VILLABELLA Italian Ristorante 25 Ching Cheng 9th St.

Stephano and Kelly opened Villabella about two years ago with the idea of trying to bring some of the flavor of Italy to Taichung. Not just the food but some of the ambiance of Italian restaurants as well, by serving home made meals in a pleasant surrounding. There are a number of things that make Villabella an unusual dining experience.

First there's the building itself, which instead of your standard restaurant is actually a home that has been converted into a restaurant. The yard offers a nice touch and you feel instantly transported from the city of Taichung, to a relaxing environment in the country. When you step inside the restaurant itself, you again feel the homey atmosphere that sets this restaurant apart from any I've been to in Taiwan. The walls are a collection of paintings and knick-knacks that Kelly and Stephano have collected for years from Italy and these are tastefully arranged so that you don't feel like you are in a museum or an antique store. The table and chairs follow the homey atmosphere of the place and there is even an upright piano.

Next the way the food is served will be a pleasant surprise to most. The meal is served in four courses and the menu is changed almost daily. This means you don't have to spend hours pouring over a menu deciding what you want to eat. Also since Kelly and Stephano go out shopping every day they can guarantee that your food will be as fresh as possible. If you are concerned about dietary needs simply call ahead to let them know what they are Villabella will serve vegetarian and other needs to suit their customers.

The meal is served in four courses. The first being the appetizers, which are four dishes for a table of two. The night I went we received a plate of Salami & Swiss Cheese, Tomato & Mozzarella Cheese, Sauteed Mushrooms and a dish of Eggplant & Bell Peppers. The next course is the Pasta dish, which was Fettuccini Cream Sauce of Broccoli and Shrimp. Then the Main course which this night was Chicken Triestina, which was a boneless breat of chicken stuffed with Salami, Black Olives and Mushrooms covered in a white wine Sauce, this was served with a salad. Finally there was dessert, which Chocolate Cake served with an aperitif of Lemon Cello.

To say that the food is unusually great here would be an understatement, but what makes the experience even better is that the atmosphere is relaxed, so that you can eat and have a real conversation with your fellow guests without thinking about the outside world. Also what will bring you back to Villabella again and again is that the dishes will always surprise you and the cost is very reasonable. Another feature that has been recently added is the only miniature golf course known to Taiwan Fun in Taichung city.  While it only features three holes, it is still great fun to play accompanied with a few friends and a few drinks.

Villabella is located at #25 Ching Cheng 9^th St. Locating it can be a bit difficult so you might want to take a taxi the first time. If you want to brave finding it on your own, take Ching Cheng rd. going down from Chung Kang Rd. past both Finga's restaurant, Ching Cheng 9^th st. is about three blocks past Finga's Italian restaurant on the left side of the road. You will find Villabella on the left side of Ching Cheng 9th St. just before you reach Chung Ming south rd. As you can see Villabella is a little off the beaten path but this is part of its charm, don't let it stop you from enjoying a great dining experience.