Bella Luna always has creative seasonal menus and Harry recently told me that his new summer menu will roll out around the third week of June. The summer menu is the only menu of the year that Stephens exclusively writes, and he promises to offer some surprises. The goal is to show people that Italian food can be great prepared on the grill or in a light fashion and that it isn’t just comfort food, but perfect food for any season.
Also this summer, in addition to the usual weekend entertainment, Bella Luna is offering live entertainment on their patio on Wednesday nights. Probably not coincidentally, Wednesday is also the night that all wines by the bottle are half price.
CityBeat: What was the last great meal that you ate and where did you eat it?
Harry Stephens: Well to be honest, it
was last week in Chicago. I ate at Chicago Cut and it was the best
steak I ever had in my life. But locally, it was at the restaurant that
I opened 24 years ago, The Palace (at The Cincinnatian Hotel). That
meal from beginning to end was outstanding, both from a service and
culinary perspective.
CB: Congratulations on
winning five Best of Taste awards at this year’s Taste of Cincinnati,
but what was with the T-shirts that your staff wore that said “Bella
Luna Farewell Tour”?
HS: This was our final year
participating at Taste of Cincinnati. I just had a new grandchild and
my daughter is also expecting, so we want to take more time and spend
it with our family. However, this was the greatest Taste we ever had;
everyone was in a great mood and it couldn’t have gone better.
What a great spot! You can't go wrong with Harry Stephen's restaurant wether it is a Tuesday or a Saturday, Bella Luna is fenomenal. The food reminds me of Sunday dinner or just Italian-style tapas. With a regional menu paying homage to the all parts of the motherland and a superb wine list you can't go wrong. Bring a friend, date or party of 10. The servers are eager to create a comfortable environment suitable for any occassion. So make the reservation...