C U I S I N E
CLASSIC DINING
Villa Bellini Restaurant
By Margaret Word Burnside and Aaron R. Fodiman
A selection of sauces is available to enhance your dining pleasure
FOUR ITALIAN FAMILIES HAVE
discovered the simple secret of
success at this new Clearwater
restaurant. Just do things exceptionally well.
They began with a massive renovation of
the 1920’s home that once housed Tio
Pepe to recreate the feel of an old Italian
palace. The result imparted a sense of
Italy’s heritage, almost from the moment
you enter. The interior décor can only be
described as elegant.
However, no matter how impressive
the ambience, a restaurant must excel in
its food quality and preparation in order
to succeed. To this end, one of the four
partners, Chef Ciro Mancini, has created
an all inclusive menu of classic Italian
fare, which includes several dishes,
which he has given his own unique
twists.
The extensive menu has two pages of
appetizers that include staples such
as tomato and mozzarella Caprese, sliced
filet mignon Carpaccio, fried calamari,
and mussels in white wine. Each
presentation is stunning and created
salmon dishes, three grouper selections
and a snapper filet, as well as a Zuppa di
Pesce of shrimp, scallops, fish, mussels,
clams and calamari in a tomato-based
broth. They also offer a “Soup of the Day”
and five special salads to which you can
add chicken, shrimp, salmon, grouper or
snapper. The desserts are as decadently
delicious and Italian as the rest of the
menu.
Villa Bellini should be a must on your
fine dining schedule. They serve lunch
Tuesday through Friday, dinner Tuesday
through Sunday, and are closed on
Monday. Thanks to the passion and
artistry of Chef Ciro, these meals are
unforgettable. Buon Appetito!
9
EDITOR’S NOTE: Villa Bellini Restaurant
and Lounge is located at 2930 Gulf to Bay
Boulevard in Clearwater (Between U.S.
Highway 19 and McMullen Booth Road),
(727) 754-9848.
Photography by Noraa
at this new premium-quality restaurant in Clearwater.
with top-quality ingredients. There are
seventeen different pasta dishes that
range from Cannelloni to Gnocchi. We
credit Chef Mancini with the inspiration
for Saccottini Ciro, “pouch-shaped” fresh
pasta filled with ricotta cheese and
black truffle in a light cream sauce with
mushrooms and pancetta. This is a
heavenly dish that we will order every
time we return. For veal lovers, there
are several versions of thin, tender
Scaloppini, as well as a grilled 14-ounce
Veal Chop, and a Veal Shank. These
are followed by four chicken selections
that are prepared much like the Veal
Scaloppini selections. For those who want
beef, there are three different sauces for
an 8-ounce certified Angus center-cut
Filet Mignon; a 14-ounce New York Strip
sautéed in a creamy gorgonzola sauce; a
Surf and Turf of filet and Maine lobster
tail, shrimp and scallops; a New Zealand
Rack of Lamb; and an assorted grill for
two that includes chicken, filet, lamb,
sausage, shrimp, scallops and calamari.
For those craving seafood, there are two
JULY/AUGUST 2015 TAMPA BAY MAGAZINE 177