Beautiful Pasta: Italian, By Way of Spain and South America

Bella Pasta ("beautiful pasta," of course), at 91 North Main St., presents "a little bit of Spain, a little bit of Italy" with a lot of heart.

"For pasta lovers, this is the place," asserts Juan Rodriguez, the executive chef.

Bella Pasta is the four-month-old creation of the Rodriguez family of Ecuador by way of Spain.

Brothers Juan, Marcelo and Fabian are co-owners who took over a long-vacant former deli and transformed it with their own design and hand labor into a bright and  attractive space, seating 35 with a full bar. Plans are underway for a fence and canopy for outdoor eating.

Hand-painted Spanish plates decorate the walls. An 11-year old Serrano ham—which may become thinly sliced prosciutto after curing another 20 years—adorns the bar. The faux stone fireplace, constructed by the Rodriguez brothers, is piled with real logs.

The close-knit Rodriguez brothers grew up in the city of Riobamba in Ecuador near the farm of their grandfather, Eloy a Spanish immigrant, who cultivated vegetables, kept dairy cows and made cheese, teaching young Juan to cook and preserve food by his example.

"I carry [the culinary traditions handed down by Eloy] in my veins," says Juan, who has created his own signature dishes and an unusual variety of Sangria.

The menu reflects Juan's two years of travels throughout Spain and Italy in the 1990s after working in the family's restaurant in Riobamba, Chacarero, an Ecuadorian destination for European travelers.

(That restaurant came to the attention of a tourist authority in Spain through word of mouth for its excellence. Juan flew to Madrid to accept an award, and if you ask, he'll bring out a scrapbook to display a photograph of the event. His sister, Guadalupe, now runs that restaurant.)

"I was hungry for experience," says 47-year-old Juan. "I wanted to test for myself the cuisines of Europe. I feel a passion for Spanish and Italian food."

The menu features 20 pasta dishes in the $13 to $15.50 range. Ravioli, fettucini, spinach pasta and gnocchi are all homemade on the premises.

The signature pasta dish is Penne "Bella Pasta," with Spanish chorizo, jumbo shrimp and vodka sauce.

Main dishes ($14 to $19) have Spanish and Italian accents, from Paella Valenciana to Salmon Fiorentina.

For the full Bella Pasta experience, call ahead (203-853-6000) to make a reservation for the tasting feast that happens one Wednesday each month. This past Wednesday, diners paid $50 per person, including tax and gratuity for the "Argentinian Wine Dinner."

For the dinner, waiters served five dishes and five wines, beginning with Spanish crab cakes accompanied by Trivento Torrontes (2008) and ending with a dessert of lemon tart with fresh berries, washed down with Rosa Regale (2010).

In between were Piquillos Peppers stuffed with crab meat, shrimp and saffron aioli with Terrazas Chardonnay (2009), Jamon Serrano-Manchego Cheese with Trivento Malbec (2009) and Parrillada Argentina (grilled meats and sausages with chimichurri sauce and new potatoes) with Trapiche Cabernet Sauvignon (2009).

Bella Pasta offers a signature Sangria made from red wine, fresh fruit, brandy and peach flavors. The green Sangria, from a family recipe, is white wine-based with orange juice and Curacao. Wines from Spain, Italy, Chile and Argentina range in price from $25 to $40.

The Rodriguez family also ran the successful Spanish tapas eatery Macarena in Stamford before starting up Bella Pasta.

The restaurant is open seven days a week for lunch (11:30 to 3) and dinner (5 - 10:30). Parking is available behind the building.