurant has been open for eight years and has won over residents and tourists alike with its delicious Italian food and large selection of natural wines.
The Order – Crochette di Bacala Mantecato, Insalata di Calamari, Melanzana Glassata alla Soya, Bucatini Cacio e Quattro Pepi, Pulpo Grigliato, Cheesecake con Arachidi Sabbiate, and Lingotto al Cioccolato.
The Fantastic – Dessert is sometimes an afterthought at great restaurants but not at Bella Bu. The Cheesecake con Arachidi Sabbiate (candied peanuts) was excellent and was my favorite of the two deserts that were ordered. The square piece of cheesecake with a nice crust was lovely on its own and the candied peanuts gave the dish a nice crunch, but it was the incredible light caramel sauce drizzled on top that really elevated this dish to a must-order.
The Great – Before the cheesecake came along, I would have said the Puplo Grigliato was the best dish of the evening. The grilled octopus was served with cooked spinach and confit tomatoes and was presented beautifully with a spinach sauce artistically placed on the plate. The tomatoes gave a bit of sweetness which was really lovely with the thick, excellently cooked fresh octopus tentacles which reminded me that we were just minutes away from the sea. It was a crowd-pleasing dish that I’d gladly order again and again.
Both of the appetizers, the Crochette de Bacala Mantecato, which came from the daily specials menu, and the Insalata de Calamari, were also delicious. The bacalao croquettes were large, fried balls of creamy cod that were served with a garlic aioli. We’ve all probably had croquettes before, and many of us have likely had cod croquettes, but I doubt that most of us have had a bacalao croquette with a texture that creamy. The creaminess was impressive and really gave the inside of the fried ball a mashed-potato like texture that also had excellent, not-too-fishy flavor.
The Insalata di Calamari was a less-heavy appetizer with the very lightly fried calamari being combined with fennel and orange. I thought the combination of the citrus and fennel went really well with the calamari and gave the appetizer a unique and fresh feel that tickled different parts of the palate and certainly didn’t lack in terms of flavor.
The only pasta course ordered was Bella Bu’s version of the classic Roman cacio e pepe. The Bucatini Cacio e Quattro Pepi was made with lovely bucatini pasta, which is like a thicker spaghetti. The pasta was not crunchy or firm but was wonderfully cooked on the firm side. It was not heavily sauced and the cheese shavings on top were tasty, however, it was the heavy dose of pepper that made it a treat. A classic done very well.
The last dish to earn our Great rating was the last dish we tried: the Lingotto al Cioccolato. A dessert from the daily specials menu, the rectangular dark chocolate bar was served with a cacao crumble, some salted caramel and a scoop of strawberry sorbet. The dark chocolate bar was smooth and rich and didn’t have much bitterness to it, especially when combined with the sweet and salty caramel sauce and the excellent strawberry sorbet which was creamier and tastier than I expected. No matter if you are a milk chocolate or dark chocolate lover, this dessert is a great way to end the meal.
The Good – The Melanzana Glassata alla Soya was an Asian inspired soy glazed eggplant entrée. Served with green beans and crushed almond pieces, the eggplant was very soft and was prepared well; there was no bitterness or sourness that can often accompany an eggplant dish. A nice option for vegetarians or those in search of a plant-based meal.
The Verdict – One of my absolute favorite things to do is to find local gems in a city that I am visiting, and I couldn’t have been happier to discover Bella Bu in Genoa. From the delicious food to the incredible ambiance, it is a meal that I will not forget in a restaurant that I hope never loses its charm.