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When it comes to Italian, I’ll admit, I’m not a very harsh critic. I generally subscribe to the "if it looks like a duck and sounds like a duck, it's probably a duck," theory. If it looks Italian, and tastes Italian, it's usually good enough for me.

However, the Italian restaurant is a dying breed in Southwest Florida, falling victim to the likes of stylized Mexican, upscale Oriental and the growing sushi market. Noodles, one of the more popular Italian choices in the area, has even enlisted the aid of Sushi-Thai in order to keep up with the new-wave demands of a Naples culture that is constantly finding new reasons to call itself chic.

All that being said, Bella Rosa – located just off the interstate on Daniels road, looked like a classic Italian restaurant. Yes, the restaurant is in a small strip-mall environment, but with well-kept bushes and a Spanish-style fountain in front of the entrance, the feeling of a European courtyard was the first thing that struck me while walking to the front door.

Nick Krueger

What you see is what you get at Fort Myers' Bella Rosa.

Inside the restaurant seemed very authentic. A full bar to one side boasted an impressive-looking wine rack fashioned out of dark cherry wood and granite. To the left, a cutout in the wall offered a view of the cooks tossing and kneading pizza dough. Further to the left was a cozy to-go area.

The hostesses greeted my family and me very warmly. Their accents, clearly European, added to the atmosphere, and after walking through the dining room to our table, the sounds of modern Italian music could be heard in the background. After sitting down, I took a look around the dining room, trying to remember where I had seen such décor in the past. The ceiling had a chandelier surrounded in a dome with replica paintings from the Sistine Chapel, but I realized what the furniture, lighting and wall fixtures reminded me of – the Haunted Mansion at Disney World!

Booths lined the outer walls, towering over the guests that sat in them, and the room was primarily lit by mini lamps with Victorian-style moldings holding them to the wall. With the dim lighting and dull colors it was hard to even notice the restaurant’s paintings let alone enjoy them.

After we looked over the menu, which was diverse for an Italian place, our server, Olga, approached the table. Throughout the meal she was very courteous, attentive, and knowledgeable. After taking our drink order, she returned with a jazzed-up olive oil dish and some delicious garlic rolls. Lucky for us, they feature a happy hour in the early evening, which includes wells/calls and house wines. The wine list wasn't outstanding, surprising considering the display at the bar, but the house selections were two for one, so my father and I split an order of Merlot ($7.95).

One nice thing about Bella Rosa is that it has lunch and dinner menus offering different dishes. The lunch items like calzones and paninis actually seem like better options and are much more affordable ($9-$11) than the dinner entrees. While most of the dinner menu ran slightly above the $15 and under line, the portions were typical of an Italian dinner – huge. The rest of my family ordered veal parmesan ($19.00), lasagna ($18.00) and penne Bolognese ($16.00), while I went for the Tuscan chicken pizza ($14.00).

As it turned out, I picked the winner. My father's veal was slightly overcooked, and while personally I like a lot of cheese on veal or chicken parmesan, I don't like it to be burnt. The penne tasted no different than anything you could make at home with some noodles, ground beef and a jar of Ragu, while the lasagna could have used a little more of the pomodoro sauce it was served with.

My pizza, however, had everything I like from restaurants with signature pizza recipes: mushrooms, sun-dried tomatoes, tasty tomato sauce and seasoned chicken. The pizza itself was about the size of a large Pizza Hut pie, but with a softer crust and a more complete, less greasy flavor. This dish was clearly the crown jewel of the table.

While Bella Rosa’s food didn't blow me away overall, the pizza was very good and the menu’s higher priced items sounded fairly enticing. However, my family’s dinner certainly wasn't worth splurging over the $15 limit per plate for. Between my brother and I, the bill was $32.00. With reasonably priced salads and lunch items, Bella Rosa is better suited for a nice lunch date, but as far as dinner goes, I'd much rather have my mother's take on stuffed shells!